Wordpress began accepting bitcoin payments

On November 15, 2012, WordPress announced its acceptance of Bitcoin as a payment method for service upgrades.

WordPress, while a free service, offers paid upgrades such as custom designs and ad-free presentations. However, traditional payment networks like PayPal were not accessible in over 60 countries, either due to political reasons, higher fraud rates, or other financial restrictions. This limited access to WordPress’s paid services for many individuals around the world.
 

The team at WordPress, led by developer Andy Skelton, recognized the importance of enabling people from all corners of the globe to have equal access to their services. By accepting Bitcoin, WordPress aimed to break down the geographical and corporate boundaries that restricted some users from enhancing their blogs due to payment issues beyond their control.
 

To facilitate Bitcoin transactions, WordPress partnered with BitPay.com, a Bitcoin processor. This allowed WordPress to insulate itself from the volatility risk associated with Bitcoin’s price fluctuations. BitPay would process the Bitcoin payments and convert them into US dollars at the time of the transaction, then send a lump sum payment to WordPress in dollars, taking a fee for their services.