One step closer to legitimacy: Bitcoin payment live on Overstock
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/HB6rAiJF469fIdLUAiVmkQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUyNA--/https://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/adam/1474ec3a5d8a6655c824051f6b19a24e/overstock-bitcoin.jpg)
While it's legal to pay with Bitcoin in the US, the digital currency hasn't been very useful for mainstream shoppers. However, that's changing today -- Overstock has just become the first major American online retailer to accept Bitcoin. You'll still see prices listed in old-fashioned dollars, but you can choose the newer payment method at checkout. CEO Patrick Byrne tells Wired that he made the move for both pragmatic and idealistic reasons: Bitcoin doesn't cost as much to accept compared to credit cards or PayPal, and its nationless nature reduces the chances that a failed bank or country will create problems. It's tough to tell whether other big e-retailers will follow suit, but we can't imagine that competing shops will want to leave that much virtual money on the table.