Dish Network Corp. said it will become the largest company yet to accept payment in bitcoin.
The Englewood, Colo.-based satellite TV provider said it will begin accepting the digital coins through payment processor Coinbase by September. Coinbase will instantly convert the bitcoins into cash, eliminating Dish's risk of price fluctuations.
Chief operating officer Bernie Han said the idea came from Dish employees who had become avid bitcoin users. Han said the payment system aligns the company's high-tech offerings — such as the ability to watch live TV on mobile devices — with the tech-savvy customers it is trying to reach.
He said Coinbase's payment processing fee is attractive compared to the average of what it pays to other processors.
