With the Christmas holidays upon us, the time of giving has arrived. For Bitcoin users, these are exciting times, as Christmas is an excellent time to spread the knowledge of cryptocurrency. But gifting Bitcoin in physical form is not straightforward, as the asset does not exist in tangible form. Thankfully, there are quite a few solutions available.
The Jolly Experience of Gifting Bitcoin
One thing most people tend to struggle with is grasping the concept of how Bitcoin can exist without a physical aspect. Once the necessary knowledge is acquired, this becomes far less of a parlor trick and more of a way of showing how the future of money will look. But until mainstream consumers reach that tipping point, the Christmas holidays can be a valuable ally for educational efforts.
We have all been there, trying to find the perfect gift for people we care about. This challenge seems to become more difficult every year, as coming up with creative ideas is far from easy these days. Moreover, there are people who seemingly “have everything”, and surprising them with something they have not yet obtained is not easy by any means.
This is where the gift of Bitcoin comes into the picture. Even though cryptocurrency has gained more traction over the past year, it is still far from a mainstream trend. Gifting Bitcoin as a holiday present is an excellent way to grow the ecosystem, teach people a thing or two about Bitcoin, and evade awkward silences at the dinner table.
But how does one go about gifting Bitcoin to someone in a physical format? The most obvious solution would be to create a paper wallet and preload it with a small amount of Bitcoin. The Bitcoin Wiki offers solutions to generate paper wallets in a secure manner, and it doesn’t take all that long to set up. The recipient will have to take care of this paper wallet at all times, though.
Another option would be to gift a physical Bitcoin coin with a small balance attached to it. Granted, these coins are usually quite expensive, but they are more than worth it. Most people pick up these coins for the collectible aspect –an added bonus when gifting it to someone else–but they have an educational value as well. This is an option worth exploring, but not the cheapest solution.
A third option would be to sit down with a friend or family member and help them install their first bitcoin wallet on a computer or mobile device. Send them some bits to see how the magic works. This option is far more preferable in this digital age, but users will need to keep in mind that they own money on their phone or computer. Switching devices or performing a factory reset without a Bitcoin wallet would be quite catastrophic.
If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and technology news.
