This week on the Bitcoin.com podcast, host Richard Jacobs sits down with Stephen Pair, co-founder and CEO of Bitpay, the world's largest bitcoin payment processor. Founded in the spring of 2011 by Pair and Tony Gallippi, Bitpay quickly gained traction, signing on 1,100 merchants within its first year. Over the past six years, the company has grown exponentially, now serving thousands of merchants across six continents.
Bitpay's Growth and Key Partnerships
During the podcast, Pair reflects on Bitpay's early contributions to the bitcoin industry and its journey to becoming the leading payment processor. He emphasizes how Bitpay enables a daily bitcoin payment experience that is used by thousands of users worldwide. The company has forged partnerships with major brands such as Microsoft, Warner Bros. Records, and Newegg, and has also collaborated with PayPal. Bitpay's merchant solutions, billing tools, and donation platforms are accessible globally, allowing anyone to leverage bitcoin for commerce.
The Open-Source Bitcore Project
Pair also dives into Bitpay's open-source project, Bitcore. Described as a full-stack platform for bitcoin development and blockchain-based applications, Bitcore includes a wallet client, API, UI, a full node with extended capabilities, and more. The platform offers a JavaScript library that simplifies the creation of bitcoin apps for developers and merchants. According to Pair, Bitcore addresses a critical need: developers should not be forced to rely on proprietary APIs. By providing an open-source alternative, Bitcore empowers the community to build and innovate freely.
Pair explains that Bitcore is more than just a toolkit—it is a bridge connecting merchants to the broader bitcoin ecosystem. The project reflects Bitpay's commitment to the decentralized ethos of bitcoin, fostering an environment where developers can create robust applications without vendor lock-in.
Listeners can download or stream the full podcast episode on Bitcoin.com. Topics range from Bitpay's humble beginnings to its future vision for global payments. Pair also shares his optimism about bitcoin's role in reshaping the financial landscape, urging more developers to participate in open-source development.
What do you think about Bitpay and the Bitcore project? Share your thoughts in the comments below.