Bitcoin Goes Mainstream With Mike Tyson Digital Wallet

LAS VEGAS -- Bitcoin Direct LLC, a subsidiary of Connexus Corp., has unveiled the Mike Tyson Digital Wallet. It allows the buying and selling of bitcoin and works with any bitcoin ATM across the U.S. and internationally. It is currently available on iOS and expected to come to Android phones soon.

Bitcoin Direct produced the Mike Tyson Digital Wallet in partnership with BitPay, developer of the bitcoin wallet platform Copay. The wallet uses Copay's open source code along with a custom design experience built for the Mike Tyson Bitcoin brand and the former world heavyweight champ's fans.

"People around the world of all ages know Mike Tyson, and as such Tyson's potential to expand the Bitcoin market is dramatic," said Bitcoin Direct chief executive Peter Klamka.

The Mike Tyson Digital Wallet is also one of the first bitcoin wallets that allows users to purchase or sell bitcoin right from the app. Any wallet holder that uses the app to create an account with the licensed bitcoin exchange Glidera can use this integration.

Bitcoin Direct does not charge users any fees for using the wallet. The wallet's settings allow users to select from a sliding range of options for the minimal fees required to quickly confirm a payment on the bitcoin network. The current minimum size required for bitcoin transactions to be accepted by the bitcoin network is 0.00000546 BTC (bitcoin) -- much less than fractions of a penny at today's bitcoin price.

Once the Mike Tyson Digital Wallet has been downloaded, users open the app and select "add wallet" and name it. From there, funds are added by sending purchased bitcoin through the app's Glidera integration. Bitcoin addresses are found by opening the app, picking a wallet in the sidebar menu, and selecting "receive." The digital wallet address is a unique string of numbers and letters just below the QR code.

Bitcoin is digital currency used for secure and instant transfer of value anywhere in the world. It is created and maintained through an open network managed by its users. It can be used to purchase practically anything, from gift cards to electronics to food.

Bitcoin Direct announced in October that it partnered with Tyson to create bitcoin ATMs. | SEE STORY