As a crypto nomad, you don’t just want to earn Bitcoin. The exciting bit is being able to take it into the real world and use it to pay for your lifestyle. However, mass adoption of Bitcoin & digital assets is not here yet (if it ever will be). So, if you want to live internationally, you can’t expect to pay with Bitcoin for everything wherever you go.
Luckily, as the world is becoming more and more friendly to digital nomads, the opportunities to travel using Bitcoin are also growing. To make the most out of them, you need to do a bit of research and put together a game plan ahead of your country-hopping. So, let’s go through a few things that will help you easily travel using Bitcoin.
Why It Makes Sense to Pay With Bitcoin Internationally
In many countries, cryptocurrencies are not yet widely accepted as a means of payment either because of local regulations or lack of awareness on the companies’ side to adapt to Bitcoin payments. However, those that make the efforts to do so are seeing multiple benefits, such as:
- Cutting out the chore of having to handle multiple accounts in different currencies.
- Ensuring fast, confidential and secure payments.
- Eliminating credit risk; Bitcoin payments require funds to already exist in the wallet.
- Becoming more appealing to the crypto nomad demographic.
To you, having the possibility to pay with Bitcoin for online and offline goods and services can spare you quite a few troubles, like:
- Fraud risks that come with using credit cards abroad.
- Costs of currency exchanges, ATM withdrawals, and online transactions.
- Needing to convert your Bitcoin earnings into fiat currencies.
- Having to carry cash or exchange multiple currencies upon arrival to your destination.
How You Can Pay With Bitcoin for Your Travel
Source
To your luck, the travel industry has been quite responsive to accepting Bitcoin which makes your life easier for sure. From airlines and hotels to space flights to bus booking portals in India — you have options when it comes to making Bitcoin payments.
Travel sites that support Bitcoin:
So, when planning for your journey, check out these travel sites that accept Bitcoin:
– Travala and Expedia —the Binance backed online travel booking platform allows you to pay with Bitcoin and another 40 currencies for Expedia’s 700k hotels and accommodations worldwide. Traveling with cryptos becomes much more exciting when you have so many booking options for your trips.
– Bitcoin.Travel —this is the largest website that helps you travel using Bitcoin. It works as a one-stop-shop for booking flights, hotels, cars, and transfers.
– 9flats —use this one when you want to book vacation lodges, apartments, or guest houses with Bitcoin.
– Dtravel —This home-sharing platform , an alternative to AirBnB, aims to facilitate short and long-term accommodations for which you can pay with Bitcoin.
Now that you know what are the basic travel sites that accept Bitcoin, here are a few cryptocurrency companies that have set out to ease your travel-related pains:
– Crypto.com —with this app, you won’t need to exchange money upon arrival at your destination. They offer a visa debit card that you can top off with crypto and use for spending.
– Cryptoslate —use this one to stay in the know about all travel-related cryptos, coins, and tokens while on the go.
– BitcoinMap —if you plan to stick to Bitcoin to pay for everything, it’s a good idea to check out beforehand in which locations you can find businesses that accept it.
– CoinMap —on this app, you can also check for crypto-friendly restaurants, clubs, gyms, and much more. The added benefit is the cryptocurrency ATM locator.
Your Essential Travel on Bitcoin Checklist
No matter if you plan to travel using Bitcoin in less-developed countries or luxury resorts, these tips will make your life safer and easier on the road:
- Check CoinMap or BitcoinMap to spot Bitcoin-friendly cities.
- Store your Bitcoin in a wallet from a trusted and reputable company that doesn’t disappear with your valuable crypto. It’s up to you if you prefer hardware (physical devices) or software wallets (online storage, desktop software, apps on the phone).
- Get a hardware wallet for everyday transactions.
- Use multi-signature to make sure your money stays safe at home when you go out and don’t need to have your hardware wallet with you.
- Secure your digital identity by using two-factor authentication on your email and social media accounts, banking apps, etc.
- Connect with other crypto enthusiasts and trade Bitcoins person-to-person.
- Check Coin ATM Radar to locate the nearest ATM where you can buy and sell Bitcoin for cash.
What Are the Most Crypto-Friendly Cities
As the demand for paying with Bitcoin and other digital assets has increased, some cities have picked up on this opportunity and become hotspots for crypto nomads.
If you do a quick search on this topic, you’ll find a nice mix of tech hubs such as San Francisco or Seoul that top the list of places where you can travel using Bitcoin, and some surprising cities like Buenos Aires or Ljubljana.
This fact is proof that Bitcoin adoption is not a privilege that only big cities can enjoy. It’s equally accessible to small towns as well.
But what does a crypto-friendly city even mean? Essentially, it’s one that:
- Has a high density of Bitcoin ATMs.
- Hosts a vibrant business environment dealing with cryptocurrency and blockchain.
- Boosts a growing number of merchants accepting payments in Bitcoin.
According to Coin ATM Radar, the USA is the trendsetter when it comes to crypto —there are 18952 ATM locations throughout the country and 1233 in and around Los Angeles. But would you have imagined that Romania is in the top 10 list of countries hosting Bitcoin ATMs? The highest concentration of ATMs can be found in the city of Bucharest (41).
Here are some other great locations that you can travel to using Bitcoin:
- Arnhem, the Netherlands
- Zug, Switzerland
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Toronto, Canada
One Final Thought Before You Take Off
From what it looks like, the world is becoming a more friendly place for crypto nomads. Even though many locations are still off the Bitcoin map, this is just the beginning. Having the freedom to pay with Bitcoin wherever you go, and knowing that your payments stay private, is a big step forward to a more borderless world.
Now that you know how to travel using Bitcoin, keep your eyes peeled for more offbeat info on businesses accepting Bitcoin and how to pay with Bitcoin internationally.
And if you aren’t getting enough of this topic, join our series of Beginner Courses. Our DTM Essentials program helps you go full-time crypto, so you can explore the world at your will.
