Many people like to retell the story about how in 2009 one of the developers of the Bitcoin code made the first payment in crypto - he paid for pizza for 10,000 BTC. Like, at that time these were candy wrappers that cost a penny, but at the current exchange rate it’s more than $200 million. This usually illustrates the advantage of cryptocurrencies as an investment tool, but...

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This story is good because it clearly shows that cryptocurrencies are not only a tool for speculation, but also an alternative to the traditional financial system.

Years later and several crypto winters experienced (or not yet?), everything returns to normal: having acquired infrastructure and a sufficient number of users, digital assets become a full-fledged means of payment. What i can buy with crypto, how has the world changed in 14 years?

Sphere of goods and services

Thanks to the opportunities offered by the laws of some countries, many companies in the West now accept cryptopayments, from cellular communications to mortgage payments.

This list is updated literally weekly. For example, you can buy games and applications at Microsoft (they were one of the first to introduce this method in 2014), at Whole Foods stores you can pay for food, at AT&T you can pay for mobile communications. Almost all services of the Virgin group of companies can be paid for with crypto: from mobile communications (Virgin Mobile) to space flights (Virgin Galactic) .

In Vancouver, the most advanced city in Canada  in terms of cryptocurrency integration  , you can spend your blockchain money in cafes and restaurants (Rouge Bistro, Steamrollers Burritos, etc.), in pet stores (Lead Mate and Zyza Yoga Clothing & Active Wear) or on an organization events or weddings (Man About Town Entertainment) .

In Switzerland,  you can even pay with crypto at McDonalds. But this is not the first country where the fast food chain has provided this option: earlier in 2021, more than 19 restaurants began accepting payment in Bitcoin in  El Salvador .

Latin American countries  stand apart.
There, unlike the USA and Europe, crypto payments became popular not because life was good, but because crypto became the only way to somehow cope with the economic crisis and inflation. For example,  in Venezuela  , up to 30% of residents are unemployed, and the average annual inflation in 2018 reached 1,370,000%. It is in this country that there are now more than 5,000 (1,000 in the capital Caracas alone) organizations accepting digital currencies, and this market is constantly growing. The possibility of paying with crypto is available in almost all areas - cafes, medical services. services, hotel and car rental, replenishment of mobile communications and Internet services, purchase of air tickets, electronics, food / non-food products. Pay attention to the crypto friendly marketplace, where you can buy goods for cryptocurrency.

Taxes and government services

In the city of Lugano in Switzerland , where cryptocurrencies are recognized as an official means of payment, taxes can be paid along with fast food. In total, more than 60 sellers of goods and services, including government services, have already joined the payment system.

In New York,  government agencies can legally accept payments in cryptocurrency. Moreover, in some US states, even some resource supply organizations (direct colleagues of the Moscow MOEK, Mosenergo, etc.) accept payments in crypto .

Recently,  residents of 37 cities in Argentina  were able to pay with Bitcoin on public transport. And thanks to integration with payment systems, Argentines can pay for utilities with any cryptocurrency wallet, including Binance, Bitso, Buenbit, Bybit, Ripio and Lemon. Stablecoins are accepted for payment, including DAI and USDT.

Trips

The hospitality sector deserves special attention. The tourism industry, being one of the largest beneficiaries of a world without financial borders, is actively developing in this direction.

One of the most striking examples is the cryptocurrency travel agency  Travala , where you can book tickets and hotels for cryptocurrency. In total, the service has more than 200 thousand active users per month, and almost 80% choose cryptocurrency for payment. Moreover, they recently announced the launch of a decentralized real estate rental service, which should compete with Airbnb itself.

Many services (not only those related to travel) place information about the possibility of paying for services or goods with cryptopayments at the bottom of the page. However, the most reliable way to understand whether a particular service accepts payment in cryptocurrency is to reach the payment stage and select from the list of available payments using BitPay or similar services.

Other notable agencies and aggregators include  Cryptoturismo, Flight Centre, GetYourGuide  and  Crypto Cruise Deals .

Certain air carriers, for example,  AirBaltic  and  Virgin Airlines , as well as private jet operators Cielo Aviation, Fast Private Jet and JetFinder, also accept payments in cryptocurrency.

Real estate

Even the conservative real estate market is no exception: more and more countries allow real estate purchases using crypto. This is faster, more efficient and more profitable compared to traditional banking payments, which means it allows you to attract a wider audience of clients.

Thailand  is one of the first Asian countries to legalize cryptocurrency: the state allows real estate buyers to make payments with digital money. However, investors are required to use local accredited real estate agents that accept virtual currencies.

The United Arab Emirates cryptocurrency market   has grown severalfold over the past two years and is projected to grow tenfold over the next few years. In the UAE, you can purchase houses, villas, apartments and buildings using crypto through authorized agencies.

The UAE Central Bank has not yet designated cryptocurrencies as legal tender, however, crypto transactions between individuals and some regulated real estate agencies are permitted.

In Turkey,  some real estate agencies also accept cryptocurrency payments, and the country still has a “golden visa” program: investing in real estate in excess of $400,000 will allow you to obtain a residence permit.

The Portuguese government   has allowed the purchase of real estate using cryptocurrencies: the adopted laws classify the purchase of real estate for virtual money as barter. Previously, transactions had to be made by exchanging digital money for fiat money.

Montenegro  is considered the most financially liberal state in the Balkans - the country has no special requirements for cryptocurrency transactions, including the purchase of real estate. In recent years, Montenegro has been striving to become a major crypto center in the region and has been adopting a number of laws to legalize and simplify the circulation of cryptocurrency.

In Georgia,  you can also buy real estate using cryptocurrencies, but digital money is not regulated in the country. Therefore, the final purchase amount entered into the property register must be indicated in fiat equivalent. The purchase of real estate with payment in crypto can only be carried out through licensed real estate agencies.

Labor market: cryptopayments for business

So far, most cryptocurrency transactions end up being converted into fiat. However, many businesses not only accept payments in cryptocurrency, but also use it to pay salaries to employees.

A striking example is  Argentina . Over the past year, the number of companies paying employees in cryptocurrency has increased by 340%. Argentina is now the country with the highest % of salary payments in digital assets. Cryptocurrencies have become one of the most effective ways to ensure stable and reliable business operation in conditions of economic turbulence

Crypto payments are even more common when paying freelancers, with whom everyone works today: from boutique agencies to international corporations. Every year, more and more remote performers switch to crypto, refusing to work with fiat money. Here are some platforms where you can find performers who accept cryptocurrencies:

• P2payer-Freelance  is an international multilingual marketplace for freelance services. The platform offers not only convenient search and functionality for interaction between customers and performers, but also mechanisms for agreeing on the cost of services.
• Freelancehunt is the first exchange in the Russian-speaking segment that pays freelancers for their work in crypto.
• Freelance for Coins  is an international freelance exchange where you can find performers of various specialties with payment in cryptocurrencies. Most of the tasks are related to translations, writing, design and programming.
• Cryptocurrency Jobs  is a resource for finding remote workers and freelancers. The platform hosts job applications from the world's leading crypto companies.
• Bitcoinjobs  is one of the most popular platforms with a large number of employers and workers.

However, for companies, behind the seemingly simple “pay the salary” there is a huge amount of work involved in systematizing, organizing and processing crypto-payments. For safe and stable work with clients and contractors, it is important for a business to have a powerful and reliable tool “under the hood”.