Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Tesla Now Accepts Bitcoin in the U.S. It will take the cryptocurrency outside the US "later this year," Elon Musk tweeted.

By S Dent

This story originally appeared on Engadget

As it promised earlier this year, Tesla now accepts payment in Bitcoin, according to Tesla's website and a tweet from CEO Elon Musk. In a subsequent tweet, Musk said that "Bitcoin paid to Tesla will be retained as Bitcoin, not converted to Fiat currency," and noted that the company uses internal, open source software and operates Bitcoin nodes directly. He added that "pay by Bitcoin capability [will be] available outside [the] US later this year."

According to a support page, you'll pay by Bitcoin from your wallet, either by scanning the QR code or copying and pasting the Bitcoin address and exact Bitcoin amount into your wallet. Tesla really wants you to send the exact amount of Bitcoin in a single payment, or your order may be cancelled. It will be confirmed by email within six hours, so don't try to resend it, even if the page doesn't refresh. Tesla only accepts Bitcoin and no other cryptocurrencies.

Tesla went into Bitcoin in a big way last month, purchasing $1.5 billion worth to "diversify and maximize" its investment. That decision was met with some surprise, given the volatility of Bitcoin prices and the fact that the amount represented a significant portion of Tesla's cash. The company also warned investors about potential "malicious attacks" and "technological obsolescence" that doesn't exist with fiat currencies. The price of a Bitcoin is now $55,880 (as of March 24, 2021 at 4:16 AM ET) and while Tesla never confirmed what it paid, the price was likely between $30,000 and 35,000.

If you decide to buy a Tesla with Bitcoin, bear in mind that it takes a staggering amount of electricity to mine a single Bitcoin — something that could heavily offset the environmental benefits of an EV.

Related: Elon Musk Hits Back at Claims That Teslas Could Be Used to Spy on Chinese Military Facilities

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

AI Startups Received $2.9 Billion in Funding Last Quarter. These 3 U.S. Companies Received a Lot of It— And You've Probably Never Heard of Them.

AI was one of the few industries that saw growth in unicorns, or billion-dollar startups, last year.

Business News

Microsoft Strikes Back at Salesforce, Announces New AI Agents That Can Take Over Finance, Sales, and Service Tasks

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff called Microsoft's Copilot AI "disappointing" earlier this month.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Meta Fires Employee Making $400,000 Per Year Over a $25 Meal Voucher Issue

Other staff members were fired for the same reason, per a new report.

Growing a Business

2 Ways to Declutter Your Day and Unleash True Creative Freedom

The everyday responsibilities of running a business can limit your creativity. Invite more room for innovation by letting go of unnecessary tasks and visualizing your future success.

Taxes

Free Webinar | November 7: 2024 Election Tax Special: How New Presidential Policies Will Impact Your Business

Join our webinar on 11/7 to get prepared for how the winning candidate's proposed tax laws, regulations, and economic plans will impact your business operations and financial strategy. Register now!