French tobacconists start selling Bitcoin

In addition to cigarettes and lottery tickets, Bitcoins can now be bought in French tobacconists.

By February, 6,500 businesses are to run Bitcoin

So far, there are only six tobacco shops in and around Paris offering the leading cryptocurrency for sale. There are already 6,500 branches in February, Adil Zakhar told Reuters.

Zakhar is one of the co-founders of Keplerk, a French fintech group responsible for implementing the service.

    “Some people find it difficult to get bitcoins online,” Zakhar said. “They trust their local tobacco shop owner more than an anonymous website.”

The publication of bitcoins does not take place through the tobacconists. Rather, customers receive a kind of coupon card with a credit of 50, 100 or 200 euros on which a QR code is displayed. By scanning the code, the amount will be automatically credited to the electronic purse. Keplerk charges a commission of 7% on every ticket sold, with the tobacco dealer receiving a stake of 1.25%.

To this end, Keplerk entered into a contract with a local cash register software provider to allow shop owners to sell coupons for Bitcoin.

A similar offer was introduced by the cryptocurrency exchange Bitpanda. Since July 2017, customers can buy paper vouchers in over 400 post offices and around 1,350 postal partners throughout Austria, which can then be exchanged for various cryptocurrencies.

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