Domain name giant Namecheap now accepts Bitcoin as payment for its services, becoming the first major domain registrar to accept Bitcoin from its customers.
“We’re delighted to inform you that we now accept the Bitcoin payment method, in addition to PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express,” the company wrote in a statement.
Namecheap says it has been receiving requests to accept Bitcoin payments for months from its tech audience. The company has paired with BTCpay to integrate Bitcoin payments with its platform.
The firm’s CEO, Richard Kirkendall, tweeted that Namecheap has already received “190,000 real commerce transactions since we launched about 1 year ago. BTCpay for the win.”
On Namecheap’s website the Bitcoin payment page reads: “Bitcoin is a decentralized P2P currency that enables instant payments. Use Bitcoin to purchase domains, web hosting, SSL certificates, or domain privacy on Namecheap.”
Namecheap’s adoption of Bitcoin aligns with its mission to “Innovate and respond to threats and challenges in the online space. [. . .] We consider ourselves the pioneers in the space in innovation and freedom.”
The move comes at a time when more and more software companies and traditionally conservative institutions venture into the Bitcoin market via payment solutions or direct investment as the demand for them grows.
Strategically, the companies who buy Bitcoin or accept it for payments to hold it in reserve will be at an advantage over those who do not. As Bitcoin adoption spreads to outpace its gradual deflation, and US dollar inflation increases, latecomers will find themselves buying in at a much greater price.