A small city in North Dakota, the city of Williston is expected to boost crypto payment volumes by installing a state-hosted crypto ATM in its airport. People passing through and working at the Williston Basin International Airport will be able to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC), Dogecoin(DOGE), Shiba Inu(SHIB), Ether(ETH) and at least other 36 cryptocurrencies at what city officials say is the first "government-hosted" crypto kiosk at a U.S. airport.
This was announced by the city's administration, "This is an ambitious step in introducing and engaging the public towards cryptocurrency while proactively playing a role in building the digital ecosystem," Hercules Cummings, the finance director of the City of Williston, said.
He further says that the effort "may be the first case of an airport and government-hosted crypto ATM" in the United States. also anticipates the city's crypto payment volumes to increase.
"By the government accepting cryptocurrencies for utility payments now coupled with hosting cryptocurrency ATMs, a government is a key player providing exposure to the public and accelerating adoption of cryptocurrency."
The city of Williston had a population of a little more than 29,000 in 2019, according to US Census data. The city is located in a part of the Bakken formation which is well-known for deposits of oil and natural gas.
The airport ATM project is in conjunction with crypto services provider Coin Cloud, which provided its digital currency machines (DCM) to the city. A DCM is "more than just a Bitcoin ATM" as it allows users to buy and sell not only Bitcoin but also 40 other digital assets with cash. "Old school Bitcoin ATMs can't do all that," Coin Cloud Affirmed.
The City of Williston's next step would be to place a crypto ATM in the City Hall upon higher demand in the airport, the official noted."As part of our roadmap, we will eventually cross these payment corridors over to licenses, permits, and other fees within the city," he added,
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| Hercules Cummings making a transaction with a DCM. Source: Cointelegraph |
According to Cummings, the airport's digital currency machine can serve people who prefer not to use their bank or debit cards or who don't have access to traditional financial services. Ticketed passengers and non-travellers will have access to the machine as it will be placed before a secured area. People can also use the machine to withdraw cash from their digital wallets.
"Although we are a smaller rural community, we are making an impact. Taking this small step paves the way for other government and commercial entities to follow suit," Hercules Cummings said.
The move builds on the city's previous work in embracing cryptocurrency, whose market capitalization recently topped $3 trillion for the first time. City of Williston in May began accepting cryptocurrencies like bitcoin as payment for utility bills, according to a Cointelegraph report.
Cummings told the news outlet that Williston was the first municipality in North Dakota and the third in the country to offer such a service. The move was made in partnership with BitPay, a crypto payment firm.
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