It turns out that Microsoft’s message was posted “inadvertently,” and the company will continue to accept Bitcoin after all.
In a statement to Digital Trends, a spokesperson for the company said: “We continue to support Bitcoin for adding money to your Microsoft account which can be used for purchasing content in the Windows and Xbox stores.”
The message ended: “We apologize for inaccurate information that was inadvertently posted to a Microsoft site, which is currently being corrected.”
The original post said, “You can no longer redeem Bitcoin into your Microsoft account,” though added that existing balances in user accounts “will still be available for purchases from Microsoft Store, but can’t be refunded.”
That page has now been removed, with the link redirecting to the Windows 10 support site. Another page provides details on how to use Bitcoin to add funds to your Microsoft account for buying “apps, games, and other digital content from Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox Games, Xbox Music, or Xbox Video stores.”
Microsoft became one of the biggest tech groups to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment when it announced the move toward the end of 2014.
It’s far from clear how the company came to make Sunday’s erroneous announcement regarding the cryptocurrency, but the news of its continued support is certain to be welcomed by any Microsoft Store shoppers with Bitcoin in the bank.
