The reward credit card shtick is something familiar to most everyone living in the modern financial era– “sign up today and receive 500,000 Goobly-Gooble Points today!”
Crypto credit cards are no different in this regard, but they tend to include some notable cryptocurrency perks.
The crypto rewards vary by card, including cash back paid in BTC, welcome rewards, gift cards, and travel bonuses– just like your traditional run-of-the-mill credit card.
But, crypto credit cards are built for and suited to the desires of crypto users, with perks attractive to both long-term enthusiasts and complete beginners.
The following guide will cover crypto credit cards, how they differ from crypto debit cards, the best crypto credit cards, and promotions available.
What Exactly is a Crypto Reward Credit Card?
Crypto reward credit cards are similar to most traditional rewards credit cards; they can be used to transact through payment processing networks such as Visa and Mastercard, as long as the card you’ve chosen is recognized by that network.
So, chances are your crypto credit card is accepted anywhere that accepts cards, but there may be some limitations.
Instead of traditional rewards such as airline miles, cash back, or points, owners earn rewards in the form of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. These include Bitcoin rewards for buying groceries, cash back for trading, and additional bonuses after meeting specific spending caps.
Most companies will give users the option between a virtual crypto card or a physical swipeable card.
It’s important you don’t confuse crypto reward credit cards with crypto rewards debit cards as they have very different functionalities and features.
What Are Crypto Rewards Debit Cards?
Crypto rewards debit cards let users spend crypto without having to directly withdraw it from a crypto wallet.
Previously crypto owners could use their crypto holdings to either HODL or trade. To use the cryptocurrency for the vast majority of real-world purchases, holders would need to transfer their crypto into fiat. Not only was this slow and inefficient, but it also created a tax liability every time someone “exited” their crypto position.
All of this reduced cryptocurrency use as a real-time means of exchange.
Crypto reward debit cards overcome this problem by giving cardholders easy access to their crypto. Each card works like a traditional debit card, but instead of being backed by a bank, it’s supported by a user’s crypto wallet.
It doesn’t really have the same functionality as a traditional debit card– think of it as more like a prepaid debit card that must be regularly reloaded.
To use the card, a user must first choose a fiat current to convert their crypto into through the card. Once sent, purchases are made in that chosen fiat currency with rewards provided as a cryptocurrency that comes with the card.
Most crypto debit cards earn crypto rewards on day-to-day spending on networks such as Visa and Mastercard and allow you to withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide, which makes them pretty useful for day-to-day purchases.
In comparison, crypto credit cards allow the same user experience, but you essentially open a line of credit with the issuing company. So, you don’t need to have the actual cash or crypto in an account somewhere to use your crypto credit card, and as long as you pay your balance every month (or whatever the period), you won’t accrue any fees.
With these differences in mind, we’ll be looking at the top 7 crypto credit cards in circulation including their rewards, their different tiers, and the cryptocurrencies you can earn.
The Best Crypto Reward Credit Cards
The Gemini Credit Card: Big Spending Bonus For Dining & Groceries
Easily one of the best crypto credit cards, the Gemini Credit Card lets cardholders earn rewards in the form of Bitcoin and 60 other cryptocurrencies. It emphasizes dining and grocery shopping, with 3% cashback on dining up to $6000, 2% cashback on groceries, and 1% on any other purchases, making it a great fit for people who have large shopping bills and want to earn crypto rewards.
Unlike most cards that reward monthly, Gemini rewards are instant and can be sent directly to a cardholder’s cryptocurrency wallet without a fee, removing the hassle of having to transfer between wallets.
The card has a variable APR between 13.24% – 24.24%, and there’s no annual fee for card ownership.
Another great feature is that Gemini charges no fees for foreign transactions, making it a great option for those who like to use their credit card on international travels and avoid those pesky exchange booths.
If interested, you can complete your crypto credit card application for the Gemini Credit Card on its website.
The Brex Card: For Corporates
As of May 2021, Brex Cardholders can redeem Brex rewards points for cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It’s one of the first, if not the first, crypto rewards programs specifically designed for businesses. As of writing, 100 points earn about 70 cents worth of crypto. Coinbase facilitates the crypto rewards exchange. Cardholders can also redeem those points for statement credit, gift cards, or travel.
The card’s rewards points are as follows:
- 7 points per dollar, the highest category, on rideshares and taxis.
- 4 points per dollar on travel booked through Brex.
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants.
- 3 points per dollar on Apple products purchased through the Brex.
- 2 points per dollar on recurring software costs.
- and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Our take: This is a neat way for a business to acquire crypto through its points. At 1 point per $1 spent, you’d get about $0.70 of Bitcoin every $100.
Spend $10,000 on “other purchases” and get about $70 in BTC.
Spend $10,000 on rideshares, and get about $490 in BTC.
it’s not the biggest bang for your buck as other rewards, such as statement credit, but it’s a pathway for a business to acquire crypto just on its regular spend.
Crypto.com Visa Card – A Pix n Mix For Crypto
The Crypto.com Visa Card is a prepaid crypto debit card with five options for cardholders, each with its own perks. Each tier is determined by how much a cardholder is willing to stake on Crypto.com and ranges from $0 to $360,000.
Rewards are paid out in CRO (Crypto.com Coin) and start at 1% for the second-tier Ruby card and go as high as 5% for Obsidian, Crypto.com’s highest-tier card. Tiers also offer lucrative rewards such as Amazon Prime, Spotify, Netflix, 10% off Airbnb, airport lounge access, and more.
Each card is limited to ATM withdrawals of $10,000 a month and free currency exchanges up to $2000 at the bottom tier.
Despite being somewhat different from other crypto credit cards in this list, the Crypto.com Visa Card tiers are an excellent way for new crypto investors to dabble in crypto credit cards without having to go all in.
If this sounds like it would suit you, you can complete your crypto credit card application for the Crypto.com Visa Card through their site.
SoFi Credit Card – Best For SoFi Investors
If you already invest with SoFi, then the SoFi Credit Card is a great option. It lets investors earn 2 points on every US Dollar spent, with each point being worth 1 cent for personal accounts and 0.5 cents for SoFi Credit Card accounts.
You can apply for the card through the SoFi website.
During the first year, cardholders earn 3% cashback when setting up a direct deposit and 2% on purchases if redeemed for investing, saving, or paying down a SoFi account.
In total, 20 different types of cryptocurrency are available, and applications do not impact credit score until an offer has been accepted, after which a hard credit pull is conducted.
Tomo Credit Card – A Light Introduction To Cryptocurrency
The Tomo Credit Card is a sound crypto credit card choice for new cryptocurrency users.
It gives cardholders three crypto options to choose from; Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, and can be applied for directly through the Tomo website.
Interestingly the card has no fees and no interest rate (APR) but has instead been designed to help users build their credit score and save money. To further this, no credit history is required to apply. Instead, Tomo uses its proprietary algorithm to determine whether or not a user can be accepted for a card.
Being a relatively new option, there isn’t much information available regarding the rewards available. As of June 2022, cardholders receive 1% cash back rewards on spending and can earn additional rewards with DoorDash, Lyft, and Hello Fresh.
These rewards can be redeemed 28 days after the previous month’s statement has been paid. In an interview with Forbes Advisor, the CEO, and founder of TomoCredit, Kristy Kim, stated that more rewards will become available down the line.
Venmo Credit Card – A Build On Classic Venmo Credit Cards
Venmo has been around since 2009 and now provides users with crypto rewards. These rewards come in the form of cashback in 3 different tiers:
- 3% on a $250 spend
- 2% on a $150 spend
- 1% on a $125 spend
Although not officially branded as a crypto credit card, its “Cash Back to Crypto” feature allows cardholders to claim rewards in the form of cryptocurrency. Instead of earning fiat currency, cardholders can earn their rewards in the form of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Bitcoin Cash.
The Venmo Credit Card is only available to US citizens (excluding Hawaii) and can be applied on its website through a standard credit card application instead of a crypto credit card application. A small fee is charged for withdrawals based on the spread between the US dollar and the crypto asset paid, on top of a transaction fee shown during the selling process.
Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa – Best For Bitcoin Enthusiasts
The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa is for you if Bitcoin’s your thing. Cardholders earn 1.5% back in Bitcoin on all transactions held by the New York Digital Investment Group LLC (NYDIG), an investment group focused on Bitcoin.
You can apply for the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa through its website, and once accepted, it can be used wherever Visa is accepted and charges no account or transaction fees. However, a fee is charged for selling Bitcoin, though the fee itself will depend on how much Bitcoin a cardholder chooses to sell.
Final Thoughts: The Future of Crypto Credit Cards
With 70% of people already using traditional credit cards, do crypto credit cards have the potential to catch on?
Well, it depends.
Although crypto credit cards provide users with lucrative crypto rewards, these rewards will usually need to be converted back into fiat currency to be used. Cryptocurrency is still not accepted by most everyday shops, which makes using rewards somewhat complicated compared to your traditional options.
To further this, recent fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market have left people more hesitant to invest than ever. Consequently, they’d more likely choose a traditional credit card reward such as air miles and fiat cash back over a risky, crypto option.
However, we shouldn’t rule out crypto credit cards entirely. They’re an excellent option for current crypto enthusiasts, and the best crypto credit cards are an easy entry for those who want to get involved in crypto but don’t want to put their funds at risk. In addition, virtual crypto cards could also impact how they’re used in the future.
Cryptocurrency adoption and people’s perception of the cryptocurrency market will determine the future of crypto credit cards.
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