It's coming ...

[TangibleCryptography]

[TangibleCryptography]

Oh and

[Serge]

cool


"prepaid bitcoin cards" - i'm guessing they will be for sale only online, not in retail?

[adamstgBit]

could you give a short des.

is this like bitbills?

[TangibleCryptography]

Yes it is similar to BitBills however mass production will allow us to have a much lower production cost.  We can print and verify roughly 200 cards per hour. Initially distribution will be online only however we hope to someday bring it to retail stores.    Bitcoin would need to be much bigger for any chain to be interested.  The goal is to create an easy user friendly way to buy Bitcoins.  Something your non-technical friends and family can handle that doesn't involve exchanges and wire transfers.  We hope to broaden the base of Bitcoin users.  Go to a website, buy a Bitcoin card with your credit card, and redeem it when it arrives in the mail or hang on to it for secure offline storage.

The initial version will have no magnetic stripe but our equipment has magnetic encoding capabilities so we can produce a card which could be activated using standard POS terminal for offline sales.  Very similar to a giftcard which has no value until activated by cashier.

[SgtSpike]

I said "FINALLY!!" when I saw the first post.

Then I read your next post.

I don't understand how this is interesting in the slightest for online sales.  Why would I want to buy a prepaid Bitcoin card and wait for it in the mail instead of just instantly receiving my Bitcoin as soon as I pay for it?  And, hasn't it already been done with Bitbills and Causicisuccuisusucss coins?

So, here's my suggestion:  Push hard to get them into a store.  Any store.  Then push for more, and more.  You'd be a huge step ahead of Bitinstant in the retail environment..!  Even if it's just a trial run in a single 7-11 store, or a single slot on the shelf at your local WalMart, or   But that's what I'd be aiming for with these cards.

BTW, I do love the design.  Clean, slick, and noticeable.

[FreeMoney]

I said "FINALLY!!" when I saw the first post.

Then I read your next post.

I don't understand how this is interesting in the slightest for online sales.  Why would I want to buy a prepaid Bitcoin card and wait for it in the mail instead of just instantly receiving my Bitcoin as soon as I pay for it?  And, hasn't it already been done with Bitbills and Causicisuccuisusucss coins?

So, here's my suggestion:  Push hard to get them into a store.  Any store.  Then push for more, and more.  You'd be a huge step ahead of Bitinstant in the retail environment..!  Even if it's just a trial run in a single 7-11 store, or a single slot on the shelf at your local WalMart, or   But that's what I'd be aiming for with these cards.

BTW, I do love the design.  Clean, slick, and noticeable.

+1

Though if you can use a CC that is a step.

[LightRider]

Sadly, only works with alt-chain Bitcoinz...

[cypherdoc]

I said "FINALLY!!" when I saw the first post.

Then I read your next post.

I don't understand how this is interesting in the slightest for online sales.  Why would I want to buy a prepaid Bitcoin card and wait for it in the mail instead of just instantly receiving my Bitcoin as soon as I pay for it?  

probably the types of ppl who buy these online won't have or desire a desktop client to receive the coins immediately.  they want a bitcoin store that they can stick in their wallet and for making payments face to face.

And, hasn't it already been done with Bitbills and Causicisuccuisusucss coins?

yes, but we have to assume Bitbills is defunct.  its been too long.

So, here's my suggestion:  Push hard to get them into a store.  Any store.  Then push for more, and more.  You'd be a huge step ahead of Bitinstant in the retail environment..!  Even if it's just a trial run in a single 7-11 store, or a single slot on the shelf at your local WalMart, or  But that's what I'd be aiming for with these cards.

this is a great point.  they would be one huge step closer to the buyer.

BTW, I do love the design.  Clean, slick, and noticeable.

me too.  don't forget these can be used for mementos as well.

[LightRider]

If you caught the Apple keynote, then you'll know that Apple wants to control all of your tickets, rewards/loyalty cards and store credit cards. If you can trick them into hosting this thing also, it could be a foot in the backdoor of their one wallet empire. But since they have killed all the bitcoin software on their store, it seems unlikely. Maybe you can talk to MNW about working with his device/app store.

[Red Emerald]

Exciting.  I really wanted some bitbills.

Are you also going to make bank cards and payment cards like bitbills was going to?

[Bitco]

Big chains probably wouldn't be interested, but I've noticed that many ethnic food stores sell international phone cards.  They'd probably be interested in selling this too.

Also, be careful of calling them 'prepaid' since that has a specific legal definition in the US.

[runlinux]

PM Sent. Could be interesting.

[datafish]

How do you plan mitigate the chargeback risk associated with accepting credit cards?

[fatigue]

sub. Id like to see where this goes.

Truckstops!

LOL i could totally see some good trucker paying for his meal to be ready in 2 hours when he gets to the next stop.

[finkleshnorts]

Yes it is similar to BitBills however mass production will allow us to have a much lower production cost.  We can print and verify roughly 200 cards per hour. Initially distribution will be online only however we hope to someday bring it to retail stores.    Bitcoin would need to be much bigger for any chain to be interested.  The goal is to create an easy user friendly way to buy Bitcoins.  Something your non-technical friends and family can handle that doesn't involve exchanges and wire transfers.  We hope to broaden the base of Bitcoin users.  Go to a website, buy a Bitcoin card with your credit card, and redeem it when it arrives in the mail or hang on to it for secure offline storage.

The initial version will have no magnetic stripe but our equipment has magnetic encoding capabilities so we can produce a card which could be activated using standard POS terminal for offline sales.  Very similar to a giftcard which has no value until activated by cashier.

to you naysayers, this is the catch. Even bitinstant can be a huge hassle (the nearest bitinstant bank is over 30 miles away for me). This is a needed service.

[Red Emerald]

to you naysayers, this is the catch. Even bitinstant can be a huge hassle (the nearest bitinstant bank is over 30 miles away for me). This is a needed service.

You don't have a 7-11 or CVS nearby?

[norulezapply]

Sub! This could be very nice if executed in a user friendly way and cost effective way!

Easy payment methods and flexible options.

[Equilux]

How easy will this be for people in Europe? Most similar ideas I've seen so far are usually pretty US-centred.

[norulezapply]

How easy will this be for people in Europe? Most similar ideas I've seen so far are usually pretty US-centred.

+1 to this