Blue Origin is now letting customers pay for New Shepard space trips with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT and USDC.
Based on reports, the change comes through a partnership with Shift4 Payments, and customers can use wallets like MetaMask and Coinbase to make bookings.
That means people who hold crypto can use it to buy a seat on the rocket, and the option is available for upcoming commercial flights.
Blue Origin Accepts Crypto For Space Flight
According to a press release and company notices, payments in those digital coins are live for new bookings on the New Shepard vehicle. The move follows a growing number of merchants that accept crypto.
Shift4’s Head of Crypto, Alex Wilson, is quoted as saying, “Crypto is now a $4 trillion asset class,” and he suggested that crypto and stablecoins will become more common in payments.
PayPal has also rolled out crypto merchant tools in the US, based on other reports, which adds context to Blue Origin’s decision.
What This Means For Customers And The Company
Reports have disclosed that the listing of multiple coins is meant to give customers choice. People can connect standard wallets and complete purchases, and that could make it easier for some buyers to pay.
At the same time, paying with crypto can have tax implications in many countries, and buyers should be aware of that. Justin Sun’s recent ride on New Shepard cost $28 million, but that auction payment was not made in crypto, according to reports, which shows there is still a mix of how space tourists pay.
Bitcoin In Space Business Context
Based on blockchain trackers and reporting, SpaceX is estimated to hold 8,285 Bitcoin, a figure that has been given a dollar value near $996 million by some data sources.
That number helps explain why people compare Blue Origin’s move with other space firms, even though Blue Origin has not announced any crypto holdings and Amazon does not accept crypto as a payment method.
In simple terms, this new payment option links an expensive consumer product — a seat on a suborbital flight — with an increasingly popular payment form.
Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
