Dash launches SMS-based payment firm in Venezuela

Dash, one of the leading digital currencies for e-commerce and payments, has launched Dash Text, a Venezuela-based firm offering SMS-based transactions for Dash, according to a press release CoinReport received from Wachsman, Dash’s communications firm.

Users can now buy, store and spend their Dash in a completely new way, one that solves one of the major barriers to entry in the digital currency space – the requirement of a smartphone and access to the internet. For the first time, anyone in Venezuela with any kind of mobile phone is able to participate in the Dash ecosystem and use the digital currency for everyday transactions.

Currently, Dash Text is in public beta and accessible to the citizens of Venezuela through a five-digit short code on Digitel and Movistar, two of the major telecom corporations of the country.

Dash Core global head of business development Bradley Zastrow said in the news release we received, “Venezuelans living abroad send an estimated $2 billion USD back home in remittances. This process often takes too long and costs too much, making it a huge pain point for many users. With Dash Text, we are providing real solutions that address real problems. People need easy and cheap ways to send money home, and we’ve done it in a way that expands the Dash ecosystem to those without smartphones! Dash Text offers the perfect solution to ensure that everyone can become part of the Dash family, regardless of what phone people own.”

In order to register a mobile phone, any Venezuelan citizen needs to send an SMS to the number 22625 with the word “DASH”, and then send the word “CREAR” to create a dash wallet. Following this, the phone number will be eligible to send and receive Dash with the touch of a few buttons.

Dash Text director Lorenzo Rey commented, “We’re very excited to finally bring this service to the people of Venezuela. It will help thousands of people have more economic freedom, as we’re working together with all the different Dash initiatives in the country to spread the word and get Dash Text into the hands of the people who need it. Dash is the only cryptocurrency that can scale as a massive payment method in Venezuela at the moment — it is instant, safe, has cheap transactions, and offers an entire ecosystem of projects, solutions, and exchanges to support it, which is something other cryptocurrencies do not have. Users need easy-to-use solutions and easily reachable information, not a dark cloud of doubt. I can’t wait to watch people paying with Dash easily on feature phones without internet all around Venezuela — it’s coming!”

Dash’s partnership with BlockCypher made this new support for Dash Text possible. BlockCypher specializes in blockchain solutions and blockchain agnostic products. It allows for firms and users to incorporate several digital currencies via one platform.

BlockCypher chief revenue officer Karen Hsu stated, “We are delighted to see Dash Text so quickly use BlockCypher’s Dash APIs and infrastructure to integrate with the Dash network. Using Blockcypher, Dash Text is able to pay users who refer others to Dash Text. For a limited time, each Dash Text user will receive a bonus when a person they refer to Dash Text starts using the service.”

The referral program Hsu talks about above will be launched via Dash Text over the next few weeks. It will be announced via Dash Text’s social media channels.

Image via Graphics page on Dash’s website