- OpenNode has announced the launch of its OpenNode.co beta
- This version supports 6 currencies in 25 countries
- More regions are to be added in the future.
The beta mode of OpenNode.co is finally live. The announcement was made by OpenNode via a post on Medium. This new beta version will allow more users to take advantage of its features such as accepting Bitcoin, instant settlements, low fees, and new micropayment models. Bitcoin can be now be accepted by users both on-chain and via the lightning network.
Currently, the beta version is only available for USD, GBP, EUR, BRL, MXN, and AUD and only has Bitcoin to fiat options available for about 25 countries.
OpenNode does seem to have plans to expand as users outside the currently recognized regions are directed to fill out a form to get notified of when their region will be catered to.
Targeting merchants
OpenNode is a platform that is geared toward merchants who want to accept Bitcoin payments rather than the general public.
As stated on their website, they are ‘the world’s first multi-layered bitcoin payment processor for merchants’
As bitcoin becomes more widely accepted, the number of businesses that want to accept it as a means of exchange increases. However, the transfer of bitcoin sometimes suffers from delays and at times, processing and transaction fees are high and this is where OpenNode comes in.
They offer merchants the opportunity to receive bitcoin payments instantaneously and also do so with 0 transaction fees.
All these are in an effort to ‘build a healthy network where bitcoin will become a transparent, secure, and instant medium of exchange.’
There is also the advantage of OpenNode having no required transaction fees and the ease of signing up. There is no restriction to the types of goods and services that can be paid for over the network either.
As it expands to new territories and sets the industry standard for low fees and fast connections, OpenNode is helping to push the acceptance of bitcoin in the business world.
Déjà vu
This mirrors the developments that took place decades ago when bank cards first came into prominence and instant, cashless payments became the norm.
Hopefully, bitcoin acceptance will get to a point where a business accepting it as a means of payment isn’t remarkable but the norm.
