Cross-border payments company MoneyGram has launched a new service for U.S. users to buy, sell and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.
In an announcement on Tuesday, MoneyGram said it would let customers in all U.S. states except New York, Idaho and Hawaii to trade the coins on its mobile app.
The crypto comes from Coinme, a crypto exchange that partnered with MoneyGram last year. MoneyGram will expand its crypto offerings next year unless regulators get in the way.
Last month, MoneyGram’s rival, Western Union filed three trademark applications for crypto services. These include crypto brokerage services, digital currency exchange services and token issuance.
MoneyGram and Western Union’s outlook towards a growing mainstream user base for cryptocurrencies may not be short-sighted. A nation-wide survey commissioned by crypto company Grayscale found that 53% of Americans believe that crypto is “the future of finance.” The majority of both Republicans and Democrats surveyed said they planned to include crypto in their investment portfolio.
“As we approach the midterm election, U.S. voters are considering the intersection of cryptocurrency, traditional finance, and the state of the economy. This survey reinforces that crypto continues to generate diverse, mainstream investor interest and engagement,” said Michael Sonnenshein, the CEO of Grayscale.
