Shift4 Payments, Inc. (“Shift4”), the leader in integrated payments and commerce technology, and Blue Origin, the pioneering space exploration company, are working together to enable customers to pay in cryptocurrency and stablecoins for trips to space.
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Starting and powered by Shift4’s seamless payments technology, consumers can pay with popular cryptocurrencies and stablecoins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT and USDC for trips to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard. To date, more than 75 humans have boarded the reusable rocket to reach past the Kármán Line, the internationally recognized boundary into space. Customers will also have the option to connect popular wallets like Coinbase and MetaMask, ensuring instant, direct and secure payment processing.
“Our mission has always been to revolutionize commerce by simplifying the transaction process, and we’re thrilled to now extend that vision beyond Earth,” said Taylor Lauber, CEO of Shift4. “Together with Blue Origin, we are making space accessible to explorers around the globe. This partnership will enable adventurous travelers to book the adventure of a lifetime, no matter their preferred payment method – all with a simple, frictionless experience.”
Shift4 has long been a leader in innovation, and this new integration effectively builds on its current capabilities and network of global partners to support customers around the world with next-generation payment solutions. Enabling crypto and stablecoin payments through Shift4 will allow Blue Origin to tap into a growing user base of crypto holders, to support immediate international transactions, and faster settlement in United States Dollars, at any time of day, and on any day of the week.
This new payment offering is available immediately for all upcoming commercial spaceflight bookings on Blue Origin’s New Shepard as consumer demand for easy and secure digital payment options continues to grow.
“Crypto is now a $4 trillion asset class, and the sky is the limit when it comes to its potential in the current payments ecosystem,” said Alex Wilson, Head of Crypto at Shift4. “We believe crypto and stablecoins are going to become an increasingly popular way for consumers to pay, particularly for high-end purchases, as both the consumer and merchant benefit financially from these transactions.”
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