Cryptocurrency payment services provider BitPay announced Wednesday (Aug. 11) in a press release that U.S. BitPay Prepaid Mastercard holders can add their cards to Google Wallet and spend their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency on contactless purchases in the app, online and in person with Android phones, tablets and watches using Google Pay.
Support for BitPay will come to Apple Pay and Samsung Pay soon, the release stated.
“Consumers are seeking more new places and ways to spend their crypto, and we want to make their experience fast, easy and secure,” said BitPay CEO Stephen Pair. “Adding Google Pay makes it easy and convenient for customers to live life on crypto and benefit from the increased value crypto provides from day-to-day items to luxury purchases.”
The BitPay Wallet app allows customers to manage, protect, track and spend 12 forms of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum as well as several stablecoins. Customers can turn cryptocurrency into dollars, and then load the money onto their cards to spend wherever Mastercard debit cards are accepted, make purchases online or withdraw cash from ATMs.
New customers can also add their virtual BitPay Cards to their Google Wallets and spend immediately using Google Pay while they wait for their plastic cards.
Earlier this month, “The Cryptocurrency Payments Playbook: Cryptocurrencies Gain Momentum As A Payment Option,” a PYMNTS and BitPay collaboration, noted that 60 percent of cryptocurrency users are “very” or “extremely” interested in using cryptocurrency “to make online purchases that are more private or secure — or because they think these purchases are.”
Read more: 57 Pct Of Crypto Holders Will Pay That Way If Offered The Option
About 40 percent of more than 8,000 respondents are “interested in using cryptocurrency in real estate purchases say they are motivated to eliminate intermediaries,” and 38 percent are interested in buying computers and electronics with crypto for reduced transaction costs, according to the survey results.
Nearly 40 percent of survey respondents think purchasing entertainment and media products using cryptocurrency “would make online payments more efficient,” while 36 percent want lower transaction costs.
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