Consumers can now buy the cryptocurrency bitcoin at one of 2200 US grocery stores. Seattle-based financial tech company Coinme has partnered up with coin-counting kiosk provider Coinstar to install bitcoin kiosks in stores in 21 states, including major cities such as Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
A single bitcoin is currently valued at NZ$13,378, and as such transactions tend to take place involving small fractions of the currency. Customers must buy their bitcoin using paper US currency up to the value of US$2500. They then receive a printed voucher with a redemption code, which they can redeem at coinme.com after making an account. “Bitcoin and other digital currencies offer unique benefits to consumers, including the potential for more cost-effective and faster remittances to family and friends,” Neil Bergquist, co-founder and CEO of Coinme, said in a statement.
Participating stores include select branches of Safeways and Albertsons, as well as Jewel, Shaw’s, Lucky/Lucky California, Tops Market, Tom Thumb, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, MaxxValue Foods, Strack & Van Til, Winn-Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, Acme Markets, ShopRite, Foodtown, Shop ‘n Save, and La Fiesta Supermarket.
