Low cost carrier Peach Aviation rolling out bitcoin payment option
Low-cost Japanese carrier Peach Aviation will become the first in Japan to offer cryptocurrency payments.
Customers will soon be able to pay directly with bitcoin for tickets after the Japanese government last year legalised bitcoin as an official form of payment for e-commerce transactions.
It scrapped a previous 8% tax rate on bitcoin payments through bitcoin exchanges.
"We want to encourage visitors from overseas and the revitalisation of Japan’s regions. This is a real first step in partnerships for Japan and we are aiming for more company and service tie-ups," said airline CEO Shinichi Inoue.
The bitcoin payment option will be rolled out by the end of the year, the airline said.
Peach also rolled out Alipay and UnionPay payment options earlier this year to lure more Chinese travellers.
As uncertainty around the world has hit traditional currency values, bitcoin is at a record level of more than $2,000.
It has more than doubled in value this year.
Only a few other airlines have a bitcoin payment option, which includes Latvian carrier airBaltic and Polish airline LOT.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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