TL;DR
- Shift4 and Blue Origin now allow space trips to be paid with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT, and USDC aboard the New Shepard rocket.
- Users can connect wallets like Coinbase or MetaMask for secure, fast, and direct payments when booking their flights.
- Crypto payment options are already available for all bookings. Blue Origin aims to make space travel more accessible.
Shift4 Payments and Blue Origin announced a partnership enabling customers to pay with Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and stablecoins for space trips aboard the reusable New Shepard rocket.
From now on, anyone wanting to book a seat to cross the Kármán Line—the internationally recognized boundary of space—can pay using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT, and USDC.
This integration relies on Shift4’s payment technology, which enables direct, instant, and secure transactions. Users can also link popular digital wallets like Coinbase and MetaMask to make the process smoother and more reliable. The initiative responds to growing global demand for simple and efficient digital payment methods, especially in high-value sectors.
Blue Origin Opens Space Travel to a New Audience
Shift4 has established itself as a leader in integrated payment technology, processing billions of transactions for a wide variety of businesses worldwide. The company’s CEO, Taylor Lauber, highlighted that this collaboration opens new frontiers so explorers worldwide can access unique space experiences.
Meanwhile, Blue Origin continues advancing suborbital exploration with New Shepard, a vehicle that carries passengers over 100 kilometers high. More than 75 people have experienced this journey, which offers unparalleled panoramic views through large windows. Allowing crypto payments brings this adventure closer to a different audience.
Alex Wilson, head of crypto at Shift4, said cryptocurrencies represent a $4 trillion market and have great potential to become a common payment method for high-value transactions. Stablecoins also enable fast settlements in US dollars regardless of time or day, which is essential for international operations.
This payment option is already available for all future commercial bookings with Blue Origin. It is expected to encourage digital asset adoption in underexplored sectors, expanding blockchain and cryptocurrency practical applications
