Investors have never been shy about treating Bitcoin as an investment rather than a spendable currency, but the companies that operate in the digital currency space have had a harder time attracting capital.

Supporters of Bitcoin and other digital currencies have created a trade association called the Chamber of Digital Commerce to make their voices heard in Washington.

Dell Inc. will accept bitcoins for computers, seeking to expand its payment options, Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said in a tweet.

The New York Department of Financial Services has released proposed framework for its much-anticipated BitLicense. Though the agency describes its proposal as a balanced approach that does not stifle innovation, its rules might be considered too strict for many companies.

As banks cut cross-border transfer services to emerging markets because of perceived risk, the market for remittance services opens up for digital payments startups.

Jim Harper, global policy counsel at the Bitcoin Foundation, wants the trade group's new lobbying firm, Thorsen French Advocacy to model their government relations work to his efforts in introducing Capitol Hill to PayPal in the early 2000s.

Alternative payments provider ZipZap has added new Central and South America nations to its cash-to-Bitcoin network.

Overstock.com plans to offer faster payouts to vendors and larger bonuses to employees to encourage bitcoin payments.

In the banking world, branches came first and ATMs came later to streamline the experience. But in the Bitcoin world, ATMs came first with limited features, and the ATM makers are working hard to add the sort of services that one might find in a mainstream bank branch.

Throughout Europe and Asia in particular, ATMs are being used to distribute an increasingly wide array of financial and non-financial products and services. This is in sharp contrast to the U.S., where most advanced ATMs offer the same set of banking-related features.

Newegg's recent acceptance of Bitcoin is just the latest of the online electronics retailer's many digital payment options. Its tech-savvy audience demands digital currency and digital wallets, and accommodating these needs is critical to Newegg's expansion into new markets.

Venture capitalist Tim Draper has been identified as the single winning bidder for a cache of bitcoins at a U.S. government auction, part of a larger pool of the virtual currency seized from the Silk Road website.

Online electronics retailer Newegg has begun accepting Bitcoin in response to demand from its customer base.

MasterCard Inc. is seeking a patent on a payment exchange that includes Bitcoin and other non-traditional modes of payment.

As Bitcoin's first-mover momentum spreads the digital currency's adoption, the "proof of work" model it uses to confirm transactions is coming under scrutiny, providing an opportunity for alternative currencies to win favor.

Bitcoin and other digital currencies will get more attention from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after prodding from a congressional watchdog.

Intuit has added PayByCoin, a free extension for QuickBooks Online that allows business owners to accept Bitcoin.

Is misogynistic behavior keeping women out of the Bitcoin community?

In widely anticipated legislation on Bitcoin, Canada is regulating digital currency businesses under existing rules for money movement and California is updating its laws to legalize the use of alternative currencies.

Bitcoin has come a long way from its meager beginning in 2009, when one bitcoin was worth a fraction of a penny. As its price and popularity grows, the decentralized digital currency is racking up a pretty note-worthy list of celebrity endorsers.