Calgary’s first Bitcoin ATM opens in coffee shop

First Bitcoin ATM in Atlantic Canada

Bitcoin’s presence was established in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on July 11th with the installation of a Bitcoin ATM at a Waves coffee shop there.

Dave Bradley of BitcoinBrains, which operates the ATM, told the Calgary Herald:

“We’re one of the last major cities in the world actually to get an ATM.”

He added that BitcoinBrains plans to install more ATMs in the city in the future.

He further said the company chose Waves because the first Bitcoin ATM in the world was launched last October in a Waves coffee shop in Vancouver.

Bradley also said he believes at this point pretty much every online retailers is seriously considering Bitcoins.

He told the Herald:

“There’s probably maybe 10 or 20 contractors (in Calgary) that will take Bitcoins that I know of. We just got this point of sale system going (in partnership with Calgary-based VirtEx, Canadian Virtual Exchange)…and it allows any merchant to accept Bitcoins instantly on the phone, or tablet, or computer and they automatically get the Canadian dollars.”

Waves co-owner Edgar Apolonio said his coffee shop is accepting Bitcoins.

He said:

“It’s quite popular nowadays and it will be good for business because they don’t charge any fees anything like that so we save money out of that.”