Google Pay to Support Bakkt Debit Card

Crypto exchange Bakkt said its virtual Visa debit card is now available for use on Google Pay online and in stores.

• Cryptocurrency balances will be converted to fiat to enable transactions to occur, Bakkt said in a statement Friday.
• Bakkt’s Google Pay support follows in the footsteps of Coinbase, which rolled out Apple Pay and Google Pay support for its Coinbase Cards earlier this year.
• The Alpharetta, Ga.-based company, which last month received approval to go public from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, also said it will use Google Cloud as its preferred cloud service as it develops artificial intelligence and machine-learning capabilities.
• Bakkt will build new analytics and geolocation functionality on its platform utilizing Google Cloud tools as well, Bakkt said. Insights generated will expand loyalty redemption options for customers and provide Bakkt partners with consumer behavior data.
• “This partnership is a testament to Bakkt’s strong position in the digital asset marketplace, to empower consumers to enjoy their digital assets in a real-time, secure, reliable manner,” Bakkt CEO Gavin Michael said in a press release. “Additionally, partnering with Google Cloud will enable us to continue to build a best-in-class, innovative platform that can undoubtedly scale to meet the needs of millions of users.”

See also: Bakkt Allows Users to Send Bitcoin, Gift Cards From Its Wallet

UPDATE (Oct. 8, 14:38 UTC): Adds analytics plans, CEO quote, Coinbase context.

UPDATE (Oct. 8, 15:39 UTC): Adds that card is available now on Google Pay.