Bitcoin has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years. It has developed from an asset solely used for speculative purposes to now used to hedge against inflation and draconian monetary policies. However, you might be wondering, “where is Bitcoin accepted?” Fortunately, many companies are using Bitcoin as a medium of exchange. We have compiled a list of businesses that accept Bitcoin.
- How accepted is Bitcoin in 2024?
- Top companies that accept Bitcoin
- Food and beverage companies that accept Bitcoin
- Transport and aviation services that accept cryptocurrency
- Retail companies that accept Bitcoin and other crypto
- Sports teams that accept Bitcoin payments
- Cryptocurrency and the push for regulation
- The future of Bitcoin payments for businesses
- Frequently asked questions
How accepted is Bitcoin in 2024?
Exploring where you can spend Bitcoin reveals a wide range of options, addressing the question of its usability. Although Walmart does not accept Bitcoin, showing a notable absence in its acceptance among major retailers, banks like Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Revolut stand out for welcoming Bitcoin transactions.
Furthermore, cryptocurrency exchanges facilitate the conversion of Bitcoin into cash, enabling users to sell their Bitcoin for USD and transfer the funds to their bank accounts, providing a practical solution for those looking to liquidate their Bitcoin holdings.
Top companies that accept Bitcoin
We thoroughly explore internet and media companies that embrace cryptocurrency payments.
1. Microsoft
One of the most valuable companies in the world, Microsoft is one of the few Fortune 500 companies that accept Bitcoin for payments on its Xbox Store. It has done so since 2014. The company took a break from this due to volatility a while back, but the service is up again and can now be used. People with Microsoft accounts can also top up their funds via Bitcoin.
2. Dish Network
Dish Network is a prominent satellite TV provider in the United States, owning several mobile companies. As a Fortune 250 company serving millions of customers, Dish Network offers its subscribers the flexibility to pay their bills through multiple channels, notably including Bitcoin as one of the payment options.
3. Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a major non-profit organization dedicated to protecting civil liberties in the digital age. The EFF, established in 1990, promotes user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy research, grassroots advocacy, and technology creation. The EFF is funded entirely by donations and accepts cryptocurrency payments.
4. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a massive VPN platform with 160 servers in 94 countries. It works with a ton of different devices, offers split tunneling and doesn’t log your activity as well. This service offers a one-month, six-month, and twelve-month plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can pay for any of them with Bitcoin. Interestingly, ExpressVPN was one of the first businesses to start supporting cryptocurrency.
5. AT&T
AT&T is one of the largest media and telecommunications conglomerates in the world. In May 2019, the firm announced that it had teamed up with crypto payment processor BitPay to provide cryptocurrency payment support for people looking to pay their phone bills online.
6. eGifter
Like Gyft, eGifter is another gift card platform that caters to a wide range of shopping preferences by supporting over 300 retailers, including notable names like Target, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Uber. Importantly, it facilitates the purchase of all gift cards using Bitcoin, offering an innovative way to spend cryptocurrency across a diverse array of shopping categories.
Food and beverage companies that accept Bitcoin
7. Menufy
Menufy is an online service that simplifies food ordering and delivery for customers and integrates with a restaurant’s existing PoS (Point of Sale) system, streamlining order management and payment processing.. Customers can easily order food for carryout or delivery from a variety of restaurants using Menufy, which accepts multiple payment methods including crypto.
8. Subway
Subway is another major player that has been providing crypto support since 2013. You can purchase a Subway sandwich at several restaurants for just a fraction of a Bitcoin via the Lightning Network. There’s also support for Gyft- a digital platform that allows people to purchase and spend gift cards.
Transport and aviation services that accept cryptocurrency
9. Norwegian Air
The second largest airline company in Scandinavia, Norwegian Air Shuttle, and its owners reportedly created a crypto exchange called Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX), which powers Bitcoin payments for flight tickets. It is a low-cost alternative to many other airline options; however, the company no longer offers long-haul services.
10. Alternative Airlines
The alternative is another airline that accepts Bitcoin. The Alternative Airlines website provides users with all sorts of streamlined ways to find flights, but it doesn’t just focus on the big airlines – it saves you money by providing you with more local ones. The platform supports travel worldwide, and you can purchase any tickets with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
11. Virgin Atlantic
The Virgin Group, which owns Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Media, offers tickets for Virgin Galactic in Bitcoin. The integration was made back in 2013. Astronauts working for the company were reportedly the first users of the new payment option when it was launched.
12. CheapAir
As an American travel agency, CheapAir has been in operation since 1989. CheapAir has been accepting Bitcoin payments since 2013, and last year, the firm announced a partnership with Bitcoin.com to provide payment options in Bitcoin Cash as well.
Currently, the platform also provides support for Ethereum, Litecoin, and DASH. All travelers who book tickets are also covered by Payback™- a service that offers up to $100 in travel credit if airfares go down after purchase.
Retail companies that accept Bitcoin and other crypto
13. Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is a company that manufactures premium lifestyle products for areas such as sports, attire, home and furniture, fragrances, and more.
Founded in 1967 by the American designer Ralph Lauren, the company’s headquarters are located in New York City. Although the company is headquartered in New York, its Miami location is the first to accept payment in Bitcoin.
14. Crypto Emporium
Crypto Emporium is the world’s first luxury platform to accept crypto and crypto alone. Of all the platforms to wonder “who accepts Bitcoin,” this is certainly one that only accepts it. The website sells cars, watches, electronics, property, and more. It’s one of the easiest ways to purchase these things with cryptocurrencies, with users providing the products and their estimated price points, which you can negotiate.
15. Lolli
Lolli allows users to get free Bitcoins as they shop online. The platform has a list of partnered stores where you can shop (it notifies you if you end up on one of them if you have its extension installed on your browser), and when you checkout via the platform, you get free Bitcoin.
Lolli has partnered with several top brands, including Priceline, Groupon, GoDaddy, GAP, Macy’s, Hilton, and Bloomingdale’s.
16. Play-Asia
Play-Asia is a popular game, toy, movie, and media distribution platform. You can get anything from physical media to limited edition items to accessories for your favorite devices. And best of all? The website accepts Bitcoin payments. It actually supports a ton of different assets, but of course, Bitcoin is the most popular one.
17. UNICEF
UNICEF has established the first UN-related cryptocurrency fund ever. The idea is to use crypto donations to fund children’s use of technology, among other benefits. What’s interesting, however, is UNICEF will keep donations in the token they’re received in, rather than converting them to fiat currency as many companies do.
Sports teams that accept Bitcoin payments
18. Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings were the first team in the NBA to accept Bitcoin payments, and they remain one of just two teams out of 30 to do so. The Kings started to accept Bitcoin back in 2014 for purchases of team merchandise, game tickets, and much more.
19. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks is another major team in the NBA that accepts Bitcoin for payments. Despite being owned by notable crypto critic Mark Cuban, the team announced in August 2019 that it would be accepting Bitcoin as payment for game tickets and merchandise. The franchise also accepts Dogecoin.
20. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins, a popular National Football League team, announced a partnership with the Litecoin Foundation and Aliant Payments in June 2019. The partnership allowed Dolphins fans to use assets like Litecoin and Bitcoin when purchasing tickets for the team’s 50/50 raffle. Tickets can be purchased online or at dedicated kiosks around the team’s Hard Rock Stadium.
21. SL Benfica
Sport Lisboa, Benfica, is one of the most popular pro soccer clubs in Portugal. The club joined the list of soccer teams that accept Bitcoin. Benfica partnered with crypto solutions provider UTRUST, enabling tickets and merchandise purchases using Bitcoin payments.
Cryptocurrency and the push for regulation
Since Bitcoin became mainstream, proponents and developers have pushed for it to be accepted as a medium of exchange. The arguments have centered around the benefits they provide over fiat money and its ability to free one’s wealth from the clutches of government structures.
However, legalization has varied greatly across countries. While some nations have been welcoming towards the assets or created an enabling environment for cryptocurrencies to thrive, others have been strict in their disapproval of the assets and have cracked down hard on it.
Switzerland leads the charge for countries where cryptocurrencies are encouraged. The financial hub has proven to be accommodating towards emerging technology, providing meaningful rules to guide companies’ operations. The country’s crypto space is so stable that Facebook chose to establish the headquarters of its Libra Association there.
As for countries where Bitcoin is still illegal, perhaps the most prominent is China. The Asian economic giant announced a ban on cryptocurrency exchanges and Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) as far back as 2017 and has stuck to that stance ever since.
But a lot of countries still exist in the middle. Major world powers like the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and even the United States all have some law governing Bitcoin. Some countries have regulations on cryptocurrency taxation, payment usage, and remittance.
However, when it comes to drafting laws that bring Bitcoin into the forefront of the financial ecosystem, progress hasn’t been as quick as expected.
The future of Bitcoin payments for businesses
Given the current terrain of crypto, the future for businesses that accept Bitcoin is bright. Many banks stopped accepting crypto businesses or created more hurdles due to the FTX collapse. In many ways, this hindered the ability of businesses that accept crypto to provide crypto-native railways for their users.
However, the crypto community has matured, and its use case is undeniable. Stablecoins and blockchain technology offer a cost-efficient way for banks to settle transactions. Furthermore, credit and debit card providers such as Visa and Mastercard offer ways for users to spend their crypto in the physical and digital world. Lastly, money transmitter services, such as Paypal or Cash App, allow businesses to accept crypto, offering another payment gateway. Rest assured, we will see a growth in businesses that accept Bitcoin and altcoins as payment in the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do businesses accept Bitcoin?
What are the benefits of accepting businesses accepting Bitcoin?
How do Bitcoin transactions work for businesses?
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