Microsoft is making it easier to exchange Bitcoin for games, apps, movies and more. The company announced today it’s working with payment processor BitPay to support the popular digital currency for Microsoft accounts.
You can buy Xbox games with Bitcoin now
Michael McWhertor is a journalist with more than 17 years of experience covering video games, technology, movies, TV, and entertainment.
Fans of the digital currency will be able to exchange Bitcoin for Microsoft Store funds, letting them purchase games, apps and other content for Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox platforms.
“For us, this is about giving people options and helping them do more on their devices and in the cloud,” said Eric Lockard, corporate vice president of Universal Store at Microsoft, in a statement. “The use of digital currencies such as bitcoin, while not yet mainstream, is growing beyond the early enthusiasts. We expect this growth to continue and allowing people to use bitcoin to purchase our products and services now allows us to be at the front edge of that trend.”
Microsoft is supporting Bitcoin in a somewhat limited fashion — for content in the Windows Store, or in stores that house Xbox Games, Xbox Music or Xbox Video — and it’s limiting the amount of digital currency can exchange. Currently, that’s up to $1,000 or the local equivalent in your currency of choice.
For more on Bitcoin, read Polygon’s 2013 feature on the digital currency and its ties to the gaming community.
Most Popular
- All the new video games launching in 2026
- Cassian Andor says luck brought him this far. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars history disagree
- How Thunderbolts* evolved from a Die Hard movie into a Breakfast Club movie
- The fact that Lune from Clair Obscur is barefoot the whole time is not gross, it’s fun
- Thunderbolts*’ writer didn’t know Marvel cut his Taskmaster arc until he saw the movie
