Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has enabled cryptocurrency payments for its New Shepard spaceflights through a partnership with payment processor Shift4. Effective immediately, customers can book suborbital journeys using Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC).
Shift4 CEO Taylor Lauber announced the integration, stating: "Our mission has always been to revolutionize commerce by simplifying the transaction process, and we’re thrilled to now extend that vision beyond Earth." The payment option appears on Blue Origin's booking platform via Shift4's infrastructure, though the space company hasn't issued an independent confirmation.
This marks the first major adoption of cryptocurrencies in commercial space tourism, potentially influencing broader industry payment standards. The move could attract crypto-affluent customers to New Shepard flights priced at approximately $1.25 million per seat. Market analysts suggest this high-profile integration may accelerate cryptocurrency adoption in other premium sectors despite pending regulatory clarity for space commerce transactions.