Poll: Do you accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Dec 1, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment?".

This poll was originally submitted by Andriy Yasharov. View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:30
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Dec 1, 2017

And I'm usually too busy working to even research what these things are and what the ins and outs of using them would be. I doubt very much that I would be able to pay my landlord, mechanic, dentist or Hacienda with these things anyway...

In fact, now that I think about it, I recently discovered that I don't even know what "money" is. I started looking at the definition of it for a translation a month or two ago, and
... See more
And I'm usually too busy working to even research what these things are and what the ins and outs of using them would be. I doubt very much that I would be able to pay my landlord, mechanic, dentist or Hacienda with these things anyway...

In fact, now that I think about it, I recently discovered that I don't even know what "money" is. I started looking at the definition of it for a translation a month or two ago, and couldn't get to the end of that TLDR text either. Utterly baffling... I'm surprised that the system works at all.



[Edited at 2017-12-01 08:55 GMT]

Coincidentally, there's an article in the Guardian about crypto-currency today:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/30/bitcoin-is-a-vehicle-for-fraudsters-warns-goldman-sachs-boss

[Edited at 2017-12-01 09:03 GMT]
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Daniel Erlich
Daniel Erlich  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:30
Member (2011)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Sure, but I've never had a client who was interested Dec 1, 2017

I actually have a little bit of Bitcoin, and I've used it before when traveling.

I don't live in the US or Europe, so when I travel, I need to first use my local currency to buy USD, and then when I get to my destination I need to use that USD to buy local currency. It doesn't mean I "hold a position" in USD for very long, just a few days. Bitcoin has, on occasion, replaced USD in that role, and it's been great. I don't expect to stumble upon places that accept it, but there are gro
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I actually have a little bit of Bitcoin, and I've used it before when traveling.

I don't live in the US or Europe, so when I travel, I need to first use my local currency to buy USD, and then when I get to my destination I need to use that USD to buy local currency. It doesn't mean I "hold a position" in USD for very long, just a few days. Bitcoin has, on occasion, replaced USD in that role, and it's been great. I don't expect to stumble upon places that accept it, but there are groups online with lists of places that do. I once found a taxi driver that accepted it, and so I got him to pick us up from the airport, which was very nice as it meant we didn't have to buy Pesos at the airport's exorbitant exchange rates, but could do so calmly after getting to the hotel.

But the question asked about working for clients, and not about using it in general. To get back on topic: I usually mention to international clients that I accept Bitcoin, but to date they have always been worried about fiscal matters and have preferred to use PayPal or SWIFT instead. Aand I don't blame them! Using it to pay your household bills (e.g., in Germany/Japan/Australia) is one thing, but as a small business, using it to pay a service provider in another country? How do you even declare that on your bookkeeping?

neilmac (and others with similar concerns), I find that it helps if you think of Bitcoin as if it were physical gold: you wouldn't, today, in 2017, pay your landlord with physical gold. You'd find a gold trader and exchange it for your local currency, right? You can do that with Bitcoin.

[Edited at 2017-12-01 09:51 GMT]
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E-nauta
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:30
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
No Dec 1, 2017

And I was never asked about that.

However, one of my UK clients just 'updated' their payment procedures and sent me a link yesterday (when my invoice was due) with a form to fill in for verification of my identity, which irritated me greatly, because I have done several jobs for them and we have been corresponding via my same email address all the time.

But, what the heck (is that how you spell that?), I did it until at the end they asked me to upload a scanned copy of
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And I was never asked about that.

However, one of my UK clients just 'updated' their payment procedures and sent me a link yesterday (when my invoice was due) with a form to fill in for verification of my identity, which irritated me greatly, because I have done several jobs for them and we have been corresponding via my same email address all the time.

But, what the heck (is that how you spell that?), I did it until at the end they asked me to upload a scanned copy of my driver's licence, passport or other document with a photo.

I just sent my photo

Of course I got the answer from a 'Payee Identification Service' that a photo was not enough, they need the whole document.

I told them that they have my bank details, my PayPal details and my web site address, all that should be enough to pay my invoice. And that I am not going to send them copy of my private documents.

I am sure they won't accept that, but fortunately my invoice was very small this time, so I am going to fire that client and forget about the money.
Enough is enough.
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Concepción Martín
Concepción Martín  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:30
Member (2018)
English to Spanish
+ ...
No yet Dec 1, 2017

It is on my schedule, but I have been so busy that I have not time to deep in the subject...

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:30
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Dec 1, 2017

I haven’t been asked yet. In any case, I only accept bank transfers in EUR (I had a bank account in USD but as most of my customers are in Europe I closed it some time ago).

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:30
French to English
No way Dec 1, 2017

Given that I read about several million dollars worth just disappearing the other day because of a tech glitch, I'm not willing to consider it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11362827/The-625m-lost-forever-the-phenomenon-of-disappearing-Bitcoins.html


 
Claudio Machado Junior
Claudio Machado Junior  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:30
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Never been offered Dec 1, 2017

I have never been offered. Is this becoming a common practice?

Perhaps I would accept a small portion for a random job... but I believe that we still need real money to cover our daily costs, right?


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:30
English to Spanish
+ ...
Bitcoin and their ilk Dec 1, 2017

I know a thing or two about bitcoin from what I''ve read in the press. However, since the current banking system doesn't accept cryptocurrencies, I don't.

Gimme euros or dollars, no bitcoins.



 
Vanda Nissen
Vanda Nissen  Identity Verified
Australia
Local time: 20:30
Member (2008)
English to Russian
+ ...
No, Dec 1, 2017

... and not intending in the nearest future. I have bank accounts in Europe, Australia, and Paypal. Plenty of options to choose from.

 
Patrice
Patrice  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:30
Member
French to English
+ ...
Would consider it Dec 1, 2017

This type of payment hasn't been offered to me, but I would accept it.

E-nauta
 


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Poll: Do you accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment?






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