Who Actually Pays for Porn Anymore? Can Cryptocurrency Make A Difference?

In an X-rated world where you can get every kind of milk for free, some people still choose to buy the (very dirty) cow

Edward Mansfield, a 38-year-old entrepreneur from New York City, knew that he and his business partners had a great idea when they came up with the name: Titcoin. “Nobody’s confused about what it is,” he says. “They’re like, ‘Oh, it must be Bitcoin for the adult industry.’ It doesn’t require a lot of cognitive awareness. The brand name pretty much markets itself.”

Bitcoins are nothing new. Since 2009, cryptocurrency — an experimental digital currency that uses peer-to-peer networking—has slowly grown in popularity and mainstream acceptance. But in recent months, there’s been an influx in new cryptocurrencies designed specifically for buying adult content online. In addition to Titcoin, porn purveyors can choose between Wankcoin, XXXcoin, Sexcoin, and—wait for it—GroinCoin.

Why porn-specific cryptocurrencies are necessary at all is open to debate. The explanation in a new WankCoin promo (which is absolutely NSFW) is anything but clear. It apparently involves ejaculating coins slot-machine-style for busty, nearly naked lady scientists. The actual reason probably has more to do with anonymity. A cryptocurrency — which is essentially like paper money, but in digital form—allows people to make purchases without using a credit card. “The currency itself does not record your personal information,” says Titcoin’s Mansfield. “And it won’t show up on your credit card statements for your significant other to find.” What you do with a Titcoin isn’t any more traceable than a dollar bill stuffed into a stripper’s G-string.

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