French tobacco shops will sell bitcoin

French tobacco and lottery ticket stores that struck a deal with Keplerk will begin selling Bitcoin to customers in early 2019.

Keplerk, a French financial services giant, has contracted with a local cash register software provider to enable tobacco stores to trade Bitcoin (BTC), local news outlet LeParisien reports.

These stores will sell customers a voucher that can be exchanged for BTC through a digital wallet owned by Keplerk. This will be the first time in the world that cryptocurrency will be sold in real retail outlets. 

“Tobacco shop owners are the best channel because they are trusted by customers and are used to selling vouchers,” said Adil Zahar, Keplerk’s director of strategy and development.

France’s central bank warned investors about the possible risks associated with cryptocurrency investments and announced on Wednesday November 21 that it has no control over the company’s initiative Keplerk.

“Those who invest in bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrencies do so at their own peril and risk,” the announcement says.

There are about 24,000 licensed tobacco shops in France, which already sell lottery tickets, mobile phone top-ups and music apps.

Keplerk will finance the project by charging a 7% commission on each transaction made.

According to coinidol.com