It’s been almost four years since Laszlo Hanyecz made what is widely considered the world’s first Bitcoin transaction. He offered 10,000 bitcoins for someone to order him two Papa John’s pizzas. Today, those bitcoins would be worth millions.
In the time since Hanyecz made his offer, Bitcoin — a virtual currency that uses cryptography to facilitate secure anonymous payments — has boomed. The virtual currency allows people to make transactions without having to go through banks or pay credit card processing fees. It’s still not nearly as widely used as “real” currencies, like the U.S. dollar, but it is catching on as a payment option at businesses around the world.
Here are a few things you can buy with Bitcoin.
products.The online discount retailer started accepting Bitcoin payments in January. Customers spent $130,000 worth of Bitcoin on Overstock products on the first day alone.
NBA tickets. Starting next month, you can use Bitcoin to buy Sacramento Kings tickets and jerseys. Vivek Ranadive, one of the team’s owners, told ESPN his children inspired the idea.
Plane tickets. You can use Bitcoin to buy airline tickets from . Another service, TravelForCoins, charges a $2 fee to facilitate Bitcoin payments for flights from .
A Las Vegas weekend. You can use Bitcoin to buy yourself a few nights at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino or The D in Las Vegas. You can also pay for food, drinks and shopping but you can’t make bets in Bitcoin. At least not yet.
Alpaca socks. A small family farm in Massachusetts was among the first American small businesses to welcome Bitcoin payments. Alpacas are the virtual currency’s unofficial mascot.
A trip to space. Bitcoin can take you to outer space and back. Virgin Galactic, the space travel company headed by Bitcoin investor Richard Branson, takes bitcoins for its voyages.
Beer. Yes, you can get beer for Bitcoin. In New York, head to EVR near Bryant Park, the first bar to accept Bitcoin, or the Old Man Hustle on the Lower East Side. In London, try The Pembury Tavern in Hackney.
Online dating membership. OkCupid, one of the most popular online dating sites, started accepting bitcoin as payments for its premium services last year. OkCupid’s CEO sees it as a match made in heaven. “We use math to get you dates and they use math to make transactions secure,” he told Forbes.
