Integration into payment systems
A key step in the acceptance of Bitcoin in everyday life is integration by payment service providers. One example is Worldline, a leading payment transaction provider, which operates around 55,000 card readers in Switzerland. Crypto integration means companies using Worldline can receive payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Lightning and three stablecoins.
The process is extremely straightforward – it’s simply a matter of activating the service via Worldline. Retailers don’t assume any exchange risks: the crypto payments are automatically converted into Swiss francs and credited at the current rate. This immediate conversion protects retailers against the volatility of the crypto market and enables seamless integration into existing financial systems.
PostFinance’s e-commerce solution also enables payment in Bitcoin – both in high-street stores and online. Bitcoin, Ethereum and the two stablecoins USDC and USDT are accepted. The crypto payment technology behind this solution is also provided by Worldline.
The fact that there’s nevertheless still room for improvement in terms of everyday adoption of Bitcoin points to the lack of integration by the major players, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay – or the highly popular TWINT solution in Switzerland. None of these solutions offers crypto payments – consumers have to make do with a separate app. To ensure further integration in everyday life, payment service providers and banks incorporating crypto payments such as Bitcoin into their own app would represent a future-oriented approach.
The situation is different for normal Bitcoin trading, where some banks have now taken up this trend and extended their business model. While investors were previously reliant on platforms abroad and had to bear default risks, various Swiss institutions now offer their customers secure crypto investments. PostFinance customers can also invest in a range of cryptos directly via e-banking and the PostFinance App. In addition to safe custody, they also benefit from a simple procedure and a high degree of user-friendliness and transparency.