16 May 2014 / USA Today – Want to own some Bitcoin? Better yet, want to be able to spend it on stuff in real-time?
Starting Friday at 5:30 a.m. ET, Bitcoin start-up Circle is launching a Web platform that will allow consumers to purchase Bitcoin in any amount they choose and then use that Bitcoin to spend on online shopping, at restaurants and really any way they might spend dollars — with all the safeguards in place that protect real-time currency transactions in the real world.
The best part for consumers, says Circle.com CEO and founder Jeremy Allaire, is that there are no fees for deposits, withdrawals or Bitcoin storage, and there’s free 24/7 phone support for Circle customers.
Circle is hoping its consumer finance platform is the next leap in Bitcoin’s evolution. To date, there are approximately 2 million to 3 million owners of Bitcoin worldwide, and the vast majority of those owners are not active users. They’re mostly hard-core enthusiasts, who wanted to be in on the ground floor of the world’s first digital currency, but who don’t necessarily have an interest in using it in their day-to-day lives. Several thousand businesses worldwide will accept Bitcoin as payment, including Amazon, eBay, electric-car maker Tesla and Overstock.com…. Read more
