Kaliningrad will be one of the host cities for 2018 FIFA World Cup, and a number of their hotels will allow their customers to pay via Bitcoin.
Free-Kassa and Apartments Malina
The decision to allow Bitcoin as a method of payment for accommodation initially came from a hotel chain called Apartments Malina, whose manager, Anna Subbotina, stated that cryptocurrencies are currently enjoying an extreme increase in interest. She recognizes that this is something that will eventually become a regular means of payment, so the hotel chain is setting an example and leading others onto the path of accepting this type of technology.
This will allow football fans to use this method of payment as well if that is their preference. This move will probably increase the hotel chain’s popularity and availability even more.
To achieve this transition, Apartments Malina entered a partnership with an online payment platform called Free-Kassa; a new direction and opportunity for both companies.
Many news outlets and travel agencies are seeing Kaliningrad as one of the more expensive destinations for fans of the World Cup; prices are skyrocketing, and this is something that probably won’t stop until the Cup ends. By current predictions, booking a room for one of the most anticipated matches (England vs Belgium) will cost fans as much as $300!
Cryptocurrencies in Russia
When it comes to Russia’s relation to Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies, it hasn’t yet expressed an official opinion on the matter. The country did not enact a ban on cryptocurrencies, but many important figures in Russia were noted critics of this phenomenon in the past.
As the time goes by, Russia is becoming more and more open toward cryptos, which is seen by many as a welcome change. This is especially encouraged by several reports of crypto-currency legalization plants that were allegedly in the making by Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin.
The reports claim that President Putin wants this summer to be a deadline for creating a legislative framework that is to be the first step in accepting Bitcoin as an official currency of the country. The framework that is currently in the process of review.
One of the bills is aimed at the legalization of ICOs, blockchain tech implementation, and even cryptocurrency mining activities, while a second bill is dedicated to the country’s civil code. It should solve the problem of protecting investor rights, especially when it comes to investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Currently cryptocurrencies are classified as “digital money“.
