BitInvest’s Coincard is a Prepaid MasterCard for Bitcoin Lovers

Nermin Hajdarbegovic | Published on April 11, 2014 at 05:13 BST | Companies, Exchanges, News

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Leading Brazil-based digital currency exchange BitInvest has launched the Coincard, a bitcoin-friendly prepaid MasterCard.
The concept is simple. The card can be topped up with bitcoins, but you can use it pretty much like any other MasterCard.
Similar concepts have been employed by Cryptex and BitPlastic. BitPlastic has been around for a while, though it has attracted plenty of criticism over its pricing scheme, among other issues.
Cryptex, on the other hand, is new to the game: it announced its AML/KYC compliant Cryptex Card earlier this week, which can be used in 80 countries.

Coincard available globally

Since it uses MasterCard’s vast network, BitInvest is planning to make Coincard available globally.
However it should be noted that when you send your bitcoins to the charging address, your balance will increase, but it will do so in Brazilian Reals (BRL). BitInvest points out that before the transaction you will know what exchange rate you are about to get and what sort of fees to expect.
The cards can be ordered, registered and funded using the Coincard website. BitInvest will ship the card just about anywhere, though there is still no exact shipping date and do details about its fees have been released.

The future for crypto cards

The concept of a bitcoin card that can be accepted worldwide seems promising indeed, but like most enticing ideas, it also has a number of potential problems.
Regulation might be an issue in some parts of the world, but fees and exchange rates are a bigger concern at this point.

BitInvest and Cryptex have not said much about fees, meaning it might be too early to evaluate either service, though the companies are expected to reveal more pricing info soon.
Whether or not we will get to see more crypto cards will likely depend on how these early entrants to the market perform in the long run. If Cryptex and Coincard gain traction in parts of the bitcoin community, we might see similar cards appear in different markets.
If on the other hand you fancy yourself as an early adopter, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil sounds like a good place to burn some bitcoins and reals, as long as you don’t root for Messi’s Argentina, of course.
Disclaimer: This article should not be viewed as an endorsement of any of the companies mentioned. Please do your own extensive research before considering investing any funds in these products.

Bitbillions GBBG history

Bitbillions history

Excerpt from Official Website ...
Once upon a time, about 10 years ago, some software developers who have started an underground forum to share ideas, solve problems together, and regularly showcase their skills to their peers. They established a meeting place where members could come and go as they please, participate openly without judgment or criticism, and even stay completely anonymous if you wish. Admission to this secret society is by invitation only, subject to a successful demonstration of intelligence and skill.

Over time, trust and respect have evolved between peers. Groups of people joined around ideas. Projects have emerged to provide solutions to different problems. Software packages integers and operational frameworks have grown from nothing. Some of these solutions have had so much to offer, they have gained the attention of the entire club.

Eventually, the chaos and random chit-chat have become uniform efficiency and focused discussion. What was a friendly experiment was becoming a well-oiled machine. And, as expected, the members realized that they had the potential to create something bigger. 

Most of the developers GBBG Society (creator of BitBillions ) are normal people like us, who work for large companies. By day, increase the Intellectual Property and Net Wort slaves of their respective owners. At night, they contribute to their personal projects in exchange for mutual praise and admiration. Just like you, none of them want to be just another cog in the wheel.

At this time, there is a strong possibility that you're inches away from a product created with the talent of a developer GBBG. Many engineers were GBBG developers of high-quality projects or important team members for goods and services launched by hundreds of companies around the world. If there is a computer, a cell phone, an electronic device, a car, or even a nearby restaurant, there is a product influenced by the intelligence and capabilities of a technical GBBG.

Over the years, many members of our organization have developed some of their own personal projects into successful business ventures. With all this talent in one place, it was natural for members to start producing profitable software and technology together. Big ideas emerge within GBBG all the time. Many of these ideas could be tremendously profitable enterprise. The problem is that most of our members are ordinary people who work for "The Man", and the dream of a better future. I do not have a lot of money to invest, or groups of lawyers, accountants and marketing professionals to help them build a business.

Over time, a vision of opportunity emerged. GBBG whether to become an organization to promote and develop these products? products could be developed and marketed through the organization. profits could be made ​​and shared collectively.

How do you convert an underground club into a profitable, growing business? We needed capital and a marketing plan with no upfront costs, with a capacity exponentially, and sustainability. As a group of regular guys with meetings to help each other on personal projects, GBBG was not designed to have the money for product development , marketing, advertising, or business plans. After a bit of research and discussion, we decided to implement MATRIX MARKETING

GBBG built the concept of Matrix Marketing from a cooperative or collective advantage. We are a group of people helping people. Why not create a marketing plan in the same way? There are millions of people around the world who use the products we develop. So, why not collectively share the revenue with the participants in the Matrix Marketing?

GBBG is transforming itself from a club into a profitable business. We need people to spread the word. So, in exchange for testing products, visit web sites, use our free services, and tell others, we will share the money! The entire compensation plan is built around a rewarding investment. Members can earn money by simply being active, with software testing, and use of FREE services. They are not required to buy stuff or sell stuff.

To share gains GBBG decided to pay the members of Matrix Marketing in Bitcoin , the new currency that is revolutionizing the world. To learn more about what is Bitcoin please read the page, and also to insert the word Bitcoin in Google and realize for yourself what it is.

We're really, really accingiendoci to give bitcoin FREE. You are able to click on a mouse? Are Able to watch videos or play? You can try new technologies and software, and do you know what works or does not work? 

JOIN FREE NOW !

BitXatm Announces ATM with Merchant-Friendly Point of Sale Function

Dan Palmer | Published on April 8, 2014 at 10:29 BST | Bitcoin ATM, Merchants, Technology

Germany-based startup BitXatm has announced the arrival of its Sumo Pro – a cryptocurrency ATM with a POS (point of sale) function that will appeal to merchants seeking to easily accept payments from customers in digital currencies.
Costing €2,900 (around $3,993), the stand-alone machine offers a generous 17-inch touchscreen and has the ability to accept any fiat currency. Additionally, it can accept or dispense any digital currency, according to the company’s website.

Operators of the Sumo Pro are able to link up with any exchange partner’s API to facilitate the supply of digital currencies, improve liquidity and enhance security.
The machine offers a web-based back-end, so owners can keep an eye on cash flow, profits, or change settings such as the fiat-to-bitcoin exchange rate from their web browser. Furthermore, proprietors can opt to receive SMS notifications for things like transactions or fund balance.

For businesses that need to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) laws, the machine provides an identification check on customers using the device’s ATM function, which can be further enhanced with an optional fingerprint scanner.

How it works

As illustrated in the video below, the Sumo Pro offers a quick and easy method for customers to pay for products or services using their mobile devices.
In the restaurant example shown, the waitress sets up a transaction at payment time by logging into her staff account and entering the bill total, then prints out a paper receipt for the customer.
The customer then scans the QR code on the receipt into his or her digital wallet, checks the amount, then clicks ‘send’. The transaction indicates it’s complete soon after on the Sumo Pro screen, and the customer is free to go – or do the washing up if they don’t have sufficient funds.
The process looks very simple – certainly as easy as paying with a credit card – and the Sumo Pro also provides a reassuringly professional looking front end that should help to inspire confidence in new bitcoin customers possibly made wary by recent media gloom surrounding cryptocurrencies.
The BitXatm machine also offers merchants the chance to bring in some extra income via interest on transactions when the Sumo Pro is used in its ATM mode.

Competitive market

The Sumo Pro is manufactured in Romania, according to BitXatm. It will start shipping machines in May. If they sell out, there will be a 30-day pre-order window for new purchases.
The company faces increasing competition from other startups in the bitcoin ATM arena: Robocoin has seen great success and sends machines all over the globe, as does Lamassu, who also plans to enhance its machines for other bitcoin services, such as remittances. Other companies are also gearing up for the fray.
However, the unique selling proposition of the Sumo Pro is its user-friendly POS feature. If it really is as simple as the video would have us believe, it may be a product that will start finding its way into the mainstream.
BitXatm also aims to carve itself a decent slice of the market with the very competitive €2,900 price tag. Robocoin (at $20,000) and Lamassu (at $5,000) are both pricer and offer fewer functions – for now. Yesterday’s announcement of a €1,000 ATM from PayMaQ may worry the company, but their machine lacks the attractive POS function of the Sumo Pro.
This is the kind of technology that many have been pushing for: easy-to-use, with elegant systems to ease the on-ramp for consumers and businesses alike entering the world of digital currencies. Let’s hope the Sumo Pro lives up to its potential.
Why not check out Money-Spinners, our regular roundup of the latest cryptocurrency ATMs?