Bitcoin has been the rising star in recent months since the election of the US President Donald J. Trump, with unprecedented adoption from both institutional and retail investors. Many merchants, major companies, and even government departments and agencies start to accept Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as an official payment.
This article will introduce major entities that accept Bitcoin payments and give some notes based on experiences.
Major Companies That Accept Bitcoin as Payment
PayPal
PayPal has incorporated cryptocurrency into its services, allowing users to buy, sell, and store Bitcoin and other digital currencies like stablecoins. As a global leader in digital payments, PayPal’s acceptance of Bitcoin marks a major step toward the mainstream integration of cryptocurrency. Users can also use their crypto at over 26 million merchants worldwide via PayPal’s checkout feature.
What you can buy: A wide variety of goods, from electronics to clothing, across PayPal’s vast merchant network.
Wikipedia
Wikimedia, the nonprofit behind Wikipedia, accepts Bitcoin donations through BitPay.
Microsoft
Microsoft allows users to add Bitcoin to their Microsoft account for purchases. While the company had previously halted cryptocurrency payments, it quickly reinstated this service.
AT&T
AT&T, the first major U.S. mobile carrier to accept cryptocurrency, enables customers to make payments through BitPay.
Apple
While Apple doesn’t directly accept Bitcoin, third-party services like BitPay and Newegg make it possible to use Bitcoin for Apple product purchases.
What you can buy: Apple products via Newegg’s wide selection.
Starbucks
Starbucks accepts Bitcoin indirectly via the Bakkt platform, allowing customers to reload their Starbucks cards using crypto through the app.
What you can buy: Coffee and other items in-store using the Starbucks Card.
Whole Foods
Thanks to the Spedn app, Whole Foods Market allows customers to pay with Bitcoin at checkout, helping bridge the gap between cryptocurrency and everyday retail use.
What you can buy: Grocery items, including fresh produce, meat, and beauty products.
Home Depot
Home Depot enables customers to pay with Bitcoin through the Flexa Spedn app, making it one of the largest retailers that embrace cryptocurrency for home improvement purchases.
What you can buy: Tools, appliances, garden supplies, and more.
Shopify
Shopify lets shop owners accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for their online stores, making it a versatile platform for crypto payments.
Burger King
Burger King has partnered with Cryptobuyer in Venezuela to accept several cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, for payments. Its German branch also began accepting Bitcoin for online orders in 2019.
KFC
KFC Canada briefly allowed Bitcoin payments for its “Bitcoin Bucket” promotion, processed via BitPay.
Overstock
Overstock, a popular online retailer, partnered with Coinbase to enable Bitcoin payments for online purchases.
Subway
Certain Subway locations have accepted Bitcoin, though the status of this option may vary.
Twitch
Twitch, the gaming streaming platform owned by Amazon, allows Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash payments for services, with direct donations also possible from Bitcoin wallets.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut in Venezuela started accepting Bitcoin payments as of November 2020, marking an increase in cryptocurrency adoption in the country.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins allow fans to use Litecoin and Bitcoin for purchasing tickets for their 50/50 raffle, benefitting the team’s charitable foundation.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks now accept Bitcoin for game tickets and merchandise, processing payments through BitPay.
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company, allows Bitcoin payments for space travel bookings.
Norwegian Air
Norwegian Air plans to accept cryptocurrency payments for flight tickets, adding a modern touch to the airline industry.
Namecheap
Namecheap, a leading domain name registrar, has been accepting Bitcoin since 2013 in response to requests from its tech-focused audience.
CheapAir
CheapAir, an online travel agency, accepts Bitcoin payments through Coinbase and later switched to BTCPayServer for processing.
Gyft
Gyft allows users to buy gift cards for retailers like Amazon and Starbucks with Bitcoin, without additional fees.
Newegg
Newegg, a retailer of consumer electronics, has been one of the first to accept Bitcoin payments for products.
The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library, accepts Bitcoin donations, supporting its mission to provide universal access to knowledge.
The Pirate Bay
The Pirate Bay accepts Bitcoin and cryptocurrency donations to support its operation.
4Chan
4Chan, an imageboard website, accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin payments for a 4Chan pass.
Mega.nz
Mega.nz, a cloud storage provider, accepts Bitcoin for account upgrades.
Amazon (indirectly)
Although Amazon doesn’t accept Bitcoin directly, users can use Purse.io to shop on the platform and pay with Bitcoin.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN, a popular virtual private network service, accepts Bitcoin for its subscription payments.
Benfica
The sports club Benfica accepts Bitcoin payments for game tickets and merchandise.
Quiznos
Quiznos plans to accept cryptocurrency at its Denver airport location.
AMC
AMC Theatres began accepting Bitcoin for movie tickets across its U.S. locations at the end of 2021.
Governments That Accept Bitcoin as Payments
El Salvador
In 2021, El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, allowing its citizens to use Bitcoin for various transactions. The government introduced the Chivo wallet, a Bitcoin payment app, to facilitate this adoption
Liechtenstein
The government of Liechtenstein has announced plans to enable Bitcoin as a payment method for government services. According to Prime Minister Daniel Risch, citizens will be able to use Bitcoin to access various government services, with Bitcoin deposits being immediately exchanged for the national currency, the Swiss franc.
United States
In the United States, several states have explored or implemented the acceptance of Bitcoin for certain payments:
- Louisiana: The state has officially begun accepting cryptocurrency payments, including Bitcoin, for various state services. Residents can use Bitcoin, the Bitcoin Lightning Network, and USDC to make payments.
- Colorado: In 2022, Colorado announced that it would begin accepting tax payments in cryptocurrency, requiring residents to have the entire value of their invoice in a single cryptocurrency in their PayPal Cryptocurrencies Hub.
- Ohio: In 2018, Ohio started accepting cryptocurrency for tax payments through its platform OhioCrypto.com. However, the initiative was shut down within a year due to regulatory issues and low adoption.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic has adopted Bitcoin as a legal currency, placing it on equal footing with the Central African franc. Tax contributions can also be paid in cryptocurrencies through platforms recognised by the government.
