BitPay adds Apple Pay support

Cryptocurrency payment service BitPay has added support for Apple Pay to its platform, the company announced today.

From the press release:

BitPay, the world's largest provider of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment services, today announced that US cardholders of the BitPay Prepaid Mastercard can add their card to Apple WalletTM and spend with Apple Pay®. With Apple Pay, BitPay cardholders can make secure purchases in stores, in apps, and online. In addition, customers waiting on delivery of their plastic card can add their virtual card to Apple Wallet via the BitPay Wallet app and can start spending immediately. Support for Google Pay and Samsung Pay is planned for later this quarter.

BitPay CEO Stephen Pair said the company had thousands of BitPay Wallet app customers using their card "who are always looking for new places and ways to spend their crypto".

BitPay lets users pay for goods with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and turn it into dollars for spending with BitPay's card. Customers just need to add their card to Apple Wallet, but will first have to download BitPay's latest version (12.0) from the App Store.

As cryptocurrency generates more mainstream traction, many apps and services are adding better support for Apple's platforms and devices. Earlier this week, it was even suggested that Apple follow Tesla down the road of buying up its own cryptocurrency, and in-turn accepting it as payment:

As reported by Coindesk, one financial analyst is calling on Apple to follow Tesla into the Bitcoin game. Mitch Steves, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, says Apple could benefit itself and set the United States up as a technological leader in cryptocurrencies for a decade if it was to get into the business.