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Blue Origin will accept cryptocurrency and stablecoin payments for New Shepard suborbital flights through a new integration with Shift4.
Shift4 Brings Crypto Payments to Blue Origin’s Space Tourism
Starting today, customers can use bitcoin (BTC), ethereum ( ETH), solana ( SOL), tether ( USDT), and USDC to book seats, with Shift4 processing the transactions, according to the company’s press release. Shift4 stated customers may also connect wallets such as the Coinbase Wallet and Metamask for direct payments.
The option is available immediately for upcoming commercial spaceflight bookings on New Shepard, according to the announcement. The rollout targets travelers who prefer digital payments and adds another method for purchasing suborbital trips tied to Blue Origin’s tourism program. The companies said the option is part of a push to expand payment choices for high-ticket purchases for international customers.
Shift4 said the integration is designed to support immediate international transactions and faster settlement in U.S. dollars at any time, on any day, using its payments infrastructure. The company added that the capability extends its existing network and technology to additional use cases in travel and experiences. Geekwire.com first reported on Blue Origin accepting digital currency payments after reporting on Tron founder Justin Sun’s spaceflight.
Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard has flown more than 75 people past the Kármán Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, according to Shift4’s release on Monday. The program carries small research payloads in addition to passengers and returns both booster and capsule for reuse.
Shift4 says prospective flyers can learn more and begin the booking process on Blue Origin’s website, with crypto and stablecoin checkout handled by the company. The companies did not disclose pricing or a timeline for the next crewed flight as part of this payment update.
Blue Origin isn’t alone in catering to space travelers who want to pay with crypto. Virgin Galactic has accepted bitcoin since 2013, and it took its first BTC payment from a flight attendant in Hawaii that year. Virgin Galactic has so far completed 12 spaceflights in total, with the most recent mission known as ‘Galactic 07.’
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