Airbnb crypto adoption unclear as firm files $1 billion IPO with SEC. On November 16, Airbnb filed a prospectus for a $1 billion initial public offering, or IPO, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
A half-page dedicated to the risks of not being able to adapt to changes in technology is hidden in the 350+ page document. The paper reels off a list of buzz-words that savvy investors may want to be sure to consider.
“Our future success will also depend on our ability to adapt to emerging technologies such as tokenization, cryptocurrencies, new authentication technologies, such as biometrics, distributed ledger and blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and cloud technologies.”
The very next paragraph goes on to explain that the “ability to integrate new or emerging payment methods” is a critical component of future success. However, the only methods listed are Alipay, Paytm and WeChat pay.
While these systems are clearly important, especially in offering access to the unbanked, it does beg the question as to what Airbnb sees as the role of cryptocurrency in its future business model, other than attracting investors.
[image: Airbnb]
