For the most part, commercial space travel is still a few years off, and any plans for space settlements still seem like the dreams of sci-fi enthusiasts. But it’s never too early to start planning, right? Elon Musk sure thinks so. And PayPal apparently does, too. Or at least the eBay-owned company is pretending it does, if you think the following is a big marketing gimmick. PayPal was set to announce on Thursday that it is spearheading an initiative, dubbed PayPal Galactic, to lead a discussion around what needs to happen to commercialize other planets. How will banks need to adapt? What payment systems can work in space and between space and Earth? And when on Mars, do you tip like a New Yorker or like a European? (Okay, that last question is mine.) Clearly, PayPal is positioning itself as the payment system capable of working on Earth, on other planets, and in space.
