Silk Road forums

Discussion => Security => Topic started by: fumanchu on July 14, 2013, 10:04 pm

Title: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: fumanchu on July 14, 2013, 10:04 pm
Hey guys.

I've always used BitInstant for instant BTC exchange, but now I'm trying to get an order and their website is down with no ETA of when it might be back online. Judging by the looks of the homepage, it looks like this one is gonna take a while. I'm trying to get instant BTC, I have only a few hours turn around time because I'm trying to get an order shipped out tomorrow and I've got to work all day so I won't be able to handle it after work tomorrow. So does anyone know of alternative BTC sites that have a turn-around time of a few hours or less? There used to be a place called get-bitcoin.com about a year ago but I can't seem to find it so I think they've gone offline.

 I'm not going through BTC vendors off SR/the forums unless they're charging a reasonable rate, in my experience most people on the site who are offering like MoneyPak to BTC exchanges are rapin it in terms of price. I tried looking into Blue Sky Traders for instant BTC but they require a cash deposit at Bank of America... with today being a Sunday, this is not possible.

Any other ideas?

Any suggestions are very much appreciated

Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: backpackjackson on July 15, 2013, 01:24 pm
I would be interested in hearing experiences from anyone who has used Blue Sky before....
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: radi8power on July 15, 2013, 03:57 pm
LocalBitcoins.com is a list of individual sellers. Some want you meet in person locally to hand over cash, some accept cash deposits through bank branches, some accept Dwolla, etc.
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: fumanchu on July 15, 2013, 07:36 pm
I've tried LocalBitcoins- there's not a seller within 200 miles of my location... and plus it seems like this place is just more scammy than the rest.

I've also tried Blue Sky Traders- according to their website they too are down temporarily and will not be accepting new orders.

I've also tried cashintobitcoins, and bitcoin-brokers, neither one of them is an option for me... and according to somebody else on the forums, cashintobitcoins has 30 day probationary period.

This leaves me with one choice; coinmama.com   Anybody else used this service? It says the turnaround can be a full business day, which I'm not keen on, but at this point I gotta do what I gotta do I guess. However, I'm just a little skeptical because I've never heard of coinmama, and never heard them mentioned on the forums... anybody used this service? would you recommend it?

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: bs0406 on July 15, 2013, 08:43 pm
I'm trying out bitcoin-brokers.org today. They've only got a 2% fee so I think it's worth a shot. Will update once the process is complete.

Hopefully bitinstant gets their shit together sometime this week. Got a birthday coming up and god damn it I'm not gonna be dry for that.
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: QuickSilverHawk on July 15, 2013, 10:59 pm
Anyone have experience with Bitstamp?
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: entreterra on July 15, 2013, 11:17 pm
I've tried LocalBitcoins- there's not a seller within 200 miles of my location... and plus it seems like this place is just more scammy than the rest.

There does not need to be a seller near you to use this site. Many sellers offer cash deposits or numerous other methods. Seriously, this site is incredibly easy to use and so much less of a hassle than bitinstant. It's tor-browser friendly and many methods for making payments can be totally anonymous. Plus it totally exemplies the true power of the BTC, which is decentralization.

It may seem scammy because there is no middleman and you are just depositing money to a random person, but how is that any different than SR itself? Local-BTC have an escrow system, feedback system and admins who investigate disputes.

If you do a little searching and check the site several times over several hours, you will find numerous sellers popping up all the time with 100% feedback and several transactions under their belt. Sometimes the prices are a little steeper than market price, but the nice thing is the price you see is the price you pay, no extra fees like bitinstant.

Once you make a trade request, the coins are held in escrow and the seller can not cancel. You have a limited amount of time to make the cash deposit or whatever other method you choose to use, once you do and mark the payment as complete, the seller checks to see that you really did deposit funds, then they release them. If they don't release them from escrow, admins for the site will review the transaction and use things like your deposit receipt to prove you really made the deposit.

The misconceptions about this site are that you MUST meet someone in person, which is not true, or that it's easy to be scammed, which is also untrue, especially if you choose a seller with excellent feedback. Many of these people are just BTC traders trying to make a buck on the BTCs they have stored up.
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: traverso2579 on July 16, 2013, 12:11 am
having the same problem....Thanks for the info :)
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: Mcrad on July 16, 2013, 12:25 am
I have a few hundred in coins id be willing to get rid of.

5% fee

Much Love_mcrad!
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: ColourColor on July 16, 2013, 12:56 am
localbitcoins.com

This is where i have been going ever since BI went down. Honestly they are the best way to get BC at the moment in my opinion. Normally most sellers on there do cash deposits at Wells Fargo, BOA, and some other banks ( i dont remember.) Their rate is usually like 6-8 bucks over the general price, but for the convenience and speed, i find it worth it.

~ColourColor
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: Kingoftheroundtable on July 16, 2013, 01:19 am
I have three btc left I'd be willing to let go of. without a fee as long as the exchange rate fluctuations could be accounted for
much love
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: bs0406 on July 16, 2013, 02:34 am
bitcoin-broker.org ended up working out just fine. The whole process took about six hours total (3-4 hours for coins to show up in wallet after cash depositing at Bank of America.)

Edit: I just fully read your post where you said bitcoin-broker wasn't an option for you. I should pay more attention to detail. Sorry about that, fumanchu.
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: Spiral Eyes on July 16, 2013, 11:50 am
bitcoin-broker.org ended up working out just fine. The whole process took about six hours total (3-4 hours for coins to show up in wallet after cash depositing at Bank of America.)

Edit: I just fully read your post where you said bitcoin-broker wasn't an option for you. I should pay more attention to detail. Sorry about that, fumanchu.

You got them through BOA? In the times I've checked that site there havent been coins available through BOA
Title: Re: BitInstant is down.... Alternative BTC sites?
Post by: MedicineWoman on July 16, 2013, 11:55 am
I want to avoid bitcoin-broker, and I want to avoid localbitcoins.

Anyone have experience using
https://moneypaktrader.com/

Thanks!
MW