University bookstores to accept Bitcoin
Bookstore at Simon Fraser University’s network of campuses is set to accept Bitcoin payments for books and other store items. The bookstore initiative marks the latest foray into Bitcoin for Simon Fraser, who became the first Canadian university to accept Bitcoin donations in August of last year.
According to The Georgia Straight, the university is now set to accept the peer-to-peer digital currency at university-run bookstores at Simon Fraser’s Burnaby, Vancouver and Surrey campuses. Simon Fraser Bookstores are beginning to accept Bitcoin payments this week for textbooks and other store items, and has installed automated Bitcoin vending machines, called AVMs or Bitcoin ATMs, at the university’s three locations.
The founder of the Simon Fraser University Bitcoin Club worked with the university administration to bring Bitcoin to the bookstore. As part of the initiative, the first 100 customers who spend $20 or more in Bitcoin will receive a $5 bookstore gift card.
The Waterloo, Ontario-based BitSent is the company providing the Bitcoin ATMs, which allow students to purchase Bitcoins, or fractions of Bitcoins, with cash. Per the company’s website, users don’t need to set up an account or share personal banking information to make the exchange. Users can simply insert the amount of cash they wish to convert to Bitcoin into the machine, and have a wallet QR code to which the Bitcoins can be credited.
Still in its infancy in terms of adoption, Bitcoin has made slight inroads on college campuses in Canada, the US and abroad. Though the use cases remain scattered, the digital currency is certainly gaining momentum amongst campus Bitcoin groups and could merit more attention in the future.
