AMC, one of the biggest memestocks of them all, is embracing another meme power player: cryptocurrency. And its CEO is really excited about it.
CEO Adam Aron proudly tweeted on Friday that the company would now accept a slew of cryptocurrencies for online payment. Prefacing with “drumroll, please,” Aron announced that bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash, and litecoin were welcome at AMC, adding that the movie theatre chain also accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
“Big newsflash! As promised, many new ways NOW to pay online at AMC,” Aron wrote. “We proudly now accept: drumroll, please… Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin. Also Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal. Incredibly, they already account for 14% of our total online transactions! Dogecoin next.”
He then retweeted a meme of himself photoshopped on a golden dogecoin.
— Salvatore – Memelord Extraordinaire 🍿🎭🏴☠️ (@SalMemeLord) November 12, 2021
Importantly, Aron said cryptocurrency can be used for online purchases, so it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to use it to buy anything in-person at the moment. (As far as payment goes, the Verge points out that PayPal seems to be the only way to pay with cryptocurrency right now). AMC previously already allowed customers to purchase gift cards with cryptocurrency.
Aron’s announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. Over the past few months, he’s been insisting to shareholders that the company was working on accepting cryptocurrency for online payments. He even pulled a page out of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s playbook and created two Twitter polls to ask the public whether AMC should accept dogecoin and shiba inu. (Coincidentally, Musk liked Aron’s dogecoin poll, which made the AMC CEO go full stan).
First, @elonmusk likes my Dogecoin Twitter Poll on Tuesday. Now, no less than entrepreneur extraordinaire @mcuban replies to another of my Dogecoin tweets on Wednesday — offering up how we can move forward with Doge. I am so delighted by the interest in #AMCandDogecoin! pic.twitter.com/1gDuPoyLRn
— Adam Aron (@CEOAdam) September 24, 2021
Why is Aron so into with cryptocurrency, you ask? It all comes down to the company’s new shareholders, the retailer investors who rallied together on Reddit’s r/wallstreetbets through memes to help keep the company afloat at the beginning of the year (and stick it to Wall Street). In June, Aron announced that these shareholders owned more than 80% of the company and promised to give them free popcorn.
“We work for them. I work for them,” Aron said in June. “By definition, their interests and passions are important to AMC, their ambitions and passions are important to me.”
One of those passions happens to be cryptocurrency, according to Aron. And he’s happy to oblige. That’s easier said than done, though.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.