Williston, North Dakota, the largest city in the state and the county seat of Williams County, has announced that it will start accepting Bitcoin as well as other cryptocurrencies via a partnership with Bitpay. The local government is reportedly aiming to broaden its tax base in light of a recent drop in oil prices. The city council wants to see the response of crypto end consumers. So they are going to create test cases for crypto payments using block chain and smart contracts. If the volumes are significant then they might add more bill payments options in crypto as well. The city of Williston becomes the third municipality in North Dakota to start accepting crypto payment. After the move, residents will be able to pay utility bills with Bitcoin and more than 25 alt-coins
Hercules Cummings, the Finance Director of the city explained the decision behind adding crypto payments and said:
It is very important for us to listen to our customers and meet their needs. Due to popular demand, we have introduced bitcoin as a new method of payment on our website. We are working hard towards making this currency widely used in Tbilisi.
Individuals willing to pay their utility bills in cryptocurrencies can visit the official website of the city. This is because city officials will require to set up a digital wallet with BitPay or MyCryptoWallet. The utility bills include electricity, water and gas bills of residential and commercial buildings. With BitPay, your business receives the funds from the sales instantly after a customer pays in digital assets. Your business can use these funds to pay for expenses or to transfer money to employees and partners.
First Data is pleased to be working with the city of Williston to bring the benefits of electronic payments into its community. This project is an excellent example of how government and business can work together to enhance their citizens’ lives, stated Mike Cook, executive vice president for First Data.
Accepting crypto payments is the new trend, as many companies and organizations have started accepting bitcoin as a mode of payment for their services.
