Coinbase was the payment processor that partnered with Reddit for Bitcoin purchases of Reddit Gold in 2013.
Reddit began accepting Bitcoin for Reddit Gold in February 2013, during a period when the digital currency was gaining attention beyond specialist technology circles. Coinbase handled the payment-processing side, allowing Reddit users to pay for the premium subscription with Bitcoin rather than using a traditional card or online-wallet service.
The partnership is easy to confuse with Bitcoin exchanges or competing payment companies. Coinbase was not merely a place where users could trade Bitcoin; in this arrangement, it processed Bitcoin payments for Reddit’s subscription service. Reddit Gold itself was a paid membership offering that provided features such as fewer advertisements and special recognition on the site.
The move also reflected Reddit’s unusually technology-friendly culture and its interest in experimenting with online business models. Reddit later discontinued Bitcoin payments for Reddit Gold, but the 2013 Coinbase partnership remains a notable early example of a large consumer website accepting cryptocurrency directly.