CAVIRTEX has launched its first six bitcoin-branded ATMs in the greater Toronto area.
The machines mark the first phase of the exchange’s larger plan to bring 10 bitcoin ATMs to Canada through a partnership with Gateway Newstands, a retail chain with 500 locations in North America.
Speaking to CoinDesk, CAVIRTEX’s marketing and business development director Kyle Kemper said the launch was a major milestone for the Calgary-based company and bitcoin itself.
Although details about the ATMs were first revealed back in May, Kemper said that the company has taken time to execute its vision and maximise the impact of the launch.
Kemper told CoinDesk:
“We were looking for really high-traffic locations, because we want to bring CAVIRTEX and bitcoin to the general Canadian […] public.”
Pictures of the vibrant units first surfaced online earlier this month, with many Reddit users lauding the company’s novel design and expressing excitement for the formal launch.
Notably, the bitcoin ATMs were provided to CAVIRTEX by BitAccess, the bitcoin ATM manufacturer that was recently accepted into Californian accelerator Y Combinator.
High-traffic locations
Kemper indicated that its decision to partner with Gateway lead the company to secure a number of high-value locations. Perhaps the most notable new entry to CAVIRTEX’s network lies at the famed tourist destination Niagara Falls.
Kemper indicated that CAVIRTEX has installed an bitcoin ATM at the Casino Niagara, the first casino built in Niagara in 1996. One of a number of regional attractions near the natural wonder, the destination features 10,000 square meters of gambling space, on-site dining and free live music.
Additional noteworthy locations for the ATMs include the Bayshore Mall in Ottawa, Scarborough Town Center in Toronto and the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, among others.
One of CAVIRTEX’s ATMs on display at a shopping centre in Nepean, Ontario.CAVIRTEX will connect its two-way bitcoin ATMs directly to its online exchange, and customers can elect to send bitcoin to a paper or digital wallet.
Gateway seeks innovation
Initially, suitable high-traffic locations for CAVIRTEX’s bitcoin ATMs had proved difficult to find. However, this all changed following the company’s partnership with Gateway Newsstands.
Kemper explained:
“Gateway Newstands has 500 locations across Canada and the US, in very high-traffic locations, but they’re in the news and lottery business. Physical businesses have been taking hits the last few years, so they were looking to innovate and bitcoin presented that opportunity.”
Terry Samuels, vice president of Gateway Newstands, confirmed that his company will seek to leverage the bitcoin ATMs to attract new customers, saying:
“Our high-traffic Gateway Newstands locations provide us the opportunity to innovatively step up to the plate.”
Kemper added that CAVIRTEX currently has a deal with Gateway to install 10 bitcoin ATMs at Gateway locations.
BitAccess shifts to enterprise
Speaking to CoinDesk, BitAccess co-founder Haseeb Awan said that the CAVIRTEX launch also represents a significant milestone for his company, which is turning its focus to fulfilling large-scale orders with its white-label ATM offering.
“With this launch, we’ll have 27 machines in Canada alone, which means that we will be covering a majority of the market share in Canada,” Awan said.
He added that bitcoin consumers can expect more big announcements from BitAccess in the coming weeks and months. In particular, rollouts in the US and European markets.
Awan also pointed to the unique exterior design of the CAVIRTEX machines as evidence of his team’s abilities. BitAccess bills itself as the only bitcoin ATM provider that builds its units from scratch, using proprietary technology.
Awan said:
“We have a design team that modifies the ATM according to customer requirements, and that’s a huge plus as opposed to anyone else in the market. Basically, the customer orders and we craft it for them.”
For more details on where you can find a BitAccess ATM or any other bitcoin ATM in your area, visit the CoinDesk Bitcoin ATM Map.
Image via CAVIRTEX