Microsoft has surprisingly decided to embrace Bitcoin

Global computing giant Microsoft has added bitcoin as a payment option for a variety of digital content across its online platforms. According to the company’s payments information page, US-based customers can now use bitcoin to add money to their accounts, which can then be used to purchase content like apps, games and videos from its Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox platforms. The surprise announcement, which is the result of an integration with Georgia-based bitcoin processor BitPay, adds yet another major tech player to the bitcoin ecosystem – Microsoft boasts a market cap of more than $380bn and annual revenue in excess of $86.8bn in 2014. The integration is only partial, however. The post’s language suggests that Microsoft is not accepting the digital currency as a direct payment method, though a broader integration could take place in the future.