HBO is working to purchase $250,000 in bitcoin to pay hackers who broke into its network and stole confidential materials, including cast members' contact information and scripts for upcoming episodes. The Hollywood Reporter obtained an email that CNBC verified, in which HBO made its offer. "As a show of good faith on our side, we are willing to commit to making a bug bounty payment of $250,000 to you as soon as we can establish the necessary account and acquire bitcoin," the message read. HBO's IT department sent that email on July 27, four days after the hacking group first demanded money from the company. The HBO staffer who drafted the email chose language with care, labeling the $250,000 as a bug bounty rather than ransom. Sources told CNBC that HBO management viewed the payment offer as a buying-time tactic. For HBO, the situation creates an uncomfortable bind. The company cannot guarantee that the hackers will delete the scripts, home addresses, or any other personal data they obtained from cast, crew, and producers after receiving the $250,000. HBO weighs two options. The company might walk away, reasoning that paying provides no certainty the hackers will stop demanding money or keep the stolen materials hidden. Or HBO could pursue obtaining $250,000 in bitcoin. Most large corporations have never purchased cryptocurrency. Buying the digital asset on platforms such as Coinbase, GDAX, or Gemini introduces challenges most corporate buyers have never faced before. Coinbase and GDAX require Know Your Customer authentication to increase daily purchase limits. The process takes weeks. Approval on Kraken takes even longer. Prominent trader WhalePanda spent months waiting for account clearance. "Been waiting for a month to get level 3 verification on Kraken too. (I like to have multiple exit strategies)," WhalePanda posted on May 18, 2017. After HBO receives account approval, cash transfers still require additional time. The deposits settle over several days. HBO must then wait for the bitcoin to arrive in its wallet. Even if Coinbase expedites everything due to the circumstances, HBO must wait at least two weeks to obtain $250,000 in bitcoin.