Facebook has confirmed it will begin accepting Bitcoin for its news, entertainment and product pages as part of a broader effort to increase its acceptance of digital currency.
According to a blog post on the company’s website, Facebook will start allowing Bitcoin payments from April 1, 2017.
The announcement was made after an internal survey showed that only 13% of users use the virtual currency to pay for content.
While most of the company remains cautious about accepting Bitcoin in general, it has already been a big hit with its users, and has even helped the company grow its user base by adding new apps and games.
Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said at a conference earlier this year that she was confident in the platform’s ability to be a more reliable payment system, citing its recent history of “huge” growth and an increase in the number of merchants accepting it.
While the company does not yet offer Bitcoin as a payment option for users, Sandberg indicated that it was still being actively explored.
“We have to keep our eyes on what’s next,” she said.
Facebook has not yet made it clear how the company will treat Bitcoin payments as part-time or part-year users will be able to pay with Bitcoin.
The company has said it plans to support Bitcoin payments for up to two years, but did not provide a timeline for how long it will take.
Sandberg also said that it would be possible for users to pay in other currencies and currencies that are currently not accepted by Facebook.
“I can say with certainty that you will not be able use other currencies, and you will have to choose a currency from within your Facebook account,” she wrote.