Airbnb Exec Hints at How Rental Giant Could Use Blockchain

An AirBnB exec has indicated that the renting service is open to investigating potential blockchain applications related to user trust.

By Stan Higgins

Mar 8, 2016 at 6:20 p.m. UTC

Updated Sep 11, 2021 at 12:10 p.m. UTC

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One of Airbnb’s co-founders has indicated that the popular renting service is interested in potential blockchain applications that could improve user trust.

The comments were issued by co-founder and CTO Nathan Blecharczyk in a recent interview in which he discussed the company's plans for 2016.

City AM writer Harriet Green said that the conversation eventually turned to blockchain tech, and that Blecharczyk suggested it could factor into the ways in which the service could enhance the trust mechanisms that enable its service.

He told the publication:

"We're looking for all different kinds of signals to tell us whether someone is reputable, and I could certainly see some of these more novel types of signals being plugged into our engine."

Airbnb currently uses a mixture of social media profiles and profile reviews, according to its website. Users also verify their government-issued ID cards through the service.

Image Credit: ak12m studio / Shutterstock.com

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