You Can Pay With Dogecoin At Burger King Brazil, But There's One Big Catch

Finally, dogecoin is getting some respect. The cryptocurrency started as a joke that played off an internet meme, and Elon Musk appeared to dismiss it as a "hustle" on "Saturday Night Live," as seen in this YouTube video. Thanks to Musk's comment, or merely to smart investors who know when to sell high, dogecoin has lost most of its value since the Tesla tycoon's SNL appearance (via The Wrap). These days, one dogecoin is worth about 20 U.S. cents, per Gold Price, so you might think of it as a poor person's bitcoin. (One bitcoin equals about $40,000 — for the moment, at least.)

As far as dogecoin is concerned, the more relevant exchange rate might be with the Brazilian real — a currency that's coincidentally also worth about 20 U.S. cents (via Xe). Burger King Brazil now accepts dogecoin on purchases of the chain's Dogpper dog treats, according to Yahoo! Finance. BK Brazil just started offering the Dogpper — named after the Whopper — on Monday, July 26.

If Burger King wants to dip its toes in the cryptocurrency market, then it makes sense to start by accepting a dog-themed digital currency for dog treat purchases. One Dogpper will set you back three dogecoins, or about 60 cents in U.S. money, according to Yahoo! Finance. Burger King also accepts Brazil's government-issued currency, the real, for Dogpper purchases. Americans who wonder why a fast food chain is selling pet food might want to check out the new Burger King Brazil TV ad available on YouTube. Even if you don't understand Portuguese, the commercial conveys the message that Dogpper treats are meant for canines who envy humans with their delicious Whoppers.

We'll be convinced of dogecoin's legitimacy when we can get fries with that. The one big catch in BK Brazil's embrace of dogecoin is that you can't exchange it for human food. But it's probably just a matter of time. Investors who bailed on dogecoin after Elon Musk's "Saturday Night Live" appearance heard him call the cryptocurrency a "hustle," but they may have overlooked another comment he tossed off about dogecoin. "It's the future of currency," Musk said. "It's an unstoppable financial vehicle that's going to take over the world."