Once a seemingly negligible rumor floating around certain circles on the internet, Bitcoin the vanguard of decentralized money has blown up over the past decade and has now evolved into the flagship cryptocurrency that you can make unique purchases with.
Bitcoin, created anonymously in 2009 uses the same basic model as most other cryptocurrencies. However, this extra time in the sun has grandfathered in Bitcoin to a slight edge over its younger brethren. This gives Bitcoin a distinct purchasing power crossing mediums into the tangible market. All sorts of third-party wallets such as BitPay, Kraken, and Coinbase make converting that code into cash easier than ever before.
Imagine going to Burger King and trying to buy a Whopper with Yen. Probably not the easiest endeavor. However, soon not the case with Bitcoin. While perhaps shocking that legal exchanges happen for variably tangible goods with digital currency, it gives other companies a push to use it as well.
Companies are making the way toward crypto-accessibility. With everything from car rides purchased with cryptocurrency, to lodging going all in on the sentiment with a similar maneuver, crypto is here. And not uncommon, Bitcoin is serving as the frontrunner once again. Here are a welcome few unique purchases available with those spare Bitcoins.
Lamborghini
A man bought a Lamborghini for $115. Yes, you read that right. A fully functional Lambo. Nothing broke, nothing defective. Peter Saddington invested in Bitcoin in 2011, and while that is a great story for another article, that should paint the value of a keen eye and thorough planning on the market. The rising value of Bitcoin took it from an easily accessible currency to a leviathan with a purchasing power capable of making a Lamborghini equivalent to 115 USD.
Starbucks
Going as far back as early 2020 Seattle-based coffee behemoth Starbucks began dipping its toes into cryptocurrency. Somehow we all missed it. Starbucks originally brought Bitcoin into a third-party wallet that allowed for crypto conversion into their app. Think along the lines of renewing a gift card.
Recently, however, Starbucks has partnered with Bakkt and allows for direct payment into their systems. Essentially you can now get that Iced Chai with that spare Bitcoin you’ve been looking to find a use for. While 2020 was the start of the effort now, over two years later, Starbucks has come full circle and is offering purchases of their products and an NFT-based Web3 effort proving the five-decade-old company is not lost in modern times.
Microsoft
Albeit only on their online store, Microsoft has started blazing the trail for crypto transactions. The company began accepting Bitcoin payments in 2014. This occurred via exclusively digital content, in the way of Windows and numerous Xbox games and features. It should be noted the rollout was subtle compared to the extravagant campaigning and reveals of today.
Since 2014 Microsoft has become more adept with Web3 technology. The company even started Azure Blockchain Services a year later in 2015. All of this is building off their ‘cloud-centric’ platform ideology. Microsoft’s advancements and nearly decade-long tenure have made waves in the digital space. This has even prompted the likes of Uber to begin planning toward accepting Bitcoin payments.
Rolex
While not partaking in the cryptocurrency transaction directly, many third-party buyers of Bitcoin are more than willing to part with a luxury watch such as a Rolex, Hubolt, or Patek in exchange for that Bitcoin you’re looking to drop. Illustrating the fundamental idea behind this plan, BitDials purports itself as the third-party vendor bringing the two worlds to a nexus.
Burger King
Kind of an outlier compared to the rest of the list. Burger King – a business dealing with direct transactions of Bitcoin for a set physical product has been rolling out Bitcoin transactions in select stores in Venezuela. This created an effort to help the Venezuelan communities suffering from hyperinflation.
Interestingly this offers an interesting discussion of the actual purpose of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as a whole. Decentralization. Watching governmental control of purchasing power being mitigated via cryptocurrency offers a unique twist to look at the national and economic systems of today as the inseparable tithe between the two can be seen beginning to fray.
Imagine going out for a date to Barnes & Noble to purchase a book, getting an Uber back to your Airbnb, and ordering Dominos to be delivered via Doordash exclusively through Bitcoin purchases. All companies are set to start moving towards this decentralization, so unique purchases might not be so unique after awhile.
As with all diversified mediums on the market crypto – specifically, Bitcoin is subject to change. However, being able to have an applicable method of exchange removed from the hold of any global power is a huge step for the world’s open market.