Elektra becomes first chain of stores to accept Bitcoin

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News

Now accepts Bitcoin.

The company will offer discounts to Bitcoin users for a limited time

Posted on Friday, December 17, 2021

Elektra is the country’s first retail chain to accept Bitcoin, the company announced on its website this week, explaining that it will offer a 20% discount to customers who pay with cryptocurrency. Elektra will accept Bitcoin through the BitPay cryptocurrency payment platform.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego, the owner of Grupo Elektra as well as Banco Azteca, is an avid Bitcoin enthusiast and had previously hinted that Elektra might accept it as a form of payment. In June, he announced that Banco Azteca would be the first bank to accept Bitcoin.

But the announcement was premature: In response, financial authorities proclaimed that unregulated cryptocurrency was not legal tender and that any bank that accepted it would face penalties. Some opponents warn that electronic money could be used for tax evasion and illegal transactions.

The opposition clearly did not dampen Salinas’ interest in Bitcoin, which he called “the new gold.”

Rumors are true 😎, @ElektraMx is the 1st (retail) store in Mexico 🇲🇽 that allows you to buy with #Bitcoin.

I’m so sorry to beat the competition again 😂😜😎. https://t.co/1Lm9cbfGeL

– Ricardo Salinas Pliego (@RicardoBSalinas) December 16, 2021

“Rumors are true, Elektra is the first (retail) store in Mexico to allow purchase with #Bitcoin. I’m so sorry for beating the competition once again, ”Salinas wrote in an emoji-filled Twitter post on Thursday.

Bitcoin has gained popularity in Mexico as an international remittance tool. About 12% of Mexicans owned some type of cryptocurrency as of October.

With reports from El Universal

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