Airbnb confirms that it is looking to support cryptocurrency. The company has also offered to provide housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. According to the European Union, about four million people may try to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
Airbnb CEO discusses cryptocurrency and Ukraine’s refugee crisis
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky spoke about cryptocurrency and his company’s efforts to help Ukrainian refugees in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday. According to its website, Airbnb has approximately 6 million active listings worldwide, with more than 4 million hosts. There are 100,000 cities and towns with active Airbnb listings.
Chesky was asked if Airbnb supports crypto since some people in Ukraine are trying to take payments in cryptocurrency following Russia’s invasion. He replied:
Airbnb is. I mean, I’m personally in favor of the idea of crypto, of course. I think it’s really interesting technology.
He continued: “I went on Twitter in the beginning of the year and I asked a community on Twitter if Airbnb can launch anything in 2022, what would it be? The number one response was [to] add crypto payments, so I have a team looking into that.”
While clarifying that Airbnb has nothing to announce regarding crypto payments yet, the CEO pointed out:
We are absolutely looking into this and specific to this crisis.
Noted that anything crypto is unlikely to be implemented “that quickly,” Chesky said, “So right now we’re really focused on providing housing for refugees. That’s why I mobilized a team.
Airbnb has been thinking about cryptocurrency for quite some time. In its prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in November last year, the firm named blockchain and cryptocurrencies as some of the technologies it is considering.
Airbnb announced on Monday that it is offering free temporary housing to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, more than 600,000 civilians have fled Ukraine, according to the UN. The European Union estimates that up to four million people could try to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
“We reached out to governments in Poland and Germany and Hungary and Romania, and countries even west of them to offer assistance,” the Airbnb CEO explained.
“We contacted our hosts. We have secured funding so we are ready to house up to 100,000 refugees,” he explained. “Frankly, we can host as many refugees as we have hosts.
