Easy payments through Bitso for international tourists

Buenos Aires, Arg. The total distance between Mexico City and the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina is 7,458 kilometers, which in a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, the flight duration is approximately 8 hours and 15 minutes.

During the flight, when talking to some passengers, they recommended that to have a more attractive exchange of dollars in Buenos Aires, you have to go to the Cuevas, which are clandestine exchange centers that offer around 270-280 Argentine pesos for one dollar, without However, the warning was of caution and to exchange a maximum of 100 dollars (1,950 Mexican pesos).

The situation is complicated since in Argentina, locals can only redeem $200 a month as part of the restrictions established by the Government, so greenbacks are attractive and bringing cash implies a greater risk.

Alternatives

The southern cone country has become the leader in the Latin American region in payments via QR (Quick Response Code), most restaurants, supermarkets, shops, small shops, some taxis and even flower stands, empanadas, sweets that operate on the street accept payments by code.

The travel experience was accompanied by the Bitso application, the leading Mexican cryptocurrency platform in Latin America, from the comfort of your mobile you click on the pay tab and scan any QR to pay in stores in Argentina.

“By enabling this product for foreigners visiting Argentina, we are helping to make the most of their time and money, since they will not need to go to an exchange house to obtain Argentine pesos, and they will be able to pay with their balance in cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin or digital dollars in seconds from your phone”, mentioned Santiago Alvarado, Senior Vice President of Product at the platform.

For Daniel Vogel, Co-founder and CEO of Bitso, said in an interview with El Economista that enabling the product for foreigners visiting Argentina “is the way to continue connecting the financial reality of people in the countries where they live and we connect them in seconds in places where they can have access, because we believe it is fairer money and a social movement”.

In practice

The practice of The Economist With the payments through QR in Buenos Aires it worked perfectly, the payment of medicines was achieved near the Casa Rosada, the payment of snacks, flowers, in the cafeteria and ice creams in the hotel zone, through the app of Bitso.

Even the entrance fee to the Japanese Garden of 416 Argentine pesos (around 33 Mexican pesos) was easily achieved, as well as the purchase of souvenirs in the San Telmo, Caminito and La Boca areas was also very efficient. Upon requiring cash, it was obtained at an Athena Bitcoin ATM, which was located in Labitconf, to pay for a SUBE card to use public transport.

patricia.ortega@eleconomista.mx