Leading Mobile Provider In Austria, A1, To Start Accepting Crypto Asset Payments

Austria’s leading mobile provider A1 have rolled out their plans to test cryptocurrency payments at chosen store locations within Austria.

A1 Telekom Austria (A¹) is a major Austrian fixed and mobile network operator with a revenue of over 2.5 Billion Euros and over 8,000 employees.

Markus Schreiber, Head of A1 Business Marketing stated:

“Paying with digital currencies is becoming more and more prevalent internationally, and every industry is affected. Whether it's the coffee-to-go or the movie ticket, cash is an obsolete model. With our pilot operation in the A1 shops, we are testing the demand and acceptance of digital currencies in Austria.”

To begin with, the pilot project will accept Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash, Ethereum, Ripple as well as Stellar in shops in Vienna Kärntnerstraße, Wien Mitte The Mall, Krems Bühl Center, Graz Herrengasse, Innsbruck Kaufhaus Tyrol, Salzburg Europark and Linz Landstraße.

Apart from cryptos, A1 customers will have the option to pay in Alipay and WeChatPay by the end of the year. Even though there are only 7 stores available now, they have plans to expand in multiple locations after the test of the pilot project.

A1 has partnered with Salamantex, Ingenico, and Concardis to pioneer a solution that can be easily integrated into the POS system and which relieves the dealer (acceptance partner) of the exchange rate risk.

Schreiber adds:

“As a pioneer, A1 assumes a great responsibility with regard to the digitization of our society. The safety of consumers and trade, as well as compliance with all legal requirements and provisions, have top priority. Before the A1 Payment portfolio will be expanded by digital currencies and officially available to business customers, a multi-stage trial will now be carried out, starting with selected A1 shops.”

There are many businesses, especially the ones who are in contact with Tourists that are feeling the requirement of accepting cryptos.