You Can Pre-Order This $15,000 Crypto-Powered Beer Vending Machine

Where there's a long line for beer today, there could one day be a Civic vending machine.

At its booth at SXSW Wednesday, the decentralized identity startup Civic was on hand to showcase three vending machines selling local staples - Shiner Bock and Austin Amber beer.

The demo is a test for a product that Civic plans to roll out officially later this year: a $15,000 machine that can verify a user's age and accept payment via crypto.

"We're merging identity and payment into one transaction," Civic's Titus Capilnean told CoinDesk.

iPhone users who downloaded the Civic Pay app and verified their identity received enough CVC to buy one round.

Then after making a couple taps on the machine and selecting the desired cold one, the unit shows a QR code that the user scans with their app, and payment is made.

Civic first demoed its ability to verify ages with Anheuser-Busch at Consensus 2018, but this year the startup has upped that functionality by enabling sales via a mobile app.

While not disclosing potential partners, Capilnean said Civic is already in talks with companies that might contract with Civic in places where alcohol distribution could be improved.

To take pressure off servers, sporting events and bars, for example, might be places that could use vending machines to verify age.

Still, Capilnean said Civic believes music festivals are the most immediate opportunity.