Bitcoin Vending Machine for Internet Cafes (BitPay?)

[Kluge]

Duh. Suddenly thought of this while pouring some coffee.

BitInstant debit cards in association with Mastercard. CC-reading machines are pretty much everywhere, especially with Square/etc

BTC->BitInstant Account = instant $$$ on Mastercard wherever accepted (so, with a small fee, you CAN now pay your bills "directly" with BTC)

But... $$$->BitInstant Account = instant BTC in user's BitInstant wallet = BitInstant Credit Union? Surprisingly, probably less hassle going that route.

You could "cash out" of either currency should you choose... Idunno how many people will have their wages direct-deposited into their BitInstant CU account for BTC, though. OTOH, if you do small jobs and have a smartphone attachment for credit card reading, you could effectively be paid in Bitcoins, even while the person you did the work for has no idea what the Hell a Bitcoin is.

This would also imply BitInstant would host online wallets. I wonder if they could get 'em insured. I don't really see why not.... and if a company's going to do that, it'd be BitInstant. This all poses problems for the anonymity-oriented, though.... but not everything needs to cater to them. Worth noting, perhaps, that Casascius coins are extremely useful for anonymity. They'd coexist well. It would be a surreal experience to walk into a 7/11 with BitInstant debit card, and use it to purchase Casascius coins from a vending machine.

[justusranvier]

Idunno how many people will have their wages direct-deposited into their BitInstant CU account for BTC, though.

Once once the long-awaited paycard is available I'd set up direct deposit to have my wages converted 100% into bitcoins, but only if the BTC were deposited to an address I control instead of being held in a hosted account somewhere.