Processing Payments With Cryptocurrency

The people who've been able to try Bitcoin SV via HandCash thus far have had enjoyable experiences actually using the currency. That is worth repeating. I haven't heard any horror stories. Bitcoin SV has simply worked.

It's fast, and the transaction fees are genuinely ignorable. That all happened. And, you can use it right now at Shing.tv to purchase a membership, tip a streamer using Blade Chats, to donate, and more.

HandCash

Some customers have had problems using their preferred payment method(s) with HandCash to top up their wallet. Those problems range from minor inconveniences to being pretty dramatic.

One customer reports they had to call and authorize each top-up and were given a reason. Nothing can be done about the reason, so I don't really know for how long they'll have to do that.

Another customer reports that a top-up is treated like a cash advance. They caution that your credit card issuer may begin immediately charging interest on your top-up. They say this is because you are effecitvely turning credit card debt into cash.

These are the more severe problems (thus far) that have affected credit card holders.

A credit card issuer looks at services like HandCash as a horror story. The credit card issuer sees "Cryptocurrency Exchange in Spain" and they unfortunately can now only see:

• Sam Banman-Fried, and the actual ongoing saga spanning from The Bahamas to [global markets] to Washington D.C. and a crazy sex cult storyline involving a hobbitt;
• People who risk their life savings in unregulated online gambling casinos and "NFTs" because an online personality said it'd be a good idea
• Drug dealers and I do mean actual drug dealers who move real weight
• Reports of human trafficking

So, in the investment world? Cryptocurrency is having a moment. And, I do not give financial advice at all. I don't recommend investing in cryptocurrency and the above list is the whole reason why I do not personally invest in cryptocurrency. I also don't have a 401k plan or invest in anything Wall Street does for the exact same reasons. Or what is Bernie Madoff, and 401k plans in general?

I have done whatever I could to not participate in any of that. We just need online payment processing that works and can't ban us. We need alternatives to Stripe, and have them. People just have to choose and use them.

I like HandCash because it is not touted as an investment tool or opportunity. It is a solution to the business problem of requesting payments online, and making them happen. It does that. It does that very well. And, per my own experience, was the easiest way to purchase and use cryptocurrency. That is why I integrated it.

Use a Checking Account

The least problematic way to use cryptocurrency services online has been to connect a checking account instead of a card. Your checking account uses what are known as American Clearing House (ACH) transactions to "top up" your wallet. These same transactions are also used to withdraw back to cash as US Dollars in your bank account.

Banks are used to doing business this way through credit card processors and stock brokerages. To them, this is really no different. People who connect a checking account and provide Know Your Customer (KYC) information have the fewest problems and often also good protection from fraud.

ATM/Debit Cards

Most ATM/debit cards have simply been flawless to use, and have presented no extra steps or problems. Some ATM/debit issuers required one manual approval by phone or text message, but have worked well. People using an ATM/debit card have been having fewer problems, and their problems have been minor and solvable.

When topping up at HandCash using an ATM/debit card, you are spending your own money. You are not going into debt. You will not owe interest.

The amount of verification you have to provide will depend on how much fraud your issuing bank has experienced dealing with cryptocurrency exchanges located in Spain, Europe, or anywhere non-domestic. Seriously. And, people like Sam Bankman-Fried do not help the situation.

Personal Information

Nothing I looked into even claims to be privacy-focused. Every method I know of working with the exchange of cryptocurrency to and from the US Dollar requires some form of Know Your Customer (KYC) personal information. HandCash will require it in stages based on how much you tend to spend. This is all driven by new and emerging regulation.

You will only have a personal relationship with your exchange. This is the same as you having a personal relationship with your bank. That can (soon) be something like CashApp, Coinbase, and a list of other online services and cryptocurrency wallet services.

You will then have an anonymous relationship with Shing by making payments with your cryptocurrency wallet using Shing as a dapp. 

What Are: dapps?

Decentralized apps are, quoting StormGain, "...an excellent example of how the blockchain is much more than just cryptocurrencies." Depending on your wallet's capabilities, some even support push notifications and messaging, chat, and more. You can learn more about dapps and their open standards at dapp.com. That includes SDK/API documentation for adventurers and builders.

A decentralized app simply speaks a couple of protocols using its own authentication credentials to prove "what" it is. Wallet holders "connect with" a dapp, or authorize the dapp with requested privileges such as: Request a payment. Another permission might be: Manage Subscriptions. It's an emerging space, new, and very censorship-proof.

Having a wallet that is compatible with dapps can absolutely help you maintain a more anonymous relationship with online businesses when you want to. Shing.tv's integration of HandCash is an example. It does not need to request your personal information, so it doesn't request access permission to your private profile on HandCash when you are connecting the wallet.

Coinbase is another popular online service that is compatible with dapps. They offer Coinbase Link, which lets you connect your wallet to a dapp, then use your wallet to make purchases. Many cryptocurrency exchanges, wallet service providers, and even hardware wallets can connect to a dapp like how HandCash connects to Shing if they suport these open decentralized apps (dapp) standards. Those wallets can then be used to make and manage purchases and permissions across all dapps.

Please Explain: Why?

Accepting cryptocurrencies as payment for products and services online lets us ignore Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, your whole bank, your personal information, and all of the risks, fees, and policies that come with that whole ball of nonsense. I don't want your information, and I don't want to conform to their policies.

Cryptocurrency is growing up and doing business-oriented payment processing online. As a result, we (as a business) can finally ignore all credit and debit card processing. All small businesses will want this. And you as a customer who understands this will prefer this. You don't want to put your credit or ATM/debit card directly into websites anymore.

Our PO Box payment method is intensely secure, but it also takes 7 days to make a purchase. Not ideal or preferred by everyone. And, some people can simply provide KYC data, and prefer instant purchases with smaller fees.

The use of cryptocurrency provides transparency for us and anonymity for you. All we see is your wallet address and public profile information when that is available. HandCash provides a public profile and fun social features such as "liking" a transaction. All of that is anonymous between the customer and us.

You can absolutely be "tracked" via your relationship with your exchange or cryptocurrency bank. The privacy exists between you as a customer and Shing as a website. And, that is the anonymity people talk about when talking about cryptocurrency.