Several British pubs will accept the virtual money

Britain has several pub, where the guests can pay with Bitcoin. The idea came from Stephen Early, the founder of these pubs. Stephen Early, a former computer scientist, who decided to give the currency a go. “I bought some in 2011 but there wasn't really anything to do with them,” he explains. “So I did the equivalent of putting them in a drawer and forgetting about them.” – he told Guardian.

The coins were soon worth 20 times what he paid for them but Early still couldn't find anything to buy. He figured other Bitcoin holders might fancy spending their online cash on a pint. It took him just a couple of evenings to create and install a Bitcoin payment option; the pub was already using his custom-built till software.

The system is quick and effective. The bar staff press two buttons on the till and the screen displays a QR code. The customer opens their digital Bitcoin wallet, takes a snap of the screen and confirms the payment. The staff press one more button and the transaction is complete. Snapping the QR code in a crowded bar could be a challenge but in a quiet pub it is faster than paying by card.  (portfolio.hu)