For the longest time, Visa, PayPal, and Bank Transfer acted as the go-to payment methods for VPS hosting services. They looked "fashionable" and "trendy," and clients instantly fell head over heels for them.
But like every other new thing in the tech world, bad actors eventually found a way around these payment methods, making them unsafe and vulnerable to attacks. All of a sudden, clients and VPS hosting providers craved a safer, more decentralized payment method.
Their cries were short-lived, though. In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto invented a digital currency that would change the face of online payments forever: Bitcoin.
What is Bitcoin, Exactly?
Bitcoin (BTC) is a virtual or digital currency that uses peer-to-peer technology to facilitate instant payments. Think of it as an online (but quicker) version of cash.
Perhaps bitcoin`s biggest selling point is the fact that it`s decentralized, meaning you don`t have to trust or know anyone else to complete a transaction. It`s, quite frankly, the safest online payment method out there.
How to Safely Buy VPS Hosting With Bitcoin: Step-by-Step Process
Wait, didn`t we just say bitcoin is safe? How comes one has to learn how to use it "safely"?
You see, in as much as bitcoin is an acceptable payment method, it`s vulnerable to fluctuations. Also, since bitcoin transactions are truly final, customers are out of luck (and money) if they do business with a fraudster or with a bitcoin VPS provider who`s unwilling to correct a transaction that went wrong. In other terms, bitcoin does little to protect defrauded customers.
We wouldn`t want for you to lose money to fraudsters, which is why we`ve compiled the following steps on how to buy bitcoin VPS hosting safely.
Step 1: Mine or Buy Bitcoin
Of course, the first step is to acquire bitcoins. You can either mine or buy them.
According to The Balance, Coinbase is the best place to buy bitcoins in 2021. If you`re dipping your toes into the bitcoin waters for the first time, try eToro. It`s an easy-to-use platform with lots of practice accounts. Coinmama is also worth considering if you want to buy bitcoins on the go.
The second option is to "mine" your own bitcoins. Nowadays, bitcoins are mined by special hardware designated just for mining bitcoin and other digital currencies based on a tried-and-true algorithm. It`s called Application-Specific Integrated Circuit chips (ASIC). Other than mining bitcoins fast, it uses less energy. The hardware`s only downside is that it`s expensive (as you`d expect with a machine of this caliber).
Sometimes, using only your ASIC machine for bitcoin mining won`t cut it. Your best bet is to join a mining pool. If you`re a beginner, try Slush Pool, the very first mining pool and one of the most credible ones. For better orientation, use Bitcoin Wiki`s comparison of mining pools list.
Step 2: Find a Crypto-Friendly VPS Provider
Once you`ve acquired your bitcoins, the next step is to find a VPS hosting provider who accepts Bitcoin as a means of payment. Google search is your best bet here.
Enter the term "Bitcoin VPS hosting" on your search bar and see which names pop up first.
While there are many VPS hosting providers who accept bitcoin payments, not all of them are worth the punch. Some of them are dubious and can`t be trusted. We`ll tell you how to make sure you have a credible choice in the coming section.
Step 3: Verify the Bitcoin VPS Provider to Make Sure They`re Legitimate
So you`ve found a provider and made sure they offer the exact BTC VPS hosting service you need. But before you buy the service, hold on a minute…
Remember what we said about bitcoin payments being truly final? Thing is, you can`t reverse a bitcoin transfer or issue a chargeback. Once you hit the send button, it`s done. Besides, bitcoin is an anonymous payment method.
This sole fact opens a window for bad actors. It`s not uncommon to hear cases where fraudsters launch fake websites claiming to offer VPS hosting services. They then lure unsuspecting fraudsters into believing that they actually accept bitcoins as payment. Woe unto you if you fall this trap—these crooks will keep your bitcoins, offering no service in return.
That`s why it`s incredibly important to verify that you selected a reputable and trustworthy BTC VPS hosting provider. For your own security (and that of your hard-earned bitcoins), we recommend that you follow these three steps:
Poke around their blog: Does the bitcoin VPS hosting provider actually care about secure methods of payments, or is it just a gimmick to trick you into paying via bitcoins? Look out for topics such as "The Security Benefits of Bitcoin VPS Hosting," "Why Anonymity is Important," and the likes.
Find out who hosts their virtual private servers: A credible BTC VPS hosting provider will only offer services supported by a strong, secure, and reliable cloud infrastructure. If, for example, their virtual private servers are provided by DigitalOcean, you can trust them. Who doesn`t know just how secure and dependable DigitalOcean`s cloud hosting environment is?
Conduct a quick WHOIS check: Go to ICANN WHOIS and look up the domain name of the provider. You`ll see the contact details of the domain registrant as well as the actual date the domain came into existence. Any bogus information here would be a red flag and would prove that the provider is indeed fraudulent, so look out for such.
For example, PRV.to has all its real contact information listed on WHOIS. Our business registration number and VAT number are also listed on all our service pages. You`ll find lots of security topics on our blog, and our virtual private services are supported by the best cloud platform available—DigitalOcean. This is the ideal profile of a company that you can trust and safely pay with your bitcoins.
Wrapping Up
Bitcoin is a secure and reliable way to pay for VPS hosting. The payments are (almost) instant, which is a big plus. We endorse virtual private servers for crypto-friendly customers, and we wish other service providers would.
Need help with bitcoin VPS hosting? Please don`t hesitate to contact us today.