Meet our new blog section — #FutureIsNow: Interview with our partners from different segments, industries, and continents. We are going to show you insightful use cases from businesses who are already using our service and accept crypto. Today we speak with Victor, CEO of Ravestag, a crypto exchange that accepts over 100 cryptocurrencies using the NOWpayments solution.
Meet our partner, Ravestag
- Could you please introduce yourself briefly? What is Ravestag Company?
If you want to easily, quickly, and most importantly safely exchange cryptocurrency for fiat money or vice versa, Ravestag will be happy to provide you with its automated service.
- When and why was Ravestag created? What is the main idea behind it?
5 years ago, I created the first and only Bitcoin exchange ad on LocalBitcoins.com. At that time, the cryptocurrency exchange was something new and very interesting for me, I was especially attracted by the geography of the use of cryptocurrencies, on LocalBitcoins you can trade with the whole world. By posting a local ad in Georgia, I did not think that there would be a big demand for these services, my attention was more directed to the world, but to my surprise, on the next day, I received my first order for a Bitcoin exchange in Georgia.
Since then, local transactions have increased and in 2019 I made the decision to open the first office for more convenient communication with clients. This, in turn, attracted even more attention from customers.
People like to be able to physically come to the office and get advice from experts, especially on complex topics like blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Most clients understood the technology superficially, but on the other hand, such newcomers are a goal for scammers who build their scam systems based on low awareness of blockchain technology. Our main mission is to be a reliable guide and close friend in the innovative field of blockchain technologies. We understand and recognize that blockchain has forever changed the traditional financial system, providing people with a new level of security, transparency, and freedom in the field of finance. We believe that by sharing our knowledge and experience, we can significantly improve and secure the way people experience cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, thereby spreading financial freedom around the world.
About Pre-Ravestag
- Can you describe your background prior to entering the crypto world?
Before the crypto exchange, I was creative and tried myself as an entrepreneur in other projects. The last project was the network of vape bars Sweet Drips, but unfortunately, due to the strict regulation of the market in Russia and the lack of proper experience, the project could not be developed. By the way, the name Ravestag is a stage name.
By inertia, I used this name in 2017 when creating an account on LocalBitcoins, and after several thousand transactions I could no longer afford another name, many in the crypto community knew us exactly as Ravestag.
- Currently, you’re working at the local level, do you have plans to extend your potential market? Who is your target audience at the moment?
At the moment, our target audience is people who actively use cryptocurrencies, or are unfamiliar with cryptocurrencies, but who need more modern and flexible finance. The next goal is to enter into cooperation with local companies. We are ready to offer our software for processing and exchanging crypto-transactions for fiat in order to expand payment methods for our partners. We also plan to expand beyond Georgia by adding SWIFT transfers to payment methods.
About NOWPayments and future partnerships
- Recently you partnered up with NOWPayments – a crypto payment gateway. What do you see in this partnership and which expectations do you have for your further collaboration?
During the development process, our team considered various services that could solve our tasks for automating the exchange of cryptocurrencies. NOWPayments closed most of the logical tasks and corresponded to our requests, so we made an obvious choice towards cooperation.
I would like to note the pleasant impressions of communication with the NOWPayments team. We work closely together, and there is quite a high activity in our general chat, so communication is very important here. The guys from the NOWPayments team are open, always in touch, and carefully consider all our requests and suggestions. We appreciate it!
Together we are developing a completely new financial market and gradually opening it up to more and more people. You provide us with tools, we build our own on their basis, and as a result, the client receives a modern and secure way to exchange cryptocurrencies for fiat. I think this is the main advantage of the partnership.
Of course, we are open to cooperation. Just a month ago we signed contracts with Trezor and Safe Pal. It so happened that in Georgia it was still not possible to buy a hardware wallet, only if you place an order from the official website and wait for delivery. We decided that the partnership with Trezor and SafePal would diversify our service and make their products more accessible on the territory of Georgia. But at the moment we are focused on our service and taking it to a new level. As soon as we complete this stage, we will be happy to consider cooperation with other crypto projects.
- Did you think about collaborating with some big crypto players in the market?
Of course, we are open to cooperation. But at the moment we are focused on our service and taking it to the next level. As soon as we complete this stage, we will gladly consider collaborations with other crypto projects.
The future of crypto adoption
- What are your favourite currencies to accept (exchange) in Ravestag?
Our clients most often use stablecoins such as Tron USDT, BUSD, and USDC.
- What do you think about the future of crypto mass adoption? How soon will we see crypto payments in every shop next to the house?
It is difficult to give exact dates, but given the current problems in the world, we can say that the implementation will increase. Cryptocurrencies are objectively the most convenient and secure way to transfer money today.
Read our previous #FutureIsNOW interview with CryptoBeans