10 Online Retailers that Accept Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

Many people question the legitimacy and integrity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. As with any new and emerging technology adoption can take time. In late 2017 we saw a huge bull run in the cryptocurrency market that created a hype and buzz that we had not seen before. The market was in a frenzy with new people entering, buying and trading cryptos for the first time. It was the first real sense that this new decentralised ecosystem was being legitimised by the masses.

The market capitalisation of the entire cryptocurrency market went from $18 Billion all the way up to highs of $814 Billion during the course of 2017. It has since retracted down and currently hovers around the $200 Billion mark. With such monumental growth, many organisations and retailers began to see this new technology as something that was not going to go away.

Now, there are many online businesses and retailers who have moved to position themselves as early cryptocurrency adopters. By positioning themselves to be able to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a means of payment, the are setting the precedent for this new technology. Giving users the option to pay in cryptocurrencies shows consumers they are adaptable and willing to move and embrace new technologies.

The below are a list of some of the major online retailers that now accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a form of payment for services and products.

The List

1. OverStock — Overstock.com is an online retailer that specialises in home decor, furniture and the selling of close out goods. They also stock a number of accessories for men and women. They also accept payment in the form of Bitcoin and have been doing so since 2014. Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne is a long time ambassador for trying to take power away from large financial institutions. He even took Overstock public in 2002 outside of wall street, by raising money from the general public. Interestingly, the means he used to raise capital for overstock, is extremely similar to the way we see cryptocurrency projects raising funds with ICO’s today.
2. Microsoft — Microsoft need no introduction. Microsoft now support payment with Bitcoin and users can add Bitcoin to their microsoft account. It can then be used to purchase games, movies, and apps in the Windows and Xbox stores. They currently only support this limited number of offerings.
3. Shopify — For those unfamiliar, Shopify is an online ecommerce website building application. They help businesses create online ecommerce stores to sell their products and services. Shopify now allows merchants who build websites through their software to accept Bitcoin with their new Bitcoin payment gateway. Thousands of Shopify store owners are now already accepting Bitcoin payments.
4. Bitcoin.travel — Bitcoin.travel is a travel price comparison site that allows consumers to pay using cryptocurrency. You can find deals to top travel destinations, search for hotel deals and search for flight, just like price comparison tools like Kayak and Skyscanner.
5. Purse.io — Purse.io is an online retiler that allows consumers to purchase various Amazon.com products through their platform. Even better, you can get many of them for a 15% discount though Purse.io. You can browse the various categories and even import your Amazon wish list for ease of use.
6. Namecheap — Namecheap is a domain registrar and web hosting service that has embraced the new cryptocurrency economy. Namecheap now allows you to use Bitcoin to purchase domains, web hosting, SSL certificates and WhoisGuard.
7. Pizza for coins — You may have heard about the infamous incident of a Bitcoin developer who purchased 2 pizzas in 2010 for 10,000 BTC. Now Pizza for coins allows consumers to order pizzas online with their hard earned crypto. They now accept over 50 different cryptocurrencies as payment for delicious pizza on their website.
8. NewEgg — Newegg is a go to resource for all things hardware. They sell a whole host of computing hardware and consumer electronics. You can start shopping with Bitcoin today as newegg now support Bitcoin payments directly on their website.
9. eGifter — For all your gift card needs. eGifter is revolutionising gift cards with premium branded cards that can be sent by email, text, or hand delivered. You can now use eGifter to shop hundreds of gift cards with Bitcoin.
10. PureVPN — PureVPN is here to keep all your browsing needs safe and secure. Keeping in line with their vision on privacy and anonymity, PureVPN now accepts payment in the form of Bitcoin.

The Future

So there we have it. This is just a short list of 10 online retailers who have made the move to embrace and support this new and ever expanding technology. As the entire industry continues to grow, more and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as a method of payment. In 5 years, it could be the standard across every aspect of online commerce. Only time will tell.

Tagged with: bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, ecommerce, online, retail

Originally published at cryptosuss.com on September 19, 2018.