Real Jet founder and chairman Kenny Dichter says crypto is entering its next phase of adoption as a real-world payment method — and in doing so is moving beyond speculation.

A "Usable Everyday Currency"

Speaking on Fox Business on Wednesday, Dichter said Real Jet has become the first private aviation company to integrate Crypto.com Pay, allowing customers to book charter flights directly from their wallets with one-day settlement.

“We’re early, early, early innings,” Dichter said. "It’s really about taking an asset class and making it a usable everyday currency. That’s the magic."

The aviation executive argued that more than 700 million people globally hold digital assets. Roughly $3 trillion in crypto is sitting on the sidelines as an investable asset rather than being used for commerce.

“No army can stop an idea whose time has come. Nobody is stopping crypto,” he said.

Dichter added that he does not expect uncertainty surrounding the CLARITY Act to derail broader crypto adoption, saying the industry’s long-term trajectory remains intact.

Crypto Evolves From Investment Asset

Ditched pointed out that customer demand played a key role in Real Jet’s decision to integrate crypto payments.

He said the company had received requests from dozens of high-net-worth crypto holders who wanted to pay for private aviation directly with digital assets rather than converting them into fiat currency first.

Dichter also credited Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek and his team for simplifying crypto payments, describing the platform as making transactions “seamless” and “frictionless.”

Looking ahead, he predicted crypto payments could eventually account for $200 million to $300 million of a potential $1 billion business as digital assets become more widely accepted for everyday purchases.

The executive also highlighted a growing pool of affluent crypto users.

An estimated 250,000 newly minted crypto millionaires, alongside liquidity events from companies such as SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, can become drivers of demand for premium services like private aviation.

“I think you’re going to have an amazing positive effect on the economy” once crypto evolves from an investment asset into an everyday payment rail, Dichter said.

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