Bitcoin donation frozen for 3 weeks, Hong Kong Free Press slams: Never use BitPay

BitPay, a cryptocurrency payment processor, faces yet another negative controversy! Tom Grundy, founder and editor-in-chief of Hong Kong Free Press, recently claimed that BitPay refused to transfer Bitcoin donations for up to 3 weeks and even froze the company's cryptocurrency.

Hong Kong Free Press CEO: Never Use BitPay

Since 2015, Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) has been accepting Bitcoin donations. Until three weeks ago, BitPay processed Bitcoin donations worth around $1,900.

However, over the past three weeks, the payment processor has frozen the donations, with Grundy explaining:

The delay is caused by the SWIFT system used by the banks, but BitPay has been unresponsive to our feedback.

On September 11, Grundy tweeted:

Friends, never use BitPay. All the bad experiences you can imagine are here – bad reputation, lack of communication, poor customer service, high fees. Almost any alternative is better.

https://twitter.com/tomgrundy/status/1171658034218708994

Continuous Controversies Surrounding BitPay

According to reports, amidst the attention drawn to the Amazon rainforest fires, various fundraising initiatives have been launched. However, Amazon Watch tweeted on August 23 that BitPay rejected a $100,000 Bitcoin donation citing exceeding the donation limit for charitable organizations.

@BitPay @BitPaySupport a donor, no doubt upset about horrific #AmazonFires tried to donate $100,000 to our account today and it was rejected as too high. We want to reach out to this person to resolve this issue, but have no way to do so. We need your help, ASAP. Thank you.

— Amazon Watch (@amazonwatch) August 23, 2019

Previous reports also indicated that BitPay deliberately disguised its institutional fees as "Bitcoin network transaction fees" to promote the adoption of Bitcoin Cash.

These controversial events have long plagued cryptocurrency supporters. Most Bitcoin enthusiasts believe that such a payment institution is unnecessary for Bitcoin, as Bitcoin is designed as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that does not require third-party intermediaries or payment permissions.

In response to the frozen donation incident, Hong Kong Free Press quickly found alternative measures, such as utilizing the open-source payment facility BTCPay, which operates without third-party intermediaries and fees.

Further Reading

• Rainforest Foundation Using Blockchain and Crypto to Save the Amazon
• Litecoin ATMs Surpass 3,700 Locations Worldwide, Second Only to Bitcoin

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