Inside CoinFlip’s new crypto center in Tampa • St Pete Catalyst

CoinFlip, a crypto-powered fintech platform, is designed to help introduce and demystify the world of cryptocurrency to audiences across Tampa Bay.

CoinFlip celebrated the opening of a new crypto center and corporate office in downtown Tampa’s Sparkman Wharf on Tuesday.

The new Crypto Experience Center will be a first-of-its-kind destination in the United States that will educate the community about cryptocurrency and digital currency purchases, via the company’s on-site Bitcoin ATMs, a cornerstone of CoinFlip’s business.

“We started Bitcoin ATMs because we wanted to take crypto out of the cloud and make it physical and tangible,” CEO and co-founder Ben Weiss said during a Tuesday press conference in Tampa. “Visiting Tampa over the past few months while working on this project has only confirmed why we chose this city. This place is electric. Not only does Tampa have a great talent pool, but Sparkman Wharf is the place to not only work, but to live and play.”

CoinFlip CEO Ben Weiss.

The hub opens its doors to the public on 14 September. The 8,000 square meter space in Sparkman Wharf is the company’s second corporate office. CoinFlip will continue to operate from Chicago, where it was founded in 2015. The Tampa office and center exist in a shared space separated by glass doors.

The CoinFlip ATMs inside the Crypto Experience Center.

Chief Technology Officer Rory Herriman said the center will create over 40 jobs in Tampa, including engineering. Around 15 employees are currently based in the centre.

“Tampa is already a tech hub, and we want to make it a crypto hub,” Weiss said.

CoinFlip, which has over 4,000 ATMs in the US and Canada, also plans to deploy more ATMs throughout Florida.

A crowd of media and guests inside the CoinFlips Crypto Experience Center in downtown Tampa.

Weiss and Herriman spoke with the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Strategic Property Partners (the group behind Water Street Tampa) and the local colleges as they evaluated Tampa.

“It’s unusual when everyone comes out to welcome then [new companies]”, Castor said of how the entities embraced CoinFlip, and how newcomers describe Tampa as a “welcoming” and “friendly” business destination. “Everyone can learn the value of crypto and the idea that cryptocurrency levels the playing field for everyone.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (center left) and CoinFlip CEO Ben Weiss (center right) with Tampa Bay EDC CEO Craig Richard and CoinFlip executives inside the new center.

The center is open every day from 11.00 to 20.00

The center will have “crypto guides” to receive support to complete secure transactions at CoinFlip’s on-site bitcoin ATMs and over-the-counter (OTC) Trade Desk.

Herriman said that by introducing people to crypto and equipping them with knowledge about the products, “it will help narrow the financial divide that exists in our economy to be far more accessible to everyday consumers and will allow everyone to control their financial destiny .”

Inside the CoinFlip Experience Center in downtown Tampa.

CoinFlip’s Trade Desk also creates access to dedicated account managers who are available to guide clients through the process step-by-step.

“If you’ve always wanted to get involved with crypto but don’t know how to set up a wallet, we’re here for you. If you want to go down the web3 rabbit hole, we’re here for you too,” explained Weiss.

The center will host free training sessions, educating the public on blockchain basics to more complex trends.

The CoinFlip Experience Center features an NFT art gallery, featuring works by local artists. Information from the artists was accessed by swiping the digital art frames.

Weiss also reminded attendees that earlier this summer CoinFlip announced it was launching a seed investment fund. CoinFlip executives said they are interested in connecting with entrepreneurs at the Embarc Collective.