Dogecoin initially started off as a joke in 2013 featuring a viral meme with a face of a Shiba Inu, a popular Japanese breed of dog. However, in a matter of weeks, the first meme coin gained wide support and is currently the tenth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Dogecoin founders, Jackson Palmer and Billy Markus, designed it as the "fun and friendly Internet currency." Indeed, Dogecoin boasts several retail advantages over other digital currencies, such as unlimited supply and a faster transaction process, which make it a convenient payment method.
So, which businesses currently accept DOGE payments?
Tesla
Of course, we had to start this list with Tesla since its founder Elon Musk is the most avid supporter of Dogecoin, having earned the nickname “Dogefather” for his neverending enthusiasm around the meme coin. Unfortunately, you can’t buy the Tesla car for DOGE, at least not yet. The only products available for Dogecoin are merch, and, to be honest, the choice is not impressive either. But hey, we all start off small.
SpaceX
Recently, Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX, his space exploration startup, will start accepting Dogecoin for merchandise, joining Tesla. However, the billionaire gave no firm dates except for a vague “soon” so if you wanted to spend Dogecoin on SpaceX hoodies or posters for DOGE, you’d have to wait a bit longer. And as it usually happens, the Dogecoin price jumped 10% immediately following Musk’s announcement.
Newegg
The leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America was one of the first companies to accept Bitcoin, adding crypto to its payment options back in 2014. Currently, Newegg accepts a number of other cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Wrapped BTC, Dai, Shiba Inu, USD Coin (USDC), Binance USD (BUSD), Pax Standard Token (PAX), and Gemini Dollar (GUSD). However, crypto payments aren’t accepted for gift cards, pre-orders, return shipping labels, subscription orders, and several other types of payments.
“We are always looking for ways to innovate the shopping experience on Newegg.com, and something our customers want is greater flexibility and options, including the ability to pay with a wide range of cryptocurrencies,” said Andrew Choi, Director of Brand Marketing at Newegg.
AirBaltic
The flag carrier of Latvia, which provides affordable flights to Baltic countries and Scandinavia, is known as the world’s first airline to accept cryptocurrencies. It allows customers to pay for their flights and other services with Dogecoin, along with Ethereum, Bitcoin and USD-pegged stablecoins PAX, BUSD, GUSD, and USDC. All prices on the website are displayed in euro. When a passenger buys a ticket with crypto, it’s instantly converted into euros through the payment processor Bitpay.
Petco
An American pet retailer announced it will be accepting Dogecoin and Shiba Inu through the partnership with payment processing startup Flexa. Such a move can be regarded as an attempt to capitalize on the dog-themed hype, and the company doesn’t even deny it. “Pet owners can show their love of dog-themed digital coins by using them to purchase supplies at Petco stores, under parent company Petco Health and Wellness Company,” the press release reads.
Chipotle
Ever wanted to buy a burrito with DOGE? Such payment option is available now as customers can now pay for their meals with crypto at over 2,975 Chipotle locations across the US. Besides Dogecoin, the fast-food chain also accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana’s SOL.
"We are constantly exploring innovation that will enhance our guest experience, and that includes now accepting digital currency payments with Flexa in Chipotle's US restaurants," said Curt Garner, chief technology officer at Chipotle.
Read also: Axe launches a limited edition of DogeCan stick deodorant
GameStop
A video game retailer, that drew the world's attention during the January 2021 short squeeze organized by the Reddit community r/wallstreetbets, has a long history of relationship with Dogecoin. Due to the short squeeze and attention from Redditors, DOGE surged by 800% reaching the then all-time high of $0.07. The newly gained status of a meme stock allowed the declining company to improve its market position, so GameStop started exploring the crypto scene, launching its NFT platform and adding payments in DOGE, SHIB, BTC, LTC, ETH, Decentraland (MANA), Axie Infinity Shards (AXS) and Smooth Love Potion (SLP).
Twitch
A popular streaming service has been accepting DOGE for its “Turbo subscription” since 2014, long before Elon Musk made it his pet cryptocurrency. The plan gives access to new chat features, removes ads, and enhances video storage for broadcasts. Additionally, Dogecoin can be used to tip streamers and to pay for channel subscriptions on the platform.
Gucci
In May, the Italian luxury fashion house launched a pilot project that will allow customers to pay with crypto at the selected locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. This summer, the offer will be expanded to the brand’s full North American network. Currently, Gucci accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and five stablecoins (GUSD, USDC, USDP, DAI, and BUSD).
"Gucci is a digital first luxury brand and this is the next phase of the company's Web 3.0 journey," the brand said in the press release.
Nordstrom
The luxury department store chain started accepting Dogecoin and Shiba Inu in December 2021. Thanks to the Gemini-backed digital payment platform Flexa and its SPEDN app, meme coin holders can now pay for goods with the same ease as using Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.
Dogecoin acceptance is constantly growing
Of course, the businesses listed above aren’t the only ones that accept Dogecoin. Other adapters include the US theater chain AMC Theaters, gift cards provider Bitrefill, VPN company Private Internet Access, home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, home improvement retailer Lowe’s, basketball team Dallas Mavericks, bookstore Barnes & Noble Education, beauty stores chain Ulta Beauty, and many others. According to Digital, nearly 1 in 3 US-based businesses plans to accept DOGE in 2022. Perhaps we’d see even more major retailers accepting Dogecoin in the nearest future, which may finally bring down its volatility and drive a rapid cascade of crypto adoption.
