{"id":1915,"date":"2021-10-07T10:47:40","date_gmt":"2021-10-07T10:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/?p=1915"},"modified":"2022-07-21T07:15:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T07:15:48","slug":"buy-bitcoin-with-airtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/","title":{"rendered":"The Crypto Economy is Here. Now Buying Airtime with Bitcoin Is Easier and Safer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_46 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-69d2a2681b49b\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69d2a2681b49b\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/#1_Enabling_people_to_buy_airtime_with_bitcoin_installs_a_more_inclusive_marketplace\" title=\"1. Enabling people to buy airtime with bitcoin installs a more inclusive marketplace\">1. Enabling people to buy airtime with bitcoin installs a more inclusive marketplace<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/#2_Crypto_is_a_safe_and_secure_payment_method\" title=\"2. Crypto is a safe and secure payment method\">2. Crypto is a safe and secure payment method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/#3_Buying_bitcoin_with_airtime_-_a_peek_at_a_typical_future_exchange\" title=\"3. Buying bitcoin with airtime &#8212; a peek at a typical future exchange\">3. Buying bitcoin with airtime &#8212; a peek at a typical future exchange<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/#Final_thoughts\" title=\"Final thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.reloadly.com\/blog\/buy-bitcoin-with-airtime\/#Takeaways\" title=\"Takeaways\">Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><br>At the top of 2021, bitcoin (BTC) hit new highs, breaking the $40,000 mark. The heightened fervor around cryptocurrency has since led to more people seeking new channels for how to buy bitcoin with airtime, especially in emerging markets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the bitcoin pricing spectacle is only the opening act of a much grander event.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are fueling broader economic inclusion online, and trading mobile data and airtime top-ups for crypto is just one example of how increasingly common it is to <a href=\"https:\/\/porch.com\/advice\/things-can-buy-cryptocurrency-home\">purchase everyday goods with digital money<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not surprisingly, the demand to buy airtime with bitcoin is especially popular in emerging markets, such as <strong>Latin America, Africa and South Asia<\/strong>, where using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/how-airtime-is-used-as-money\/\">airtime as money<\/a> has long been common.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sergej Kotliar, CEO and Founder of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bitrefill.com\/\">Bitrefill<\/a>, has built a company that aims to pump lifeblood into this growing crypto economy by enabling people to buy over 3,000 products &#8212; from clothes, electronics, groceries and, yes, airtime and data plans &#8212; by using a range of cryptocurrencies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur mission is to enable a circular economy in crypto &#8211; <strong>to enable people to live their life entirely in the future of the money<\/strong>, with all of the benefits that that brings,\u201d Kotliar said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy enabling people to buy things with crypto, they can start relying on it as a functioning international money,\u201d he added.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reloadly spoke with Kotliar to dig deeper into where crypto is going, and how the world of mobile top-ups is intersecting with it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, we discussed a number of topics, including how Bitrefill better enables people to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bitrefill.com\/buy\/worldwide\/refill\/?hl=en\">buy airtime with bitcoin<\/a>, the safety of crypto trading platforms, and the future of the crypto economy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Enabling_people_to_buy_airtime_with_bitcoin_installs_a_more_inclusive_marketplace\"><\/span>1. Enabling people to buy airtime with bitcoin installs a more inclusive marketplace<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The purchase of bitcoin with mobile airtime happens across the world, but it is most prevalent in certain emerging markets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe see a broad usage in <strong>over 100 countries<\/strong>. Areas that spring up are India, Nigeria and South Africa, Latin America &#8212; lots of places,\u201d observes Kotliar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Releasing a tool like Bitrefill in these regions has the potential to not only propel more trades in the online crypto-economy exchanges, but also revolutionize how people purchase telecom services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enabling people to buy airtime with bitcoin is especially useful in these emerging markets, where physical mobile top-up destinations are not always easy to access or safe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBitrefill enables people to refill their phones online. In many countries, this is not an option and <strong>refills require physical presence<\/strong> at an airtime shop which can of course be less than safe depending on location and time of day,\u201d says Kotliar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to ensure maximum reach on the Bitrefill platform, Kotliar uses a range of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/airtime-aggregator\/\">airtime aggregators<\/a>, which he says helps to ensure the broadest possible coverage across the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Crypto_is_a_safe_and_secure_payment_method\"><\/span>2. Crypto is a safe and secure payment method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Crypto today is <strong>one of the safest methods <\/strong>of international transfers in the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCrypto payments are safe, whereas credit card payments or in-person payments carry different kinds of safety risks that are thus avoided,\u201d asserts Kotliar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The real risk, of course, remains only in the <strong>high volatility<\/strong> of cryptocurrencies. However, this only applies for those that choose to store wealth in crypto, not those looking to buy goods or send money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The latest price hikes in bitcoin has indeed boosted those who are storing some wealth in their crypto wallets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs our customers&#8217; wealth increases, it makes them more likely to use that money, and we&#8217;re one of the top destinations for buying things with crypto,\u201d says Kotliar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, both crypto <em>and<\/em> mobile top-ups have a massive potential to act as new conduits for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/international-money-transfer-solutions\/\">international money transfers<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mobile airtime and data top-ups are increasingly being transferred across borders, where the phone credits are then exchanged for money through <a href=\"https:\/\/investinganswers.com\/dictionary\/p\/person-person-payments-p2p\">peer-to-peer transactions<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has proven to be a fast, convenient, inclusive and reliable solution for global remittances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Buying_bitcoin_with_airtime_-_a_peek_at_a_typical_future_exchange\"><\/span>3. Buying bitcoin with airtime &#8212; a peek at a typical future exchange<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Crypto economy exchanges like Bitrefill are banking on the global public increasingly turning to online platforms to buy goods and services. The natural conclusion is that bitcoin, essentially, would overtake the USD as the world\u2019s currency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are far from that day, but it may not be as far as many think.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kotliar says that&#8217;s because the more people use bitcoin to buy common goods and services, the more they will understand how much better of an alternative it is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong><strong>Once one understands the benefits of paying with crypto all other payment systems start to seem antiquated in comparison,\u201d <\/strong>he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTravelling with pieces of paper? Sending your credit card number over the internet to a company hoping they will keep it safe?,\u201d he scoffs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday crypto usage is still a little niche, but there will be a day when it goes mainstream, and when it does it will be the default choice for buying digital value bearers such as airtime,\u201d he adds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_thoughts\"><\/span>Final thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The crypto economy is fueling new ways to make our traditional economy more convenient, safe and low-cost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By tapping platforms like Bitrefill, more and more people are gaining access to common goods like airtime and data top-ups through crypto.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more people get used to crypto, so goes Kotliar, the more the act of purchasing using crypto will become commonplace and eventually replace standard forms of payment like paper money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Certainly, Reloadly is of a similar belief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Takeaways\"><\/span>Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The crypto economy provides access to thousands of goods and services, including the purchase of airtime with bitcoin.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Buying airtime with bitcoin is safe and convenient. It will become even more commonplace the more people get used to the idea of cryptocurrencies.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Using crypto for payments is much safer that many people think. The same goes for using mobile top-ups as an instrument for international transfers.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The future of crypto is bright, and brighter if we just think of how archaic it will one day feel to use paper money.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Crypto economy platforms like Bitrefill are enabling people to buy airtime with bitcoin with ease and convenience. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[206],"tags":[11,305,306],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Crypto Economy is Here. 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