Spend a small amount of time in the crypto sphere, there is a high probability you will hear someone say ‘Moon!’ as an excited and optimistic projection of cryptocurrency prices. You will probably also hear ‘hodl’, as in hodl on tight (hold your coins), we are going to the moon!
A prominent proponent of bitcoin and blockchain who seems to have taken this literally, is Sir Richard Branson; one of the world’s wealthiest and best known entrepreneurs.
Sir Richard is co-founder of Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial ‘spaceline’ on a mission to provide suborbital spaceflights for passengers and suborbital launches for space science missions. Virgin Galactic plans to launch tourists into space in 2018 and is accepting bitcoin as payment for its customers.
Branson’s Belief in Blockchain
Sir Richard’s futuristic plans for Virgin Galactic and his willingness to go beyond convention would explain his fascination for bitcoin and how it has created a whole new global currency. It also further testimony to bitcoin’s evolution from early origins amongst the cypherpunk community, toward wider commercial and mainstream adoption.
Sir Richard’s interest in bitcoin and blockchain doesn’t just stop with Virgin Galactic. He has held regular conferences on blockchain technology on his private Necker Island and is also involved in funding partnerships with several bitcoin and blockchain start-ups.
Sir Richard has expressed belief digital currencies can transform global payments and help in democratisation, helping return more power to the hands of everyday citizens. Mr Branson has cited as an example how blockchain can be used for land registration in developing countries, where trust can be an issue in securing property rights.
More surprisingly, Sir Richard has said digital cash will solve the problem of coins falling down the back of the sofa (although we doubt this is much of a problem for him), but on a serious note has said he would be delighted to welcome the bitcoin community as future astronauts on board Virgin Galactic.
Hopefully both bitcoin and Virgin Galactic will write history as they enter orbit.