Alex Barrett, defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, has officially partnered with Bitwage to receive 100% of his paycheck in bitcoin, according to an exclusive press release sent to Bitcoin Magazine.
“I stumbled across Bitwage in a Twitter Spaces room a few months ago when they announced that they were supporting UFC fighter Matheus Nicolau and his journey to get paid in bitcoin,” Barret said. “I was amazed by how Bitwage set this guy up so easily and with VIP service. I thought, ‘why not me?’
Shortly after that Twitter Space, Barrett began having meetings with Bitwage, a bitcoin payroll service provider, who then offered the NFL player tickets to Bitcoin 2022 – the largest bitcoin conference in the world – where the partnership was solidified.
“When I came down to Miami, I saw the Bitcoin revolution in-person. I was bullish before, but something shifted in me,” Barrett explained. “I was completely sold, and getting to meet the Bitwage team was great. They treated me like their number-one priority, even before I was technically their client.”
Bitwage allows anyone in the world to get paid in bitcoin without needing to onboard their employer. Users register with Bitwage and receive an account number linking to a bank account which is then given to their employer. Once money is paid to the account, Bitwage converts the money to BTC, in the amount determined by the user, and sends it to a bitcoin address the user controls.
“The in-person onboarding made me feel like a valued part of the company,” said Barrett. “This personal touch was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I definitely recommend them. But most importantly, I learned a lot. The company takes their time in helping athletes and influencers truly understand Bitcoin.”
Barrett joins the ranks of professional athletes such as Matheus Nicolau, Achara Ifunanyachi, and Alex Crognale, who now accept their paychecks in bitcoin.
“It’s vitally important that we spread the knowledge and educate our VIPs so they become true sovereign individuals,” said Jonathan Chester, CEO of Bitwage. “But this treatment isn’t exclusive to athletes and VIP customers: it’s available to anyone who signs up to our service.”