South Korean convenience store chain E-Mart 24 announced a new partnership with domestic cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb to launch a new Bitcoin ‘meal box’ available for purchase in stores.
On May 9, E-Mart 24 and Bithumb announced that they had secured approximately 30,000 lunch boxes and planned to sell them by the end of this month. It sells for 5,900 won ($4.30) per box.
According to local media reports, a Bithumb official said that customers can receive 10,000 won worth of Bitcoin (BTC) by downloading the exchange app and entering the coupon number contained in the lunch box.
In addition, Bithumb provides Bitcoin worth 20,000 won to customers who open a Bitcoin account at NH Nonghyup Bank. The spokesperson said customers who already have an account will need to link that account to Bithumb to receive additional bitcoins.
Bithumb is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges in Korea. It is a member of the Digital Asset Exchange Association (DAXA) along with Upbit, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax.
It also announced plans to become the first cryptocurrency exchange listed on the Korean stock market, although its initial public offering (IPO) plan has been postponed.
The development of this Bitcoin Meal Box follows the continued hype around the cryptocurrency following the long-awaited halving event that occurred on April 20th.
Related: South Korean lawmakers traded nearly $100 million worth of cryptocurrency in three years.
The cryptocurrency hit a new all-time high in March, surpassing nearly $74,000. Analysts have concluded that the current price decline is caused by Bitcoin’s bull run experiencing “boredom” following the halving.
Bitcoin has gained momentum since the United States approved the first Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) on January 10.
In South Korea, news broke on May 7 that the newly elected Democratic Party promised to allow Bitcoin ETFs, and that the party will request this after the National Assembly opens in June.
However, over the past few years, South Korean regulations have been keeping a close watch on the cryptocurrency space. In 2024, lawmakers introduced tougher sentences for cryptocurrency-related crimes, along with new guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges.
In late 2023, South Korea’s financial regulator began asking domestic cryptocurrency users to report unlicensed exchanges offering services in their region.
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