I bought my first bitcoin to purchase gear about 15 years ago when the BTC value was around a dollar; shame I didn't save any, eh? I'm sharing this so you know I'm no crypto-newbie.
Meanwhile here's my experience in 2025/26.
A while ago I contacted a Chinese supplier with the list of what I wanted. "She" gave me the price and a bitcoin address. I downloaded a wallet and tried to buy coin via MoonPay.
First I had to fill out an exam about investment, even though I'm not an investor. I used GPT because I know fuck all about investment and I'm not interested in learning. Once the account was approved, I had to wait 24 hours in case I changed my mind, before I could add funds.
When I was finally able to use MoonPayto I tried to add funds via Apple Pay which was rejected. Then I tried use debit cards from three different bank accounts, all of which were rejected. Finally I made a bank transfer.
I waited a week, and my bank contacted me to say that my transfer was returned because they dont allow payments to crypto services.
We're now at 9 days since I made the order.
I did loads of research and it seemed that the best way to get crypto without all that bullshit was Hodl Hodl, via Wise. I set up an account with Hodl Hodl (3 or 4 hours), and Wise (2 days), and stated fucking around trying to buy via this platform.
By the time all the various Hodl Hodl charges were added up, and the sub-optimal exchange rate was calculated, I was looking at paying about 25% more for the gear than I originally planned. Meanwhile over the course of more than two weeks of fucking around with this, the value of bitcoin was fluctuating wildly so I kept having to recalculate how much I actually needed. I'd transfer the correct amount into Wise plus a bit more to act as a buffer, it would turn out there wasn't enough to buy the correct amount, I'd add a bit more, it still wouldn't be enough, and the process would repeat.
Finally ready, I tried to buy the bitcoin off one trader after another. Each messed me around in a differnt way. Either they wanted me to transfer my currency into Kenyan shillings and absorb the fees (yet more money spunked at this project), or they had other bizarre and somewhat scammy requests. In then end I fucked off the whole idea after tens of hours work, and multiple weeks waiting for nonsense.
On the other hand I could get someone's bank details, transfer the funds, and receive the gear via express shipping... so, vendors, a question for you: do you wonder why your customers complain that you only accept bitcoin?
Meanwhile here's my experience in 2025/26.
A while ago I contacted a Chinese supplier with the list of what I wanted. "She" gave me the price and a bitcoin address. I downloaded a wallet and tried to buy coin via MoonPay.
First I had to fill out an exam about investment, even though I'm not an investor. I used GPT because I know fuck all about investment and I'm not interested in learning. Once the account was approved, I had to wait 24 hours in case I changed my mind, before I could add funds.
When I was finally able to use MoonPayto I tried to add funds via Apple Pay which was rejected. Then I tried use debit cards from three different bank accounts, all of which were rejected. Finally I made a bank transfer.
I waited a week, and my bank contacted me to say that my transfer was returned because they dont allow payments to crypto services.
We're now at 9 days since I made the order.
I did loads of research and it seemed that the best way to get crypto without all that bullshit was Hodl Hodl, via Wise. I set up an account with Hodl Hodl (3 or 4 hours), and Wise (2 days), and stated fucking around trying to buy via this platform.
By the time all the various Hodl Hodl charges were added up, and the sub-optimal exchange rate was calculated, I was looking at paying about 25% more for the gear than I originally planned. Meanwhile over the course of more than two weeks of fucking around with this, the value of bitcoin was fluctuating wildly so I kept having to recalculate how much I actually needed. I'd transfer the correct amount into Wise plus a bit more to act as a buffer, it would turn out there wasn't enough to buy the correct amount, I'd add a bit more, it still wouldn't be enough, and the process would repeat.
Finally ready, I tried to buy the bitcoin off one trader after another. Each messed me around in a differnt way. Either they wanted me to transfer my currency into Kenyan shillings and absorb the fees (yet more money spunked at this project), or they had other bizarre and somewhat scammy requests. In then end I fucked off the whole idea after tens of hours work, and multiple weeks waiting for nonsense.
On the other hand I could get someone's bank details, transfer the funds, and receive the gear via express shipping... so, vendors, a question for you: do you wonder why your customers complain that you only accept bitcoin?
