Dell Dives Into Cryptocurrency, Starts Accepting Bitcoin
Bitcoin just landed a big time partner in Dell, the third largest PC maker in the world and now the largest e-commerce merchant to accept the cryptocurrency. Dell doesn't get the distinction of being the first system builder to jump on the bandwagon, but with nearly $60 billion in annual sales, the OEM is by far bitcoin's biggest e-commerce coup.
Coinbase is the bridge connecting the two, and with the third-party payment processor's integration, Dell is able to accept bitcoin payments from both its home consumer and small business clients in the U.S. To pay with bitcoin, you simply add items to your cart as you normally would and then select "Bitcoin" as the payment option.
To celebrate the partnership, Dell will be offering a special Alienware promotion in the coming days in which customers can save 10 percent off a new Alienware system, capped at a $150 limit, when checking out with bitcoin. We'll have more information on the promotion as it becomes available.
Why accept bitcoin? It's a win-win proposition, as Dell alludes to in a related FAQ. It offers more flexibility for customers, and on Dell's end, it doesn't cost much to process a bitcoin payment. Dell also has a bit of history with bitcoin -- it began accepting the virtual currency earlier this year for gift cards, which could then be used to shop on Dell's website, but this is the first time it's accepted bitcoin as a direct payment option.
Coinbase is the bridge connecting the two, and with the third-party payment processor's integration, Dell is able to accept bitcoin payments from both its home consumer and small business clients in the U.S. To pay with bitcoin, you simply add items to your cart as you normally would and then select "Bitcoin" as the payment option.
To celebrate the partnership, Dell will be offering a special Alienware promotion in the coming days in which customers can save 10 percent off a new Alienware system, capped at a $150 limit, when checking out with bitcoin. We'll have more information on the promotion as it becomes available.
Why accept bitcoin? It's a win-win proposition, as Dell alludes to in a related FAQ. It offers more flexibility for customers, and on Dell's end, it doesn't cost much to process a bitcoin payment. Dell also has a bit of history with bitcoin -- it began accepting the virtual currency earlier this year for gift cards, which could then be used to shop on Dell's website, but this is the first time it's accepted bitcoin as a direct payment option.
