Caribbean bitcoin wallet Caricoin has introduced a mobile payment function, in partnership with Bitrefill airtime merchant. The company claims the service will save users millions in the unbanked region.

The new function allows to top-up mobile accounts quickly and at good rates, as well as make bitcoin transfers to Caricoin users via a mobile app.

“Mobile top up is the ideal introduction to the world of digital currencies for new users in the Caribbean. Since some of the best top up rates worldwide are available to bitcoin customers, there is a strong incentive for people to start using bitcoin to access these benefits,” CEO of Caricoin Ltd. Karsten Becker says.

According to Caricoin’s statistics, the annual market volume of mobile top-up transactions in the Caribbean stands at $300 mln, and using bitcoins will help the region save millions.

Besides, more than a half of Caribbean population remains unbanked and has no access to credit cards, therefore, Caricoin wallet is expected to help them solve their financial issues.

Bitrefill is an online service for mobile top-up with bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies active in 150 countries. Its partners include such major mobile operators as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Orange.

Caricoin is a UK-based company present in Jamaica, providing such services as online payments, mobile top up and money transfers worldwide.

The Caribbean islands are a popular zone for blockchain innovations.

In late March, the bitcoin exchange platform Bitt was launched on the Antilles, and as soon as early April, US retailer Overstock invested $4 mln in the platform to promote the use of digital currencies in the Caribbean.

Earlier, with the support of Barbados Central Bank Bitt created digital Barbados dollar based on a blockchain system.