Everything you just said is true today. But it wasn’t true in the early years of Proton, and probably not until a couple of years ago.
The point that I’m making is that most people who want Proton to support Monero, have probably paid for Proton with their credit card, and some are likely continuing to do so.
I’m not faulting them. I’m just saying that once you’ve paid for Proton with a method that identifies you, switching to cash or Monero doesn’t erase your payment history. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it, it is IMO, but it doesn’t erase your history.
As far as Proton cash payments are concerned, I have 2 critiques:
1. It’s NOT as anonymous as the Proxy Store.
a) It requires writing your username in the mail you are sending, meaning they will know your name.
b) The post office/courier company requires your name and address, which you can fake in most countries, but it’s harder to fake your country and city.
You can use a hotel address and the name Bugs Bunny, but you can’t fake that the mail is from Los Angeles, California, USA. All this information will be revealed to Proton.
c) The post office / courier service will know you’re sending mail to Proton.
The receiver’s address can’t be faked. In some places sending mail to Proton might make you look suspicous.
2. Proton gift cards are not available in the Proxy Store.
My biggest issue with 1) is a) and b). But even if Proton implements a better way of receiving cash payments directly, I think they should make their gift cards available in the Proxy Store as an alternative.
The Proxy Store is more private and anonymous. First because there is a degree of separation. You’re not paying Proton directly. Secondly, the Proxy Store’s implementation of cash payments is better.
You don’t share your username for anything. You literally just write a code, which to anyone looking will not mean anything. Proton wouldn’t have your name, address, or your country.
Even if Proton had a perfectly private way of implementing cash payments on their own, they should still make their gift cards available on the Proxy Store to support privacy and stand in the company of many other companies who do the same.