Airbnb CEO Dabbles With Adding Crypto Payments in 2022

Original author: Mandy Williams

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American home rental firm Airbnb Inc. might soon join the growing list of companies that accept cryptocurrencies as payment options for services.

Airbnb to Accept Crypto Payments?

The possibility of Airbnb supporting crypto payments comes after the company’s co-founder, and CEO Brian Chesky asked users on Twitter to recommend anything they would like the home rental firm to do in 2022.

If Airbnb could launch anything in 2022, what would it be?

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) January 2, 2022

Three days after he posed the question, Chesky sorted through nearly 4,000 comments and made a list of the top six recommendations.

Crypto Payments Tops List

Apparently, many people want to be able to book an Airbnb apartment with digital assets as “crypto payments” topped the list of suggestions.

Other recommendations in the top six include providing clear pricing displays, a guest loyalty program, updated cleaning fees, more long-term stays and discounts, and better customer service.

Interestingly, the CEO added that some of the suggestions are already in the pipeline for 2022, and the firm will consider others.

Although Chesky did not explicitly state his company’s stance on adding crypto payments, his comments could mean one of two things. Either Airbnb was already planning to integrate digital asset payments into its services before the CEO asked for suggestions, or it will consider doing so before the end of the year.

Got 4,000 suggestions. Here are the top 6:

1 – Crypto payments (top suggestion)
2 – Clear pricing displays
3 – Guest loyalty program
4 – Updated cleaning fees
5 – More long-term stays & discounts
6 – Better customer service

Already working on most, will look into others now! https://t.co/rxEM4BXZci

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) January 5, 2022

Regardless of what it is, Chesky noted that the “crypto payments” recommendation included a variety of token ideas, including bitcoin.

The home rental firm co-founder also added that Airbnb’s existing payments volume is at $336 billion, processed since 2013.

Supporting cryptocurrencies could increase that figure as the industry continues to gain mainstream adoption. It will position the company to compete against Dtravel, a decentralized home rental firm established by former executives from Airbnb and Expedia with backing from leading crypto exchange Binance.

More Companies Support Crypto Payments

Meanwhile, last year saw a number of companies integrate crypto payment options. As reported in August 2021, popular German fashion company Philipp Plein International AG said it will allow customers to buy products with 15 different cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ether.

Similarly, American fintech company Verifone partnered with bitcoin payment service provider BitPay in September to make crypto payment options available to its clients in the United States.