Coinstar machines will let you swap cash for Bitcoin at your local grocery store

By Luke Dormehl January 21, 2019

In a world in which people increasingly pay for things using mobile wallets like Apple Pay, the presence of the machines you find at grocery stores, which turn your spare change into a more useful note-based form of cash, seem kind of retro. But they’re about to embrace one of the most exciting currency-based innovations happening right now — by allowing users to convert their regular cash into Bitcoin.

“Coinstar is always looking for new ways to offer value to our consumers when they visit our kiosks, and Coinme’s innovative delivery mechanism along with Coinstar’s flexible platform makes it possible for consumers to easily purchase Bitcoin with cash,” said Jim Gaherity, CEO of Coinstar, the company behind the change-counting kiosks, in a statement.

It’s the latest example of how Bitcoin is becoming accessible to folks who want to invest, just 10 years after it first burst onto the scene. Coinstar isn’t the only company helping with this, of course. For a few years now, a number of dedicated ATMs around the world have allowed users to trade the popular cryptocurrency. However, making Bitcoin gathering accessible in grocery stores and other locations around the U.S. is sure to make a difference in terms of overall visibility.

You won’t be able to use your nickel and dimes to buy Bitcoin, though. Instead, the decision has been made to only let customers purchase the cryptocurrency using paper money. Given how expensive Bitcoin is — even with the price down considerably from its all-time highs — that’s probably an understandable decision on the part of Coinstar.

Provided that you’re at a participating machine, users can buy their Bitcoin by selecting “Buy Bitcoin” as an option. They must then enter their phone number and the details of the transaction they wish to make. Following this, customers will receive a redemption code, which they can use on the Coinme website. It’s not clear how many of Coinstar’s machines will be offering Bitcoin.

This isn’t the first time that Coinstar has shown willingness to jump aboard the digital payments bandwagon. A few years ago, it teamed up with PayPal to allow customers to convert their loose change into currency that can be easily used online.

Topics

Contributor

I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…

Mobile

4 simple pieces of tech that helped me run my first marathon

Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar displaying pace information.

The fitness world is littered with opportunities to buy tech aimed at enhancing your physical performance. No matter your sport of choice or personal goals, there's a deep rabbit hole you can go down. It'll cost plenty of money, but the gains can be marginal -- and can honestly just be a distraction from what you should actually be focused on. Running is certainly susceptible to this.

A few months ago, I ran my first-ever marathon. It was an incredible accomplishment I had no idea I'd ever be able to reach, and it's now going to be the first of many I run in my lifetime. And despite my deep-rooted history in tech, and the endless opportunities for being baited into gearing myself up with every last product to help me get through the marathon, I went with a rather simple approach.

Emerging Tech

This bracelet helps you fall asleep faster and sleep longer

woman-in-bed-wearing-twilight-apollo-on-ankle

This content was produced in partnership with Apollo Neuroscience.
Have you been struggling to get the recommended seven hours of sleep? It's always frustrating when you get in bed at a reasonable time, then toss and turn for a hours before you actually sleep. The quality of that sleep is important too. If you're waking up multiple times during the night, you're likely not getting the quality REM cycle sleep that truly rejuvenates your body. If traditional remedies like herbal teas and noise machines just aren't helping, maybe it's time to try a modern solution. Enter the Apollo wearable.

Now we understand being a little skeptical. How can a bracelet on your wrist or ankle affect your sleep patterns? Certainly the answer to a better night's sleep can't be so simple. We considered these same things when we first heard of it. We'll dive deeper into the science behind the Apollo wearable, but suffice it to say that many people have experienced deeper, uninterrupted sleep while wearing one.
A non-conventional approach to better sleep

Deals

The 11 best Father’s Day deals that you can get for Sunday

Data from a workout showing on the screen of the Apple Watch Series 8.

Father's Day is fast approaching and there's still time to buy your beloved Dad a sweet new device to show him how much you love him. That's why we've rounded up the ten best Father's Day tech deals going on right now. There's something for most budgets here, including if you're able to spend a lot on your loved one. Read on while we take you through the highlights and remember to order fast so you don't miss out on the big day.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 -- $200, was $230

While it's the Plus version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 that features in our look at the best tablets, the standard variety is still worth checking out. Saving your Dad the need to dig out their laptop or squint at a small phone screen, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 offers a large 10.5-inch LCD display and all the useful features you would expect. 128GB of storage means plenty of room for all your Dad's favorite apps as well as games too. A long-lasting battery and fast charging save him the need for a power source too often too.