Several companies that sell land and housing units in the Baltic countries have introduced crypto payments in the real estate business, according to Novaya Gazeta.

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Potential buyers will soon be able to buy land and housing in the settlement of the Auriai hut, which is currently under construction near Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

Properties with prices on cryptos are also sold in neighboring Latvia and Estonia. The Latvian branch of Baltic Sotheby's International Realty is offering apartments in the attic in Jūrmala for Bitcoin.

Recently, the Estonian real estate agent LAAM Kinnisvara announced that it is accepting cryptocurrencies for apartments in the city of Maardu, 15 minutes by car from Tallinn. A third of the 44 units built by the company have already been sold.The next agreement with Bitcoin is scheduled for next week.

More than 30 locations in Vilnius accept payments in cryptocurrencies, in Tallinn they have 26 and in Riga, 21, according to Coinmap. Bitcoin ATMs can be found in the capitals of Estonia and Lithuania, according to CoinATMradar.

Most of the companies that accept cryptos come from the hotel industry: cafes, bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, several hotels. Other sectors, however, are rapidly catching up.

About a month ago, the United Colors of Benetton franchise in Lithuania announced that it would accept cryptocurrencies. The fashion brand stores in Vilnius now allow payments with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, NEM and Steem through a partnership with Coppay.

The Belarus-based payment provider offers instant conversion to Fiat with an exchange rate based on data from multiple markets. "Our employees like it because it's simple and easy. No additional training was needed, "said Arturas Zuokas, co-owner of the company and former mayor of Vilnius.

On the other hand, Lithuania already has a platform similar to the one maintained by Coppay. The local company Coingate recently signed an agreement with a French developer of online payment solutions. Through this partnership with Prestashop, Lithuanians plan to provide services to 80,000 merchants around the world.

Integral regulations have not yet been adopted in any of the Baltic states. Latvia has recently attempted to partially recognize cryptocurrencies for tax purposes.

Authorities in Riga said Bitcoin could "function as a means of exchange." As a result, a 20% tax on the capital gains of digital currency transactions will be imposed.

Estonia, possibly the most digitally developed Baltic country, has been thinking about issuing its own cryptocurrency. Tallin does not renounce the idea, despite the negative attitude of the European Central Bank.

Officials behind the project are still pushing to issue "estcoin," not as a currency, but as a token. In any case, Estonia is determined to continue with its plans for a national currency.

The central bank of Lithuania, which was opposed to cryptocurrencies for some time, has just begun consultations with representatives of the cryptographic sector on a possible regulatory framework. "The blind denial, the reluctance to understand and work with the world of cryptocurrencies does not get us anywhere," a senior Lietuvos Bankas official said last week.

Source: news.bitcoin.com