Vancouver has long been known by the moniker the City of Glass. If you’ve ever wondered how the city got the title, wonder no longer: It is because of the city’s numerous skyscrapers, which have glass and mirror fronts. A simple, if not anticlimactic, explanation. But it gets you thinking: if Vancouver’s nickname was so easily come by, will it ever change?
Vancouver is known for its progressive spirit. True to this reputation, the City of Glass has embraced cryptocurrency. Day after day there are more and more businesses in Vancouver willing to accept digital payments. If the trend continues, how many will it take before Vancouver becomes the City of Crypto?
Pioneering this progress was non other than the online gambling industry. Online gambling began to surge in popularity around the same time as the advent of cryptocurrency. As the two phenomena gathered steam side by side, they formed a symbiotic relationship. Sure enough, soon Canadian Bitcoin casinos and crypto sports betting platforms became commonplace online. Crypto betting sites are able to compete directly with fiat money alternatives because crypto-friendly platforms tend to offer superior transaction times, increased privacy and lower fees. As crypto became mainstream in the gambling space, the stage was set for crypto to be adopted in online retail and, eventually, on the bustling streets of Vancouver.
Purchasing goods and services using digital currency is by no means novel. Online retailers have been doing it for ages. But for brick-and-mortar establishments to accept cryptocurrency is far more unique, forward thinking and exciting. Imagine if you could grab a burrito, a pair of yoga pants, a fresh tattoo, and a lawyer, all paid for with crypto. Well, in Vancouver, as of July 2024, you can do just that.
Let’s pretend, for a moment, that today you decided to throw caution to the wind, take the day off work, and spend some time exploring Vancouver. If you did, you wouldn’t even need to bring cash. A crypto e-wallet can keep you fed and caffeinated at the city’s numerous cafes and restaurants like Waves Coffee House, Seamrollers Burritos, and Rogue Bistro. You can then burn off those calories with some blockchain-bought fitness at one of many gyms and fitness centres that have joined in the crypto trend, Stretch Yoga Studio, for example.
After your workout, if the brisk Vancouver breeze blowing through your hair reminds you that you are overdue a trim, JD’s Barbershop accepts crypto for haircuts. And if you have a furry companion tagging along, the pet store Lead Mate allows owners to purchase treats and supplies using digital assets.
By day’s end, if you fancy a souvenir to commemorate your crypto crusade through the city of glass, you can drop into The Fall Tattooing and purchase fresh ink on the digital dime. There’s even a law firm that dabbles in crypto payments, Slimano Law, but they don’t fit neatly into this analogy.
It’s incredible to think what crypto can pay for in Vancouver these days. No longer is digital currency an internet only resource. Needless to say, the adoption of cryptocurrency by businesses is still relatively new. While the number of accepting merchants is increasing, things are, as always in the crypto space, fluid and fast-changing. Websites like Coinmap are a great resource for locating businesses that accept crypto.
While the list may not be as extensive as other crypto-friendly cities, there are lots of businesses in Vancouver that cater to the crypto-curios. With digital currencies becoming increasingly mainstream, crypto betting sites dominating the online gambling industry, and popular currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum currently going from strength to strength, the future holds promise for more and more like-minded businesses to emerge as the years wear on.