During a weekend on my business trip to Portland, USA, I used Bitcoin for online payment for the first time.

Since it was a payment on a website I wasn’t sure I’d use again, I didn’t want to register my credit card information, so I decided to try paying with Bitcoin.

In this article, I’ll introduce the pros and cons I experienced when using Bitcoin.

Pros of Bitcoin Payments

• Just scan the QR code with the iPhone app and one more tap completes the payment
• I manage Bitcoin through bitFlyer
• Easy because you don't need to enter email addresses or passwords
• No exchange fees between yen and dollars that would apply with credit card payments
• This would be different if you had a credit card or debit card that could pay in US dollars
• Transfer fees do apply

Cons of Bitcoin Payments

• Used Bitcoin that might increase in value in the future

I heard there’s a bar where you can pay with Bitcoin, so I’ll be visiting soon for investigation.

That’s all from the Gemba.