Welcome to the future. It's now.
Pictured above is Victoria Hansen, the first to use the new machines. She spoke with the Daily Intelligencer.
The honor of being the world's (and likely the universe's) first Bitcoin ATM user went to Victoria Hansen, who under the camera lights and the beaming grin of her boyfriend used the machine at around 9 a.m. “I bought $200 worth of Bitcoin,” she told Daily Intelligencer. “It’s really simple: You scan your hand, and you get a receipt.” Her plans for the funds were more wholesome than many of the nefarious things you do with the virtual currency. “We’re thinking of going to Bestie for some bratwurst," she said, referring to a local sausage joint. "They take Bitcoin.”
via CBC
An ATM that converts bitcoins to Canadian dollars and vice versa opened for business in a Vancouver coffee shop today, marking a world first.
The kiosk, located inside Waves Coffee House at Howe and Smithe streets in downtown Vancouver, attracted its first customers, along with dozens of people who wanted to see how it worked, shortly after it went live at 9 a.m.
The automated teller machine will be operated by Vancouver-based Bitcoiniacs and Nevada-based Robocoin. They plan to open four more locations across Canada.
Customers will need to have their palms scanned in order to exchange up to $3,000 worth of bitcoins per day. Canadian cash can be fed in or taken out from the machine and exchanged for bitcoins on Canada’s VirtEx exchange. The bitcoins will then be transferred to and from the customer’s online bitcoin wallet. The user will also have the option to receive a paper voucher representing the transaction.
