Since the surge of Bitcoin in late 2017, cryptocurrencies (crypto) have become much more commonplace. With overnight millionaires being made and lost as the currencies take a rollercoaster ride on the exchanges day by day, this new way to pay for goods and services has exploded.
There is an increasing amount of retailers and service providers who accept crypto as a way to pay for their wares. Let’s take a look at the 5 top areas were using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are becoming more of an everyday occurrence.
Playing at Online Casinos
One of the industries at the forefront of accepting various forms of cryptocurrency payments is naturally online casinos providers. It seems the ideal fit as casino players are often the ones eager to adopt new technologies and try new experiences online.
An increasing number of people are using cryptocurrencies to play online casino games at establishments which are open to accepting it. Online casinos like Bitstarz are leading the way by accepting Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash from players who want to try out the latest slot games.
It’s not just simple slot games that you can enjoy whilst depositing with your cryptocurrency of choice now. There’s a whole rake of poker sites like BetCoin Poker and SWC Poker, that is now geared exclusively toward crypto ready clientele.
Also, sites like 1xBit, BetCoin and Nitrogen Sports are bringing in players who are looking for some hot online sports betting action. This means that the trend in crypto for online gambling is spreading far beyond the first basic slots based casino into a much richer experience.
Crowdfunding and Donations
If you’re feeling like supporting your favourite online content creator or giving to your worthy cause of choice then you might find that you can complete the task with some cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Bitcoin now provide donors with some ways through which they can see how their money was spent once it’s been gifted.
The specific benefit to charities and crowdfunding platforms is that cross border fundraising becomes easier and more transparent. Using crypto negates the issue of currency exchange and the loss of funds due to bank fees. A major boost to the charity sector in particular.
Flights, Hotels and Vacations
There’s a rapidly growing list of international airlines, hotel booking services and holiday brands who are now taking crypto as a form of payment.
If you fancy funding your next vacation purely from your Bitcoin wallet then it might now just about be possible. Norwegian Air in northern Europe and Garbarino Viajes, an Argentian hotel and flight booking service, are just two travel providers who now accept cryptocurrency for their services.
One of their key aims with this move to cryptocurrency payments is to offer customers a more streamlined payment process. The big idea is they would only have to send the BTC in order to get the tickets and hotel rooms to make booking anything oh so simple.
It might also surprise you that the online travel industry giant Expedia has been way ahead of the curve, accepting Bitcoin for payments since 2014. You can currently pay for your hotel bookings from your crypto wallet which gives you access to some superb accommodation the world over.
You can also book cheap flights in the US using CheapAir who accept payment for flights using a wide range of cryptocurrencies right now.
Expect many more travel service providers to come on board in the near future as they warm to the benefits of crypto payments in this naturally international industry.
Giftcards and Vouchers
Another area where there’s a total cryptocurrency boom going on right now is the gift card sector. It might not be the first place you think of spending your cryptocurrencies but there are many merits in using it to change up for some vouchers.
Now you might be thinking that gift vouchers are only good to give as a last-minute present, as the name suggests. But, when you think about it some more, it’s a very easy way to indirectly spend your coins at a whole raft of on and offline retailers which don’t yet accept any blockchain technologies.
By partnering with Coinbase the service eGifter has found a way to exchange your coins for vouchers to spend at Amazon, JCPenny, Home Depot, Kohls and lots of other stores. This means that you can use crypto to purchase everyday items that you would otherwise buy with cash or card.
This gives us the ideal workaround for the present moment or at least until the big retailers of the world see the light and start accepting crypto alongside the more traditional payment methods.
Personal tech and accessories
Being a technology itself, you’d expect the tech sector to embrace this exciting new form of payment and currency storage. Well, the good news is that there is no shortage of business, big and small, that accept crypto for their goods and services.
At the top end of things, they don’t come much bigger than Microsoft. That’s right, you can deposit Bitcoin into your Microsoft online account as a legitimate payment method. You’ll then be able to use the cryptocurrency for anything from games to movies, and apps in the Windows and Xbox stores. You can even use crypto to purchase a Windows 10 licenses. That really is a case of new meets old!
Microsoft isn’t the only online tech company to accept Bitcoins, the technology provider Overstock is also in on the action. But they go above and beyond by also accepting Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Monero, and Bitcoin Cash for payments too. At the Overstock online store, you can use your crypto for anything from the latest TVs to a massive range of quality Windows laptops.
Newegg is another online tech firm that is leading the way by accepting Bitcoin in exchange for its massive range of goods. It’s a popular site for those in the know to purchase mining technology and all the tools needed to find some more precious crypto.