Cryptocurrencies have changed a lot in the last couple of years. They started as a tech innovation that affected only a few experts in the field of finance. Now, cryptocurrencies are a widely accepted payment method and an investment opportunity.
Businesses of all kinds have allowed their users and customers to make payments using crypto. In this article, we'll go over how such businesses have benefited from allowing crypto payments and why it's a responsible and innovative move for companies that are contemplating doing so in the future. The benefits we outline apply to businesses regardless of the industry they work in.
Access to a Global Market
Businesses that allow crypto payments have access to the global market, as cryptocurrencies can be used worldwide. Their value and ease of use are also the same regardless of where the assets are deployed from.
This is especially important for businesses operating in an environment that tries to limit their financial efforts. Many governments try to limit which businesses can operate within their jurisdiction, but such efforts are useless against cryptocurrencies as they don't rely on a centralized structure. The same goes for the clients, users, and buyers that face similar restrictions in their countries.
Lower Transaction Fees
Transaction fees for making crypto payments are much lower than those for making payments with fiat money. There are no intermediaries involved, and therefore, there's no one to pay the fees to. This is an especially useful feature for businesses that work with small payments and, therefore, consider fees an important part of the operational cost.
It also makes companies that allow crypto payments more competitive. Since they don't need to cover fees, they are allowed to stay competitive by lowering prices. It's especially useful to small businesses competing against large corporations.
Benefiting from Crypto Spikes
The value of crypto payments and, therefore, earnings isn't fixed. It's affected by market forces, and a business can further increase its profits as the value of its crypto assets grows. This can be accomplished simply by holding the assets or by using crypto exchanges to sell the assets when the price is right.
These platforms facilitate trading by matching buy and sell orders using an order book or a peer-to-peer mechanism. Users typically fund their accounts with fiat or cryptocurrencies, choose a trading pair (such as BTC/ETH), and place market or limit orders based on their strategies.
Businesses should carefully inspect the reviews of different crypto exchanges before choosing which one to use to trade their crypto profits. For instance, the Coinbase review delves deep into the features of this exchange, as well as its downsides. Security is the most important feature of the exchange, but choosing the right one can also make the trades more profitable and convenient.
Fast Transactions
Payments made with cryptocurrency are instant regardless of the amounts being transferred. There are no intermediaries to execute the transfer, so there's no wait time. The same goes for repeated transfers and subscriptions, which can be automated and executed by writing the terms of the payments into the code itself.
Fast transactions are especially important for small businesses that need to get access to assets as soon as possible and, therefore, maintain cash flow and keep the business operational.
Fraud Protection
Crypto payments are based on blockchain technology, and they are, therefore, more secure than payments made with fiat money. Fraud protection is essential for new businesses that need to maintain their reputations among customers and users.
The only personal information the user needs to provide in order to make crypto transfers is an email of their crypto wallet. This further protects from fraud and data theft. Small businesses that allow crypto payments should also institute efforts to prevent phishing scams based on obtaining the user's emails.
Appeal to a Different Demographic of Customers
Providing crypto payment options allows businesses to appeal to a different demographic of customers and users. Crypto users are usually younger, more tech-savvy, and more affluent. They are also the ones who are ready to accept innovations and new tech developers.
By allowing users to make crypto payments, a business shows that it's the type of customers to which it caters. Providing these options doesn't shut the door for users who prefer traditional fiat payments. On the other hand, businesses are allowed to provide incentives for using crypto, such as discounts and specialized offers.
Protection from Inflation
Crypto payments can somewhat protect a business and its customers from inflation. The value of cryptocurrencies doesn't depend on the actions of a centralized government or its financial institutions, such as a central bank. It isn't, however, safe from inflation in the world of crypto, as cryptocurrencies depend on market forces and can lose value.
However, it's important to note that in the long run, the value of the biggest cryptocurrencies has only gone up, even when we take into account all the individual dips and plummets that have shaken the market.
Further Investments
Companies that accept crypto payments have a wide range of options for further investments. Crypto assets that they've profited from can be bought and sold on crypto exchanges, or they can be used to generate further profit in other ways. For instance, crypto assets can be used for staking or lending. These present passive income and don't require businesses to do anything but have crypto assets to deposit.
Further crypto investments come with additional risks inherent to any such endeavors. As the decentralized financial sector expands, new ways to earn from crypto emerge, so it often pays off to simply hold on to crypto assets and wait for new opportunities.
To Sum Up
In conclusion, accepting crypto payments offers businesses a range of benefits, from accessing a global market to reducing transaction fees. It also provides opportunities to increase profits through crypto value spikes and fast transactions while offering added security against fraud. Businesses can appeal to younger, tech-savvy customers and potentially protect against inflation.
Additionally, crypto assets can be reinvested for further growth. Overall, allowing crypto payments is a smart and forward-thinking decision for companies looking to innovate and grow in today's competitive market. As crypto continues to evolve, businesses that adopt it will likely see long-term rewards.