Bitcoin continues to grow

[RodeoX]

A lot of people look at the price of a bitcoin as a measure of it's success. While that is one metric that can tell you something about it's perceived value, it is not the most important one. Adoption is what I look at. Who is using bitcoin, and what new use cases are evolving? Below is a case in point.

I have just returned from some time in the middle east. I always try to meet with fellow bitcoin peers when I travel. I saw a number of stores accepting bitcoin in Israel, but only found one tea shop in Amman Jordan. Assuming that it had not caught on in Jordan, I didn't really look harder.




The Arab guy with me in the picture is Khalid. I rented some camels from him in Wadi Rum when I was doing some desert trekking. He was a an interesting guy who had taught himself about computers. When I (inevitably) brought up the subject of bitcoin, I about fell off my camel. He responded with "Yeah, I know what they are, I use them myself". Turns out he has bitcoins and was pursuing a payment processor so that he can start accepting them for his guide services!

Since he deals with visitors from around the world it is easier for him to take BTC than other currencies. He spends them online to buy things that are hard to get in Jordan, things like digital cameras and Japanese electronics. He also liked not paying 3% to the credit card companies. He needed nothing more than a bank account and a smartphone to run the money side of his business in the middle of the desert.

This is why I think bitcoin's growth is just beginning.  It is getting easier for me to find places that take BTC all the time. That penetration is now reaching out beyond cities and tech savvy circles.

If you find yourself in beautiful Jordan, I highly recommend his camp in Wadi Rum. He offers a place to stay with great food, jeep, horse, or camel treks. I chose him without any bitcoin connection, but knowing he will take them in payment is the icing on the cake. 

[newIndia]

Except for those, who think bitcoin is a get rich quick scheme, its FIAT value is not important to others.

[coinpr0n]

Great story. If he has a smartphone looks as though he's all set up to process payments!

[Guido]

A lot of people look at the price of a bitcoin as a measure of it's success. While that is one metric that can tell you something about it's perceived value, it is not the most important one. Adoption is what I look at. Who is using bitcoin, and what new use cases are evolving? Below is a case in point.

I have just returned from some time in the middle east. I always try to meet with fellow bitcoin peers when I travel. I saw a number of stores accepting bitcoin in Israel, but only found one tea shop in Amman Jordan. Assuming that it had not caught on in Jordan, I didn't really look harder.




The Arab guy with me in the picture is Khalid. I rented some camels from him in Wadi Rum when I was doing some desert trekking. He was a an interesting guy who had taught himself about computers. When I (inevitably) brought up the subject of bitcoin, I about fell off my camel. He responded with "Yeah, I know what they are, I use them myself". Turns out he has bitcoins and was pursuing a payment processor so that he can start accepting them for his guide services!

Since he deals with visitors from around the world it is easier for him to take BTC than other currencies. He spends them online to buy things that are hard to get in Jordan, things like digital cameras and Japanese electronics. He also liked not paying 3% to the credit card companies. He needed nothing more than a bank account and a smartphone to run the money side of his business in the middle of the desert.

This is why I think bitcoin's growth is just beginning.  It is getting easier for me to find places that take BTC all the time. That penetration is now reaching out beyond cities and tech savvy circles.

If you find yourself in beautiful Jordan, I highly recommend his camp in Wadi Rum. He offers a place to stay with great food, jeep, horse, or camel treks. I chose him without any bitcoin connection, but knowing he will take them in payment is the icing on the cake. 

brilliant!
love it 

[RodeoX]

Except for those, who think bitcoin is a get rich quick scheme, its FIAT value is not important to others.

True that!

Great story. If he has a smartphone looks as though he's all set up to process payments!

Yep. Although for his business he want's to work with a processor like BitPay. He has a lot of people depending on him and it's hard for a business to face the price volatility, something he did not mind for his personal stash. 

brilliant!
love it 

I loved it too. 

[Flashman]

I about fell off my camel.

Personally, I love how this phrase is in here and completely in context

[digicoinuser]

I about fell off my camel.

Personally, I love how this phrase is in here and completely in context

Same, what a great story!   

[wesk1212]

Except for those, who think bitcoin is a get rich quick scheme, its FIAT value is not important to others.

hey newindea salong
i dont see anything wrong with get rich quick scheme. Id rather do that.
you can work another 50 years

[LFC_Bitcoin]

Great story.

Thanks for that bro.

[QuestionAuthority]

That's really cool and strange at the same time. I wonder how much of that regional success is attributable to Meni Rosenfeld? He's been a big supporter of Bitcoin in Israel from the beginning. Did you look him up when you were there?

[mmortal03]

This is great!

[GGGGG]

Great! But really strange

[galbros]

Good story and nice photo!  I hope you are right, price goes up and down, but adoption is more of a one way street, few vendors have stopped taking bitcoin once they start.

[countryfree]

Since he deals with visitors from around the world it is easier for him to take BTC than other currencies. He spends them online to buy things that are hard to get in Jordan, things like digital cameras and Japanese electronics. He also liked not paying 3% to the credit card companies. He needed nothing more than a bank account and a smartphone to run the money side of his business in the middle of the desert.

Note sadly that few people can copy him in Jordan. You need to deal with foreigners to get BTC, and the only way to spend them is through international mail order companies. Actually, he doesn't even need a bank account, and that the best part as that makes his business totally private, without any tax to pay to anyone. If I were him though, I wouldn't trust a smartphone in the desert, where connections might not be reliable, and I would wait to get home to use a standard cable Internet connection, but that's great news anyway. Surprising, too!

[philiveyjr]

A lot of people look at the price of a bitcoin as a measure of it's success. While that is one metric that can tell you something about it's perceived value, it is not the most important one. Adoption is what I look at. Who is using bitcoin, and what new use cases are evolving? Below is a case in point.

I have just returned from some time in the middle east. I always try to meet with fellow bitcoin peers when I travel. I saw a number of stores accepting bitcoin in Israel, but only found one tea shop in Amman Jordan. Assuming that it had not caught on in Jordan, I didn't really look harder.




The Arab guy with me in the picture is Khalid. I rented some camels from him in Wadi Rum when I was doing some desert trekking. He was a an interesting guy who had taught himself about computers. When I (inevitably) brought up the subject of bitcoin, I about fell off my camel. He responded with "Yeah, I know what they are, I use them myself". Turns out he has bitcoins and was pursuing a payment processor so that he can start accepting them for his guide services!

Since he deals with visitors from around the world it is easier for him to take BTC than other currencies. He spends them online to buy things that are hard to get in Jordan, things like digital cameras and Japanese electronics. He also liked not paying 3% to the credit card companies. He needed nothing more than a bank account and a smartphone to run the money side of his business in the middle of the desert.

This is why I think bitcoin's growth is just beginning.  It is getting easier for me to find places that take BTC all the time. That penetration is now reaching out beyond cities and tech savvy circles.

If you find yourself in beautiful Jordan, I highly recommend his camp in Wadi Rum. He offers a place to stay with great food, jeep, horse, or camel treks. I chose him without any bitcoin connection, but knowing he will take them in payment is the icing on the cake. 

Really cool story.!! I didnt expect ppl in Jordan to know much abt BTC..! the signs r good.!Ill surely check it out if I go to Jordan sometime soon.!

[BIT-Sharon]

He also liked not paying 3% to the credit card companies. He needed nothing more than a bank account and a smartphone to run the money side of his business in the middle of the desert.

This is why I think bitcoin's growth is just beginning.  It is getting easier for me to find places that take BTC all the time. That penetration is now reaching out beyond cities and tech savvy circles.

If you find yourself in beautiful Jordan, I highly recommend his camp in Wadi Rum. He offers a place to stay with great food, jeep, horse, or camel treks. I chose him without any bitcoin connection, but knowing he will take them in payment is the icing on the cake. 

That's encouraging, and I always think that Bitcoin is neat.

[HeroCat]

Well yes, BTC continue to grow, also in Jordan starting with one tea shop

[Big0Bang]

Fresh great story...

More and more people get involved with Bitcoin.

[Daniel91]

Fresh great story...

More and more people get involved with Bitcoin.

Yes, I know this from my own experience.
Many of my friends started with bitcoin last or this year.
Of course, we need more businesses to accept bitcoin as way of payment, so that people can spend their bitcoin for digital products.

[Agestorzrxx]

Yes, the price is not the only thing.