Dara Khosrowshahi does not rule out accepting Bitcoin as a means of payment at some point. The CEO of Uber expressed his concern about the energy consumption of BTC and its potential environmental damage. Uber does not miss the opportunity to state its opinion on BTC, but they have never ruled out allowing crypto payments.
The CEO of the mobility platform, Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, declared again that the company is open to accepting Bitcoin payments in the future. He even admitted that company managers have constant conversations on the subject.
The Uber CEO maintained that the platform will support the use of cryptocurrencies “until the time comes” by expressing environmental concerns. Uber, like other companies such as Tesla, have expressed doubts about the energy viability of Bitcoin and concerns about the lack of regulation in the use of cryptocurrencies.
Uber “Concerned” about Energy Consumption and Environmental Damage from Bitcoin
Dara Khosrowshahi stated in an interview for Bloomberg TV that Uber is concerned about the energy consumption of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, despite their increasing value. The Uber CEO said his concern centers on the “high ecological cost” of crypto, reminiscent of when Tesla allowed Bitcoin as a means of payment for a short time.
Dara Khosrowshahi further added the following:
“Uber will definitely support crypto when the time comes. We see that Bitcoin and some other cryptocurrencies are very valuable as a store of value. However, barter transactions are expensive and not good for the environment.”
“We will be having conversations all the time,” Khosrowshahi said. “As the exchange mechanism becomes less expensive and more environmentally friendly, I think you will see us lean a little more towards cryptocurrency.”
Currently, Bitcoin is not a reason for discussion about its inclusion as a means of payment in any industry or company, and the debate focuses on Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Currently, the BTC price ranges between $29,400 and $29,235, with a constant 0.12% retracement, according to CoinMarketCap.
Last year, Dara Khosrowshahi revealed that Uber would not accept crypto as a means of payment until they “operate more efficiently.” For the CEO of Uber, crypto must prove its usefulness to preserve its value in the currency exchange, since the average cost of trips in the taxi app is between 15 and 20 dollars.
Bitcoin has been a constant topic on Uber’s agenda, which does not miss the opportunity to state its position. In 2021, Dara Khosrowshahi revealed that Uber “immediately ruled out” the idea of buying BTC with company-owned cash.
Uber Does Not Miss an Opportunity to State Its Position on Bitcoin
For Uber, it has always been more important to keep the company’s finances healthy than to buy Bitcoin, as Tesla did at the time. The company has always stayed away from regulators in the world. He has even complied with the standards and has stayed away from any scandal.
In Mexico, the company received authorization under the Fintech Law to operate an Electronic Payment Fund Institution. It will have a corporate name, “UBR Pagos México,” and become the second institution.
The authorization would allow Uber to launch its own prepaid card or develop a digital wallet. It would be anchored to its mobility app, which would allow users to transfer funds to the wallet account, which would reduce the dependence of users on bank cards (credit or debit).
By Audy Castaneda
