Belizean cryptocurrency exchange platform 247exchange.com adds Sofort Banking as one of its payment methods, allowing its customers to make instant purchases of bitcoins from more than 400 banks in 10 different European countries.
On October 2, Belize City-based digital currency 247exchange.com announced its recently sealed partnership with online payment processor Sofort Banking. The move will allow its customers to purchase bitcoins from over 400 banks in Europe.
The 10 supported European countries include Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain and Poland. Along with instant payments made available from this partnership, customers can purchase bitcoins through bank wire (SWIFT) and SEPA transfer.
In an email communication with Cointelegraph, 247exchange.com Marketing Director Andrey Vereshchagin said the company has recently been working on adding credit cards as one of their instant payment methods for buying bitcoins, and were currently testing payments in altcoins including Litecoin, Peercoin and Namecoin. Vereshchagin said these features were likely to be added to the website before the end of October.
Started in early 2013, 247exchange.com is operated by Belize City-based enterprise InterMoney Exchange, Corp. In July 2014, the company received its Money Service Business (MSB) license delivered by the International Financial Services Commission, a Belizean governmental organ that seeks to "promote, protect and enhance Belize as an international financial services center". The next month, its website exited demo-mode and officially launched as an international digital currency exchanger.
By September 2014, the company had already concluded several partnerships with banks and financial services across the globe, including Munich-based online payment processor Sofort Banking. Through this collaboration, 247exchange.com received support from 99% of German banks (138 in total), 95% of Austrian banks (41), as well as 21 Belgian banks, 21 French, 3 Dutch, 22 Polish, 37 Spanish, 69 Italian, 22 UK, and 51 Swiss. Vereshchagin explained:
"We're focusing on instant methods, because of the float price of Bitcoin, so, nobody wants to wait hours or even days for Bitcoins they buy, and we clearly understand this."
Along with instant methods, 247exchange.com said to be also focusing on local payment methods, including cash deposit and local bank transfers, in different countries and regions. In fact, they have already started accepting bank transfers from Australia and Europe.
The executive said that unlike typical Bitcoin exchangers that focus on specific regions, 247exchange.com's aim was to make a worldwide service that would be convenient for people to use from anywhere in the world.
In 2015, 247exchange.com is planning to enter the North American market, added Vereshchagin as the company is currently seeking to get the appropriate licenses.