Editor’s note: This article was first published in the print edition of the Fall/Winter 2022-23 issue of Luxus+ magazine. Click here to view the full issue.
Bitcoin, Ethereum or even Dogecoin have become commonplace, literally. Today, and for a while now, it is possible to pay in crypto-currency, invest in real estate or even go to a store and pay with a card that contains crypto-assets. We will decipher for you, what it is possible to buy with its currencies and how to do it.
Several services and sectors today offer its users and customers to pay in Bitcoin or other virtual currency. Starting with the technology and computer industry. Indeed, this is one of the areas where the use of Bitcoin has been the strongest. Companies like Microsoft, Dell and Apple have joined the Bitcoin payment via their digital platforms. For those who didn’t know yet, it is now possible to purchase an iPhone or computer by paying in crypto-currency.
Another very common purchase via Bitcoin are VPN subscriptions that brands like ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN participate in. One of the big benefits for consumers is that transactions are made more anonymously and browsing is more secure. Similarly, it is possible to buy domains on platforms like WordPress.
There is also the world of video games, which is increasingly dynamic and important in our society today. In this case, Bitcoin or any other virtual currency can be used to buy video games, but not only. It is also possible to exchange characters, buy items or even trophies. It’s as if the real world has gone virtual.
On the travel side, if you have dematerialized savings, now is the time to use them. More and more travel agencies and hotels are accepting Bitcoin as a payment method. The travel platform Destinia was the first to allow it. After this success, other companies like Expedia have also started to do so, thanks to a partnership with Coinbase. Airlines are also getting into the loop like Air Lituanica or Norwegian.
Many other sectors are interested in this field and allow their users ( customers) to pay in BTC ( Bitcoin) or other virtual currency like some hotels or charitable causes.
Real estate seduced by crypto-assets
As surprising as it may seem, the real estate sector is now conquered by this virtual world. Since January 2021, U.S. companies have been offering prospective buyers and renters the opportunity to pay in crypto-currency. The first one to introduce this is called Caruso. It is one of the largest American real estate groups, which has been allowing tenants to pay in BTC for over a year. Another company called Arte Surfside, which offers luxury properties in Miami sold a villa for the sum of 22.5 million of dollars. The transaction had been paid for entirely in crypto-currencies, but the name of the crypto-currency had not been disclosed. More recently, the real estate company Harbor Custom Development decided to include these currencies among the payment options. Since last January, their customers can pay in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.
France: crypto conquering the heart of Beaugrenelle
While the use of crypto-assets is still unclear in France, the Beaugrenelle shopping mall decided to take hold of it. Since last June, it has been offering consumers to pay in virtual currency in its 115 stores. Going into more detail, it is in the form of a gift card that customers will be able to pay. The principle remains simple. All they have to do is enter an amount in euros on the Lyzi application, which displays the equivalent in cryptos and generates a QR code. In all, 21 electronic currencies can be used. This is a first in France and therefore another step towards understanding and marketing this ecosystem.
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Featured photo: © Presse
