There’s no denying that cryptocurrency has gained a lot of traction in recent years. More people are wising up to the idea that cryptocurrency transactions are more transparent than anything ever processed by a bank or other financial institution.
While cryptocurrency has gained a lot of momentum online, the only problem is that the pace is somewhat slower outside the Internet. You can’t just go and spend your Bitcoin or whatever cryptocurrency you’ve got in any place that accepts Visa and Mastercard.
Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t spend your crypto coins at all in the offline world. The following examples give a round-up of some top examples that will accept cryptocurrency payments along with traditional forms of payment like cash and debit, and credit cards:
Airline Flights
It’s no secret that few people are flying at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as more people get vaccinated, the spread of the disease will slow to a point where life can get “back to normal.”
When domestic and international flights do resume in earnest, it might please you to know that you can spend your cryptocurrency with some airlines. For instance, Latvian airline airBaltic became the world’s first airline to accept Bitcoin as payment for flights in 2014.
Today, the airline accepts other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Binance USD. Plus, if you feel like splashing out on a private jet, companies like PrivateFly also accept Bitcoin payments.
Mortgages
These days, the conventional way to pay for your mortgage installments is through a regular bank transfer from your checking account. It’s the universally accepted payment method from almost all mortgage lenders in the United States and worldwide.
Are you a cryptocurrency trader, and do you make lucrative profits from your trading each month? If so, you might find it easier to pay for your mortgage with cryptocurrency. The only snag is, most mortgage lenders don’t accept cryptocurrency as a payment method.
The good news is more forward-thinking mortgage companies are hoping to change that. Lenders like Salt Lending in Colorado and Matrix Mortgage Global in Canada, for example, accept Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies as payment methods.
Of course, while that’s exciting news if you’re trying to ditch conventional payment methods from your life, you should still compare mortgage rates and deals as you usually would before signing up for a home loan.
Satellite TV
When you get home from a long day at work, one thing you will undoubtedly do is spend some time relaxing on the couch and watching some television. It’s an excellent way to do nothing but rest and relax, especially if you need to de-stress from the day’s events.
Many people have satellite TV in their homes, and while bank payments are the typical way to pay subscription fees, it’s now possible to pay your bills with Bitcoin if you use DISH as your satellite TV provider.
DISH has allowed its customers to pay with the cryptocurrency since 2014, and it’s something you can still do today. It can be pretty useful if you’d like to pay more of your bills with Bitcoin or other popular cryptocurrencies and rely less on conventional payments.
Cars
You might think that some tech-savvy private car sellers are the only people that might accept cryptocurrency as payment for their vehicles. However, it might surprise you to learn that some franchised car dealerships will let you buy new and used vehicles that way too.
For example, Reed of Overland Park, KS, is a Jeep dealer, and they’ve been accepting Bitcoin for vehicle payments. S.A.S.S. Auto Group in Ontario, Canada, also accepts Bitcoin for vehicle purchases.
Even Tesla allowed customers to buy their electric cars with Bitcoin, although they’ve suspended that, citing environmental Bitcoin mining concerns as to its reason.
Food
Did you know that you can even buy food from some retailers using cryptocurrency? For example, Burger King and Pizza Hut accept it as a form of payment from some of its franchised outlets in Venezuela.
Some selected Subway franchises globally also accept cryptocurrency payments for food. Of course, many independent food retailers worldwide also accept crypto coins as payment for food orders.
It will probably be a while before you can walk into your local McDonald’s, for example, and order a Big Mac and fries with BTC. But, it’s a promising start, and it’s very likely more food retailers, especially franchised brands, will accept cryptocurrency as standard everywhere.
Jewelry
If you fancy treating yourself to some new jewelry, or perhaps you want to buy a special gift for a loved one, some jewelers now accept cryptocurrency payments. One notable example is NC-based REEDS Jewelers.
The company has over 65 retail outlets across the United States, and they all accept Bitcoin payments in person. Samer Halimeh is another jeweler that also accepts cryptocurrency payments across their retail locations, although they also have stores outside of the U.S.
How to Spend Cryptocurrency Everywhere Offline
Acceptance of cryptocurrency payments is a slow and gradual process at the moment. While it’s true that more retailers are offering Bitcoin or Ethereum as payment methods, most retailers will refuse to do so.
With that in mind, how can you get around that problem? One of the easiest ways of spending cryptocurrency everywhere offline is by using it to buy gift cards. You can then use those gift cards for payment at selected retailers or groups of retailers.
Yes, it’s a slightly involved process compared to just paying with cash or a debit, credit, or store card. However, if you’ve got plenty of cryptocurrency coins to spend, it’s an excellent way to do it. Many online gift card providers accept Bitcoin and other crypto coins.
Lastly, you can also convert your favorite coins into US Dollars or whatever currency you prefer and have the money transferred into your checking account. Once the transfer gets completed, you are then free to pay for anything as you normally would.
