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AT&T customers can now pay bills using cryptocurrency
AT&T Inc. customers can now pay their bills using cryptocurrency through a deal the telecommunication giant has signed with BitPay Inc.
It’s the first major U.S. mobile carrier to provide a cryptocurrency payment option. Customers can choose BitPay as a payment option, then opt to pay their bills using either bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve and expand our services,” Kevin McDorman, vice president of AT&T Communications Finance Business Operations, said in a blog post. “We have customers who use cryptocurrency, and we are happy we can offer them a way to pay their bills with the method they prefer.”
AT&T’s decision to provide support for cryptocurrency payments comes as momentum appears to be building once again in 2019 for retail cryptocurrency payments, a similar pattern last seen in 2015-2016 as bitcoin started to rise in price.
On May 13, an app called SPEDN from Flexa Network Inc. launched with an app that allows users to use cryptocurrency to make payments at a range of well-known retail outlets. The app converts crypto payments to cash for retailers and launched. On board are Barnes & Noble, Baskin Robbins, Bed Bath & Beyond, Caribou Coffee, Crate and Barrel, Jamba Juice, Lowe’s, Nordstrom, Office Depot, Petco, Regal Cinemas and Amazon.com Inc.’s Whole Foods Market.
For BitPay, AT&T is another name it can add to a list of existing clients that includes Microsoft Corp., Newegg Inc., Shopify Inc. and Neteller.
Founded in 2011, BitPay, with offices throughout North America, Europe and South America, claims to be the global leader in bitcoin payment processing. The company has raised $72.5 million to date, including a $30 million raised in December 2017.
Investors include G Squared, RRE Ventures, Capital Nine, Aquiline Capital Partners, Menlo Ventures, Delta-v Capital, Nimble Ventures, Virgin Group and Digital Currency Group.
Photo: JeepersMedia/Flickr
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