Mobile wallet AirBitz, which provides a location-based directory to make it easier for users to spend bitcoin, is launching a giveaway promotion at the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami, Florida.
Airbitz is calling the contest ‘Hidden Bits’, which is a scavenger hunt that will see bitcoin-loaded cards secreted in locations around the Miami Beach area during the conference.
Clues will be released on Twitter to hint at the location of the cards, which will contain QR codes giving finders access to varied amounts of cryptocurrency.
Paul Puey, CEO of Airbitz, said the purpose of the Hidden Bits contest is to get people excited about the company’s mobile wallet – and bitcoin as a store of value.
He noted, in regards to Hidden Bits:
“There’s obviously a promotional aspect for Airbitz, but there’s also a promotional aspect for bitcoin.”
Social media exposure
Puey said the locations for the hidden bitcoin-loaded cards will not be set until he and the Airbitz team arrive in Miami for the conference, which is being held 16th to 18th January, at the Fillmore Theater, Miami Beach.
Those seeking out bitcoin hidden in the Miami area will need to follow Airbitz on Twitter.
The company’s employees will also be on the ground talking about Hidden Bits at the conference and related events, such as the pre-event party being held at the Clevelander Hotel.
Individuals who do find the cards containing a bitcoin private key will also be able to double their money.
Puey said:
“The key thing is, when you scan the card with an AirBitz wallet, it will congratulate the user and ask if they want to Tweet it to their followers to double the prize.”
By Tweeting out a message to their followers, a code will send more value into the user’s private key. The idea is to make sure the wallet remains private information, all the while promoting bitcoin.
Winners do not have to reveal information about their use of bitcoin if they don’t want to, the firm says.
Airbitz in Miami
Airbitz is planning to distribute around 30 cards with values ranging from $40 to $100 for Hidden Bits. Puey stressed that this promotion would likely be restricted to areas where cryptocurrency enthusiasts would be located during the conference.
He said:
“We want to do it where we are, where there’s a concentration of bitcoin people.”
The Airbitz mobile wallet app offers a simple experience using bitcoin, the company says, and also offers an API for developers.
Unlike most mobile bitcoin wallets, Airbitz’s provides a location-based directory, which enables users to instantly know where they can spend bitcoin in their vicinity.
Puey says there are over 50 places in the Miami area that accept bitcoin, including the Clevelander Hotel where many bitcoiners stay for the conference, which is in its second year at this location.
Airbitz recently was accepted into the Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play startup accelerator, which has incubated bitcoin companies such as 37 Coins, Purse.io and Bitwage.
The Airbitz wallet is available for both iOS in the Apple App Store and Android in the Google Play Store.
Miami Beach image via Shutterstock