Ziftr is an Internet commerce and payment system designed to bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream by making it highly accessible and easily adoptable for consumers and retailers.

Ziftr is currently having a pre-sale of their ZiftrCOIN digital altcoins. Today they reported that more than 3,735,435 ziftrCOINS have already sold, valued at $671,646 USD.

CEO Robert Wilkins wants to “on-board” 10 million new users of cryptocurrencies this year, and thousands of new merchants, by offering a seamless comparative shopping tool and an easy check-out platform, with a 60-second transaction speed.

To that end, he is giving away a total of 300 million ziftrCOINs to the first 8 million users, so that a whole new generation of consumers can become familiar with crypto-currencies.

Wilkins amusingly calls ziftrCOIN a “Gateway Coin” and a “Starter Coin” for cryptocurrencies, hoping to help Bitcoin and hundreds of other crypto-coins increase in value with this multi-coin model.

In a press release published by marketwired on Jan. 5, Ziftr announced that digital ziftrCOINs will be listed on cryptocurrency exchanges Cryptsy and Melotic.

ZiftrCOINS, therefore, can be traded for Bitcoin or many other cryptocoins, not just spent on goods and services.

In addition to listing ziftrCOINs on its exchange, Cryptsy will work with ziftrCOIN to integrate with ziftrPAY, a secure API that enables retailers to accept all types of cryptocurrencies, (and also credit cards.)

On their website, Wilkins asks:

‘Do you believe in the future of cryptocurrency? Do you want to see mass cryptocurrency adoption in the next couple years? If so, the ziftrCOIN Presale is your opportunity to contribute to the long-term success of cryptocurrency. One of Ziftr's main goals is to bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream by making it highly accessible and easily adoptable for both consumers and retailers. The money we raise during the presale will help us make this happen.'

This is encouraging news for crypto-currency enthusiasts and “purists,” who reject the for-profit models of other new coins, and the subsequent bickering and in-fighting of miners and speculators of different crypto coins in online forums, on social media and in the mainstream media.

If the industry needs a secure, user-friendly, successful new crypto-coin to save it from itself, then the ZiftrCOIN model looks very promising. Their customers, in fact, are not bombarded with promises. Rather, when one visits their pre-sale, one is struck by the very transparent TOS, complete with comprehensive and coherent caveats and guides for using crypto coins safely. This is refreshing, for beginners, skeptics and critics alike.

Ziftr brings a model of sanity and common sense back to the industry by solving most of its biggest problems.

ZiftrPAY solves the “Retailer Problem” by providing merchants with a simple way to accept multiple cryptocurrencies while enabling them to save up to 28% on all transactions by reducing credit card fees, affiliate fees and marketplace fees.

ZiftrWALLET solves the “Consumer Problem” by putting cryptocurrency into the hands of everyday consumers and giving them an easy way to conduct transactions.

ZiftrCOIN solves the “Mining Problem” by using a sign-to-mine method that uses private keys to claim blocks. This eliminates the potential of large pools dominating over solo miners.

Ziftr solves the “Coin Exchange Problem,” a potential conflict of interest, because it is an API, not an exchange. They operate in compliance with all US state and federal regulations.

Ziftr solves the “Us-or-Them Problem” of competing crypto-coins by integrating “any and all coins” into their business model, thereby supporting and growing all crypto-coins.

Ziftr solves the “Blockchain Problem” by completing all crypto-coin transactions in 60 seconds.

Anyone may participate in their pre-sale for the chance to purchase ziftrCOINs at a low rate, and to help fund their mission of bringing cryptocurrency into the mainstream.

ZiftrCOINS (ZFC) can only be pre-purchased with Bitcoin (BTC), however, creating a circular dilemma for those who are new to crypto-coins, but their highly informative web site walks buyers through many things, including the process of buying BTC, in order to purchase ZFC.

The price of ziftrCOINs will gradually increase during the pre-sale. The pre-sale ends on or before January 23, and then the savvy shopping begins.

ZFC is mined liked Bitcoin, using a SHA-256 algorithm. Unlike Bitcoin, it can be earned using a sign-to-mine method that uses private keys to claim blocks, eliminating the threat of large pools. The blocks will run for 10 years, creating 10 billion coins, at 273 coins per block for the first 2.5 years. Social software for small group pooling will be available free to the public.

Watch the interview of Robert Wilkins by the Denver Bitcoin Center, broadcast live from Google Hangouts last month.

When ziftrCOIN launches, the first 1 million users will receive 100 free ziftrCOINs.

Sign up here.

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