Virtual currency finds its way to Tucson

Alex Dery-Chaffin sees a revolution ahead.

A bitcoin revolution.

We are on the brink of a massive change, says Dery-Chaffin, manager of Tucsons Chaffins Family Restaurant, which recently began accepting the cryptocurrency.

Its brand new, cutting edge, but it makes a lot of sense.

Bitcoins have been a hot topic recently from money-laundering accusations to a volatile market to a possible computer-programming flaw that has left the worlds largest bitcoin exchange sputtering.

But those problems cant deter Dery-Chaffin and other Tucsonans who are sure bitcoins are here to stay.

I believe that by the end of the year you will be surprised at how many people will know what it is and accept it, said P.J. Dixon, who uses bitcoins whenever they are accepted, has invested in the virtual money, and has a business, Bitcoin Consulting, to help set up retail businesses to use bitcoins.

One of those businesses is Cartel Coffee Lab in downtown Tucson.

At this point, the coffee shop/restaurant has one or two transactions a day with bitcoins, but Jason Silberschlag, founder of the Tempe-based Cartel, sees a future in the cryptocurrency, which allows him to cut out the fees banks and credit-card companies charge.

For me to see any benefit, I think itll take five years, he said.

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Virtual currency finds its way to Tucson