MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Birks Group, Canada’s leading luxury fine jewelry brand since 1879 is pleased to announce that they will now accept bitcoin at selective stores across Canada. Birks Group partnered with BitPay to offer its customers new payment options which launched late November 2018, allowing for faster, easier and more secure purchases. Birks Group is the first luxury retailer in Canada to accept bitcoin.

Founded in 2011, BitPay is the pioneer and the most experienced company in bitcoin and blockchain payments. BitPay provides brick and mortar merchants like Birks Group with a full array of options for accepting blockchain payments, from direct point-of-sale integrations to web and mobile-based apps. BitPay’s payment services are available in 8 select stores, including the recently opened Graff and Patek Philippe store in Vancouver, marking this the first major implementation of BitPay’s point-of-sale solution in Canada.

“It is of great significance to Birks Group to launch BitPay,” said Jean-Christophe Bédos, President and Chief Executive Officer of Birks Group. “As an internationally growing brand, we believe that BitPay will benefit our customers as we look to align ourselves with these innovative capabilities that are on the forefront of technology.”

“Birks Group has a large number of international shoppers so allowing them to pay in bitcoin makes perfect sense,” said Sonny Singh, Chief Commercial Officer, BitPay. “Accepting bitcoin helps Birks Group to cater to their high-end international clients and get new customers while providing an innovative and safe payment option.”

BitPay allows merchants to accept bitcoin risk free with no currency threat. Luxury brands ranging from jewellery to exotic cars and real estate have implemented BitPay as it allows for large transactions that are fast and easy for customers. The ability to pay in bitcoin at Birks Group retail locations for brands such as Rolex, Bulgari, Cartier and Breitling is now available at Vancouver West Hastings, Brinkhaus Calgary, Fairview Mall, Bloor, Yorkdale, Montreal and Calgary store locations. The recently opened Graff and Patek Philippe retail stores located at 1018 West Georgia Street in Vancouver, BC will also be accepting bitcoin soon.

About Birks Group Inc.

Birks Group operates 26 Maison Birks stores in most major metropolitan markets in Canada, one retail location in Calgary under the Brinkhaus brand and two retail locations in Vancouver under the Graff and Patek Philippe brands. The Birks brand is a leading fine jewelry, timepiece and gift brand available at all Maison Birks stores, Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths in the United Kingdom in addition to other luxury jewelry retailers across North America. Birks was founded in 1879 and has become Canada’s premier luxury brand. Additional information can be found on the Birks website, www.birks.com

About BitPay

Founded in 2011, BitPay is the pioneer and the most experienced company in bitcoin and blockchain payments. Its suite of products enables businesses to send and receive cross border payments, also enabling consumers to manage digital assets with the BitPay Wallet and turn digital assets into dollars with the BitPay Prepaid Visa® Card. The company has offices in North America, Europe, and South America and has raised over $70 million from leading investors including Founders Fund, Index Ventures and Aquiline Technology Growth. For more information visit https://bitpay.com

The BitPay Visa® Prepaid Card is issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa, U.S.A. Inc. “Metropolitan” and “Metropolitan Commercial Bank” are registered trademarks of Metropolitan Commercial Bank © 2014. Use of the Card is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Cardholder Agreement and fee schedule, if any.