Several companies make it easier to accept digital currencies with reduced risk.
I’ve always wondered how companies like Overstock.com and NameCheap.com accept bitcoin payments while avoiding the risk of an exchange dying (e.g. Mt. Gox) and currency fluctuations.
I got the answer last week when I ran in to Jessica Besseling at DomainFest.
Besseling formerly worked for DomainSponsor and DDC.com, and now she’s Sr. Director of Business Development for GoCoin.
GoCoin is a payment gateway for merchants to accept currencies including bitcoin, litecoin, and dogecoin. After a merchant integrates the service, they can then accept these payment options along with their normal options. GoCoin converts the payments to “real” currencies and transfers them to the merchants’ bank accounts daily.
One benefit to merchants is obvious: it expands the customer base. It also turns out it’s a lot less expensive than credit card processing fees.
GoCoin is certainly not the first company in this space. A quick Google search turns up BitPay and CoinBase.
I would imagine these types of services will make it easier for domain registrars (and even escrow services?) to accept these new currencies.
Domo Sapiens says
I was wondering the same…however someone has to be taking the risk.
Michael Cyger says
I just set up a merchant account to accept Bitcoin at DNTaxGuide.com (not integrated yet). I wish I knew she was at the event last week!
Crypto Names says
GoCoin is providing a much needed service right now, as the larger payment processors (e.g. BitPay and Coinbase) have yet to provide support for other popular digital currencies such as Litecoin and Dogecoin.