You might be surprised, but cryptocurrencies truly have real value and can be considered an alternative payment means. But what can you buy with cryptocurrency? Today, you can buy almost anything with digital money if you have some.
Currently, there are over 100,000 retailers worldwide—both online and offline—who are happy to sell you their merchandise and services for cryptocurrency.
In this article, we will list all the possible items you can buy with cryptocurrencies. We warn you that our list will be extensive. Besides, the list is not complete yet. The world is constantly evolving, and this already extensive list expands daily. Today, you can buy a car with Bitcoin, and tomorrow you might be able to purchase real estate with it. Everything is possible.
The crypto industry is developing vigorously, and many large companies are now gladly accepting digital currencies as payment. The first among food establishments to accept cryptocurrency was the American coffee chain Starbucks, which is known almost everywhere in the world. Coffee gourmets can go there with cryptocurrency in their crypto wallet and easily pay for their favorite beverage with Bitcoin.
You can pay with Shiba and Bitcoin at 2,900 locations of the fast-food chain Chipotle.
But it's not just in food establishments where you can use digital money. Some universities around the world also accept them as payment. For instance, the University of Nicosia in Cyprus was the first higher education institution to start accepting Bitcoin. Later, universities in the United Kingdom and the United States adopted this payment system as well.
In Dubai, there are at least 29 shopping malls and even 13 hotels that readily accept Bitcoin for their goods and services. This is thanks to a partnership between the major retailer Majid Al Futtaim Group and the popular exchange Binance.
Many car manufacturers have also expanded their payment options to include cryptocurrency. It is commonly believed that Tesla was the first car manufacturer to sell its electric cars for cryptocurrency. However, even before Elon Musk's company, Bitcoin payments had been accepted in other countries. For instance, in Finland and Japan, car prices were invoiced in both fiat currency and Bitcoin. We will discuss cars in more detail below.
You can purchase real estate with Bitcoin in the United States, Canada, and Japan.
The world is becoming increasingly digitalized, and cryptocurrency is gradually becoming a mainstream means of payment. Here is a list of what you can buy with cryptocurrency today:
| Real estate |
| Tickets to space |
| Education |
| Precious metals |
| Takeaway meals |
| Airline tickets and hotels |
| Applications |
| Online stores |
| Cars |
There are quite a few options, so let’s discuss each one in detail.
Real estate
Real estate is one of the assets you can legally and safely purchase with cryptocurrency today. You can buy unique places to live anywhere in the world with Bitcoin.
An example is the most luxurious villa in Verga Messinia, located near the popular Kalamata beach in Greece, priced at a little over 160 BTC (recently equivalent to 1.2 million euros).
Or consider a property on a beautiful beach in the Kingdom of Tonga, occupying 8 acres of land in the South Pacific, available for just 10 BTC (around $80-90,000 at the time of the listing).
In Puerto Rico, the authorities plan to create an experimental utopian city whose economy will be fully governed by blockchain, with all transactions conducted exclusively using cryptocurrency. Crypto millionaires from around the world are flocking there today.
Tickets to space
Even tickets to space are now available for purchase with cryptocurrency. For example, Richard Branson offers anyone (who can afford it) the chance to travel to outer space on the Virgin Galactic spaceship.
The Winklevoss twins accompany travelers in space. If you didn’t know, they are former American rowers who invested $11 million in Bitcoin back in 2013, and in December 2017, they were recognized as the first Bitcoin billionaires. They have already bought tickets on SpaceShipTwo (a suborbital spaceplane).
Education
Today, you can easily pay for education with cryptocurrencies. For example, the University of Nicosia, recognized as the largest private university in Cyprus, is the first accredited institution to accept Bitcoin from its students as payment. One of its courses even offers a doctoral degree specifically in digital currencies.
Precious metals
You can also buy precious metals for Bitcoin. Online stores such as Veldt Gold, APMEX, and JM Bullion allow various investors to purchase gold and silver with Bitcoin. Additionally, for customers who pay exclusively with Bitcoin, shipping is free.
Food
As we mentioned earlier, you can easily meet the basic human need for food by paying with cryptocurrencies. For instance, if you live in the US and want to order lunch, you can visit a food delivery website that accepts cryptocurrency as payment (such as PizzaForCoins) and order a pizza.
If you want to have a beer in the evening, you can place your order online or by phone and notify them in advance that you will be paying with cryptocurrency. For example, you can pay this way at the Old Fitzroy bar in Australia.
Here are some food delivery websites that accept digital currency as payment:
Foodler (merged with Grubhub, but previously accepted Bitcoin)
These examples show how versatile cryptocurrency can be in everyday transactions.
| Pizzaforcoins | A service from California where you can place an order for pizza from popular chains such as Domino's, Pizza Hut, or Papa John's. |
| Lieferando | The largest food delivery facility in Germany, which was later acquired by a Dutch company. |
| Shuttle Delivery | A platform that supports payments in Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). Delivery is available in South Korea. |
| When Hungry | An international brand of a Russian food delivery service. You can pay not only with Bitcoin but also with Ethereum (ETH). It is available in Russia, Germany, and the Baltic countries. |
Airline tickets and hotels
Airlines and hotels are increasingly adopting the option of cryptocurrency payments for their services. The list of what can be purchased with cryptocurrency from airlines is quite extensive. For example, travelers can pay with Bitcoin for booking flights and hotels through websites such as Expedia, SurfAir, and CheapAir. The number of companies willing to accept cryptocurrency payments is continuously growing and seems to keep expanding.
Applications
Additionally, you can also pay for applications with cryptocurrency. Microsoft, for instance, allows its users to pay with Bitcoin for various services in their apps, such as downloading movies, music, games, etc. At one point, the digital distribution service Steam also accepted Bitcoin, but has temporarily suspended this option due to high volatility. However, this does not mean that the platform won't resume crypto payments in the future.
Online Stores
Online stores are actively implementing the option of paying for goods and services with digital money. For example, Overstock became one of the first major online stores to offer Bitcoin payment, not just for specific items but for their entire range of products. No surprise, given that the company's founder, Patrick Byrne, is an avid supporter of cryptocurrencies.
Bic Camera, Japan's largest electronics retailer, has also implemented cryptocurrency payments. Today, even the services of the global auditing giant PricewaterhouseCoopers can be easily paid for with Bitcoin. The company itself actively participates in various blockchain-related projects.
Cars
Automobile manufacturers have not ignored the trend of implementing cryptocurrency payments. Many major car manufacturers now offer customers the option to purchase their products with Bitcoin. A notable example is the successful Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini.
When Peter Saddington approached a supercar dealer in Atlanta, no one could have guessed that this relatively unknown 35-year-old programmer would drive away in a 2015 Lamborghini Huracan, which cost $200,000 at the time. As you might have guessed, Saddington paid for his luxurious purchase exclusively with Bitcoin.
Which brands accept cryptocurrency payments?
Many global brands are eagerly implementing systems that allow for payments in cryptocurrency. This is no longer surprising, as such payments offer numerous advantages and can increase company profits and enhance prospects for further development.
| Financial benefit | When paying for goods with cryptocurrency, there is no need to pay a commission to a banking institution. Thanks to blockchain technology, all transactions are conducted directly between the seller and the buyer, significantly reducing operational costs. |
| Speed | Cryptocurrency services enable instant cross-border payments without any intermediaries, even when the parties are located in different parts of the world. |
| Safety | Cryptocurrency payments are irreversible, which protects companies from payment cancellations. Traditional bank transfers do not have this advantage, which is often exploited by fraudsters. |
| Image | Keeping up with trends and technological progress makes a company more attractive in the eyes of consumers. It is evident that integrating crypto payments provides new prospects for further development. |
| Expansion of clientele | With the increase in online purchases, the demand for crypto payments also grows, thereby increasing the number of potential customers for a company. If a company implements payment via QR codes, the process of purchasing its products becomes much more convenient and straightforward, which will undoubtedly boost sales and further development. |
Fiat money vs. cryptocurrency
Fiat money undoubtedly remains more widely used than cryptocurrency today. However, let’s be honest: the future does not belong to traditional money. The modern world is rapidly evolving towards digitalization, and the range of items that can be purchased with cryptocurrency is expanding year by year. Eventually, the use of cryptocurrency in business may become not just an experiment or a whim of company leaders, but a genuine necessity.
Brands accepting cryptocurrency payments
Let's delve into the brands that have ventured to add cryptocurrency payment options for their products and seem poised to expand this innovative capability even further.
Starbucks
At the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the American coffee company Starbucks announced its support for cryptocurrencies. You can purchase coffee drinks with Bitcoin through the Bakkt app, which allows payments for goods with converted Bitcoins.
Wikipedia
The Wikimedia Foundation, which manages the world’s largest and most popular online encyclopedia, accepts Bitcoin donations through the BitPay system.
Virgin Galactic
As previously mentioned, Richard Branson’s companies such as Virgin Galactic, Virgin Mobile, and Virgin Airlines have adopted Bitcoin payments for space travel.
AirBaltic
Latvian airline AirBaltic was the first airline to accept cryptocurrency as payment for its services back in 2014. Since then, the airline has processed over 1,000 Bitcoin transactions, setting a trend for other airlines to follow.
Coca-Cola
In 2020, Coca-Cola's Asia-Pacific division began accepting Bitcoin through the Centrapay platform. Around 2,000 vending machines in Australia and New Zealand now accept cryptocurrency.
eGifter
The eGifter platform allows the purchase of gift cards from various retail stores and restaurants. Recently, eGifter enabled purchasing gift cards for any items using cryptocurrency.
Shopify
The e-commerce company Shopify, which develops software for online stores and retail outlets, has integrated the ability to make cryptocurrency purchases into its platform.
NewEgg
American online retailer NewEgg, offering computer hardware and consumer electronics, has also enabled Bitcoin purchases.
Xiaomi
Smartphones from the Chinese corporation Xiaomi can now officially be purchased with cryptocurrency. The official Xiaomi retailer in Portugal, Mi Store Portugal, accepts payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and Dash. For transaction security, Xiaomi collaborates with the Swiss company UTRUST.
Google and Apple Pay
Users can now pay for purchases with cryptocurrency through Apple Pay and Google Pay, thanks to the Coinbase platform. To do this, you need to set up and link a Coinbase Card to any of these payment services.
PayPal
PayPal also offers its customers (currently only in the US) the option to make payments in digital currency. Customers holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin in their accounts can use them to pay for goods or services. This feature became available in 2021.
Philipp Plein
It may seem like the list of what can be purchased with cryptocurrency today is nearly exhausted, as many sectors have already been mentioned. However, not everything has been covered. In the fashion segment, numerous brands are eagerly incorporating the trend of crypto payments into their luxury stores.
In August 2021, the premium clothing brand Philipp Plein emerged as an innovation leader, becoming the first fashion house to accept cryptocurrencies for its products. The company’s founder, German fashion designer Philipp Plein, was surprised by the unprecedented demand for this new payment method – crypto transactions accounted for 5% of sales.
Today, you can pay with any of the 15 offered types of digital currencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, in retail boutiques and on the brand’s official website. All fund transfers are secured through cryptographic methods and executed via the Coinify platform. Plein mentioned that his brand processes at least one crypto transaction daily, with total earnings in Bitcoin reaching 150 units.
Off-White
The Italian premium streetwear brand Off-White has also embraced the modern trend by adding the option to pay with cryptocurrencies. Customers can use six types of digital coins – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, Ripple, and stablecoins USDT and USDC – with no transaction size limits in the brand’s stores.
Off-White’s flagship stores accepting cryptocurrencies are located in Paris, Milan, and London. The brand uses the specialized LUNU POS terminal for transactions, which selects the most favorable exchange rate for cryptocurrency conversion in real-time. This terminal is compatible with any crypto wallet, allowing customers to pay by scanning a QR code.
Gucci
In 2022, the Italian luxury fashion brand Gucci announced it would begin accepting cryptocurrency payments for its products. Consequently, crypto payments became available in five of its American stores – in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. The company plans to gradually expand this list.
The accepted cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Shiba Inu, Dogecoin, and five stablecoins pegged to the US dollar. Specific locations where fiat currency is not required for purchases include Wooster Street in New York, Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, Miami Design District, Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, and The Shops at Crystals in Las Vegas.
Cryptocurrency payments are processed via QR codes, and sellers can either convert the cryptocurrency to fiat money or not.
Hublot
Among watch brands, the pioneer in accepting virtual assets in exchange for products was the Swiss brand Hublot. They introduced this possibility back in 2018. At that time, the brand decided to experiment and launched a new flagship model of the Big Bang Meca-10 P2P watch, which could only be purchased with Bitcoins.
Each unit of this model was numbered and included the transaction number for Bitcoin payment. The price of one piece reached $25,000, and only 210 units were produced and sold. This number symbolized the limited number of bitcoins released into circulation – 21 million.
In February 2022, the company released a watch model with a built-in cryptocurrency wallet. This model was designed and created in collaboration with Ledger. As a result, Hublot became a partner of Ledger Nano X and released a limited series of watches featuring this original technology.
Fendi
You might wonder, what can you buy with cryptocurrency from the Fendi brand? It’s hard to guess. The Italian fashion house Fendi, which specializes in premium clothing, decided to release its own cryptocurrency wallets in the same year and month as Hublot. Fendi's creations were equipped with unique silver cases for storing assets.
What cars can be officially purchased with cryptocurrency?
Ferrari
In October 2023, the renowned premium car manufacturer Ferrari introduced cryptocurrency payments for US residents. From February 2024, the brand began accepting Bitcoin, USDT, USDC, and Dogecoin.
During the transaction process, digital currencies are converted into traditional ones through partnerships with crypto payment providers. Enrico Galliéra, Ferrari’s Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, noted that this innovation was necessary to meet market needs and dealer requests, as many of the company’s clients actively invest in cryptocurrencies.
BMW
Some BMW dealers already offer the option to purchase cars with digital currencies. Today, this is possible at BMW of Delray Beach, Stephen James BMW, and Policaro BMW.
This option is available in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Brazil. In these locations, customers can pay for cars using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Ripple, Litecoin, and more. Additionally, BMW uses blockchain technology to improve internal processes and loyalty programs.
Bentley
Bentley has introduced crypto payments at Bentley Post Oak Motor Cars and Exclusive Automotive Group dealerships in the United States.
Porsche
In 2022, the American Porsche dealer in Hunt Valley offered its clients the opportunity to purchase premium cars using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, USDT, Shiba Inu, and other crypto assets.
As part of its Web3 technology integration strategy, Porsche decided to launch its own NFT collection in 2023, developed in collaboration with the community.
Lamborghini
Since January 2021, the Lamborghini Newport Beach dealership in the United States has been accepting cryptocurrencies as an official payment method.
Additionally, Lamborghini is actively exploring Web3 opportunities by launching NFT initiatives to expand its customer base. One such program was The Epic Road Trip, which allowed NFT owners to visit the company’s headquarters and be the first to learn about new Lamborghini models before their official market release. For true fans and enthusiasts of the brand, this opportunity was undoubtedly the most valuable.
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