Today marks a historic event in the Bitcoin community as various prominent businesses participate in the first-ever Bitcoin Friday. Coinabul, MtGox, BitPay, WalletBit, PrivateInternetAccess, BitMit, and numerous other online and offline shops and services are offering exclusive discounts on their products to celebrate the second anniversary of the Bitcoin project's registration on Sourceforge in November 2010.
The concept for Bitcoin Friday originated from Jon Holmquist, head of marketing at Coinabul, a precious metals seller that recently celebrated its first anniversary. The primary objective of the event is to introduce more individuals to Bitcoin and stimulate consumer spending among existing Bitcoin users. Holmquist stated, "With news reports of 78% of bitcoins not being spent, we need to do something."
Prominent Bitcoin businesses are participating in Bitcoin Friday with enticing offers:
Coinabul is providing a $1
discount on silver and a $10 discount on gold.
MtGox is halving exchange fees
for 48 hours.
WalletBit and BitPay are reducing
processing fees by 50% and waiving them entirely, respectively.
The Bitcoin Store is offering
free shipping for purchases over $100.
Bitcoin Blaster and wtcr.ca are
providing discounts of up to 15% and 30%, respectively, on electronics.
VPN providers such as Private
Internet Access, Mullvad, and CryptIP are offering approximately 25% off their
services.
Canadian Bitcoins is offering a
10% discount on purchasing bitcoins for cash sent by mail, effectively
eliminating their commission.
BitBrew and Bitcoin Coffee are
providing 15% and 20% off, respectively.
SatoshiDice is donating all
profits from the day to the Bitcoin Foundation.
In addition to these established businesses, several surprise deals have emerged. WIKISPEED, a startup car manufacturer known for producing highly efficient vehicles that can travel 100 miles on a single gallon of gas, is offering a 20% discount on cars and T-shirts. Bitcoin Pride, a seller of Bitcoin promotional clothing, has chosen Bitcoin Friday as its grand opening, offering free shipping for all purchases made today.
Local businesses have also joined the sale, leveraging Bitcoin Friday as an opportunity to bring their local Bitcoin communities together. Room 77, a popular restaurant in Berlin known as "the restaurant at the end of capitalism," is offering a 23% discount on all items and free drinks for customers paying in Bitcoin. They have also organized a day and night event to educate people about Bitcoin, assist with software installations, and facilitate bitcoin purchases. Room 77 encourages Bitcoin users outside of Berlin to invite their friends in the city and pay for their expenses remotely using Bitcoin. Additionally, Room 77 has introduced Bitcoin Kiez (Bitcoin Neighborhood), a project aimed at helping other businesses in the area accept Bitcoin payments.
Bitcoin Friday not only offers significant discounts but also fosters community engagement and promotes the adoption of Bitcoin as an alternative local currency with global reach. As more businesses start accepting Bitcoin, the Bitcoin infrastructure will continue to evolve, allowing customers to shop for Christmas gifts and dine in various cafes and restaurants using Bitcoin as a payment method.
Bitcoin Friday serves as a
milestone in the growth and acceptance of Bitcoin, encouraging both newcomers
and existing Bitcoin users to engage in the digital currency economy.