Shift4 helps Blue Origin accept crypto for space travel

Shift4 Payments Inc. is working with Blue Origin so the space exploration company can accept cryptocurrencies and stablecoins from travelers who want to take trips into space. To date, more than 75 people have boarded the reusable Blue Origin New Shepherd rocket to travel past Karman Line, the internationally boundary into space. Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos, who also founded Amazon.

Blue Origin travelers are not the only ones to make the trip into space. Space X, a competing rocket company owned by Elon Musk, has flown 18 missions, including seven designated as private/commercial flights, to transport a total of 48 government astronauts and 20 private sector individuals into space.

Jared Isaacman, who founded Shift4, commanded the first all-civilian Space X mission (known as Inspiration4) which orbited Earth for three days. He also funded and led the Polaris Dawn, the first mission of the Polaris rocket, which clocked the farthest Earth orbit traveled by humans since the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s.

Isaacman also had been considered for the position of administrator of NASA in the Trump Administration.

Revolutionizing commerce

Under the arrangement with Shift4, Blue Origin customers can pay for their trips to space using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana USDT and USDC. They will also be able 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 extend that vision beyond Earth," said Taylor Lauber, Shift4 CEO. "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 frictionless experience."

The new integration builds on Shift4's current capabilities and network of global partners to support customers around the world with next-generation payment solutions, Shift4 explained in a press release. 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 U.S. dollars, at any time of the day, any day of the week, the company said The new payment offering is available now for all upcoming commercial spaceflight bookings on Blue Origin's New Shepherd rocket as customer demand for easy and secure digital payment options continues to grow, Shift4 added.

"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 the merchant benefit financially from these transactions."

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