Meanwhile, the Homesharing Platform Is Helping Homeowners in Ukraine
This might just be the year Airbnb meets bitcoin. A team of Airbnb employees is currently looking at how the platform could accept cryptocurrency payments. Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky has said the most requested feature for 2022 is a crypto payment option.
It’s likely to happen. Chesky has been tweeting since 2014 about Airbnb taking bitcoin. And other players in the short-term home rental world have already taken the plunge.
Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange. It has formed a blockchain-based homesharing service, Dtravel, with a presence at Travala.com. Blockchain-based Dtravel, which announces itself as the next evolution of homesharing, is decentralized — “community owned” and run by its participants, not by a company. That said, Dtravel is being guided through the process by people from established companies, including Airbnb.
Dtravel charges less than Airbnb does, and the profits go back into Dtravel. This enables the project to hire developers and cover travel insurance for homeowners who rent out their properties. Spending decisions are made through community votes.
Airbnb Suspends Platform in Russia
Homesharing platforms are considered part of the “reopening economy” — and many homeowners can hardly wait to welcome their guests back again. Some of the homeowners who host Airbnb rooms happen to live in Russia, and others in Ukraine. Let’s check in on how Airbnb is addressing the current plight of homeowners and clients who are dealing with the impact of a military invasion.
In light of the invasion of Ukraine, Airbnb suspended its Russia and Belarus bookings, as announced by Brian Chesky on Twitter. And the company is going further. Chesky announced temporary housing at no cost for up to 100,000 Ukrainians who have fled their country. Costs will be covered by the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund.
Some innocent platform users in Belarus and Russia will likely be caught up in this situation. Of course, given the current limits on transportation into and out of Russia, many Russians are living restricted lives already.
Meanwhile, the artists’ funding platform Patreon removed a page created by the Kyiv-based group Come Back Alive, which crowdfunds military training for Ukrainian soldiers. The group, Patreon explained, had violated a hard rule against raising money for military activity and weapons. Come Back Alive had raised money to be used for “more than 1,500 tablets with software for Gunnya-Armor artillerymen, 230 quadcopters, 45 mobile surveillance systems…and more than 60 military vehicles,” as well as weapons training. Patreon management pointed would-be funders to the “3,000+ Ukrainian creators on Patreon – and thousands more using other platforms – who would benefit from our support.”
Homesharing Ukrainians Receive Support Through Faux Bookings
Some people are now reserving Airbnb nights in homes across Ukraine — and not using them. The faux booking trend, designed to help Ukrainian Airbnb hosts by sending them an immediate influx of cash, was reportedly started by the Quentin Quarantino Instagram account. Airbnb joined the effort, confirming: “[W]e are waiving all guest and host fees on all bookings in Ukraine at this time.”
Since then, the idea has gained traction across social media. “Within 48 hours,” Brian Chesky tweeted, “61,406 nights have been booked in Ukraine. That’s $1.9M going to Hosts in need.” Chesky thanked and credited the social media users who came up with the initiative.
No doubt, recruiting a homesharing platform is an innovative way to send funds across borders, and get them directly into the hands of people who depend on their homes for income. And it’s good to imagine that the hosts and guests might one day meet, in a peaceful time.
Supporting References
Coindesk.com: Video – Airbnb Looking Into Crypto For Payments, Offering Free Housing for Ukrainian Refugees (Mar 2, 2022).
Emily Mason for Forbes: Travel Company Backed By World’s Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange Launches Blockchain-Powered Airbnb Competitor (Jun. 16, 2021).
Sam Shead for CNBC.com: Airbnb Is Suspending All Operations in Russia and Belarus (Mar. 4 2022).
TradingView / MT Newswires: Airbnb Joins List of Major Companies in Widening Corporate Backlash Against Russia Following Ukraine Invasion (Mar. 4, 2022).
Patreon.com: On the Removal of Come Back Alive (Feb. 24, 2022).
Photo credit: ready made, via Pexels.