Uber has once again announced its intention to accept cryptocurrency as a payment option, several years after first discussing the idea.

At the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated that the company is in the study phase of evaluating stablecoins for operational use. According to him, stablecoins are the most interesting form of cryptocurrency thanks to their practical benefits beyond just being a store of value.

Uber has prior experience with cryptocurrencies: in 2019, the company joined the Diem Association (formerly Libra), supporting Meta’s initiative to create a stablecoin aimed at transforming global payments.

“You can have your opinions on Bitcoin — it’s a proven asset with uncertain prospects. But stablecoins seem especially promising for international companies transferring funds across countries,” Khosrowshahi emphasized.

This is not the company’s first statement on cryptocurrencies: in 2021, Khosrowshahi said they were looking into accepting BTC and other digital currencies but declined to put crypto on Uber’s balance sheet, citing the need to keep liquidity in fiat. In February 2022, he also mentioned that Uber would “absolutely” accept crypto when transactions become cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

After his remarks in 2021, Bitcoin’s price remained stable for three months. The 2022 statements came shortly before the crypto market crash that began later that spring.