



The recently revealed patent, which dates back to 2012, describes a system where customers using Amazon's cloud services will be able to pay anonymously using a cryptocurrency “such as Bitcoin” without needing login information.





The idea is to give users who may not need consistent access to the cloud but may enjoy its services for short periods of time. Instead of paying to have something stored on Amazon's servers on a month by month basis, the proposed system would allow users to rent cloud usage by the hour. While it isn't mentioned, digital currencies' ability to be broken down into an infinite number of decimals does make them an ideal candidate for such microtransactions. Conceivably, Bitcoin could be used for billing that is accurate down to the second.





It is extremely important to note that while this document does show that Bitcoin is on Amazon's radar, it does not mean that the digital currency will be adopted by the e-commerce giant anytime soon. Companies, especially technology minded companies, often file for patents that never end up being used. That the proposed changes to the AWS has not been shown off or even hinted at by Amazon is a discouraging sign.





Still, the fact that Amazon even considered it back in 2012 makes it all the more likely that they are looking at the digital currency now that its popularity has exploded.

A recent patent has revealed that Amazon has been considering Bitcoin as a payment method for its AWS (Amazon Web Services) cloud offerings since at least 2012.