Paying with digital currency goes mainstream— starting 19th of August in A1 shops

• From the 19th of August 2019 cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin & Co will be accepted in selected A1 shops
• Austrian cryptocurrency specialist Salamantex enables simple and secure handling of new digital payment methods in the A1 Payment Service
• Digital currencies open up new target groups for businesses and create more opportunities for innovative consumers

A1 bets on future-oriented payment methods in digital currencies
In cooperation with Salamantex, Austrian specialist for cryptocurrencies, the A1 Payment Service makes payments in digital currencies simple and secure. This makes them an everyday means of payment, comparable to debit or credit card payments.

Protection against fluctuations in value
The A1 payment solution creates a framework for companies to accept digital currencies without having to bear the occasionally considerable risk of an exchange rate change from cryptocurrency to euro. This is made possible by the partnership with the Lower Austrian startup company Salamantex, which has been offering All-in-One payment solutions and “the easy way for crypto pay” since 2017. The system immediately converts the amount into euros at a guaranteed exchange rate.

Austria’s pent-up demand for digital currencies
“Tomorrow’s payment solutions will be able to understand and accept digital currencies,” says Markus Schreiber, Head of A1 Business Marketing. “While payment by mobile phone or watch (e.g. Apple Pay, Garmin Pay) is slowly establishing itself in Austria, we urgently need to catch up when it comes to the acceptance of digital currencies. Taking tourism as an example, we see that guests from Asia in particular want to primarily pay with Alipay, WeChat Pay or with a coin. A1 thus takes on a pioneering role and supports companies in integrating new digital payment methods into their daily business simply and without risk. A1 starts accepting cryptocurrencies in selected A1 shops in Austria, at the beginning of 2020 the extended A1 Payment Service will also be available for A1 Business customers.

From the terminal over the service to the assumption of the exchange rate risk, companies receive everything from a single source: A1 provides the payment terminal and takes care of its maintenance. Blockchain expertise is just as nonessential as the setting up of wallets or exchange accounts.

New target groups for companies, more opportunities for innovative consumers
Salamantex CEO René Pomassl is pleased about the cooperation with A1. “With the addition of digital means of payment, A1 Payment is taking on a pioneering role in times of digitalization. This will increase the broad acceptance of digital currencies as a serious and secure means of payment. Together we create confidence and the possibility for enterprises to open up new target groups of ´Early Adopters`”.

The advantage for consumers is the possibility to use their digital currencies directly at the point of sale, without having to go through a bank and without having to exchange them for euros beforehand.

Payments with cryptocurrency are now possible in the following A1 shops:

📍 Vienna — Kärntnerstraße
📍 Vienna — Wien Mitte The Mall
📍 Lower Austria — Krems Bühl Center
📍 Styria — Graz Herrengasse
📍 Upper Austria — Linz Landstraße
📍 Salzburg — Salzburg Europark
📍 Tyrol — Innsbruck Kaufhaus Tyrol