When it comes to financial transactions and payments, one of the things that have become part and parcel of every traditional financial system is a card. Whether debit or credit card, owning a card has become sort of a necessity and for a good reason. With a debit card, users can easily access their funds when needed and make payments without using cash.
However, while this has become part and parcel of the traditional finance system, debit cards remain a novel technology when it comes to cryptocurrencies. In recent years, it has gained wider acceptance due to the benefits of accessibility that it offers. Here, we discuss Bitcoin debit cards, the best ones at the moment, and you can get one.
What is a Bitcoin Debit Card?
A Bitcoin or crypto debit card is a regular prepaid card that is instead loaded with Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency instead of cash. What this means is that you can use the card for any bitcoin transaction instead of paying with money. The card is generally linked directly to your wallet, and anytime you want to make a payment, you can simply use the card.
With a Bitcoin debit card, the Bitcoin will be converted into the appropriate fiat currently based on your location, which means payment will be made directly in the fiat currency. Thus, offering a better opportunity to spend your digital assets even with merchants that do not accept cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin debit cards usually come in the form of a MasterCard or Visa debit card, which makes it easy to use them. With this, you don’t have to go the extra mile of having to convert your cryptocurrencies to fiat currency and transferring them to your bank account before you can use them.
Most times, when people buy cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, the primary goal is not to spend it but rather to invest and trade. According to research, only about 1% of Bitcoin purchases are with the intention to spend. However, as the adoption of cryptocurrency continues to increase and more businesses open to accepting it, the idea of spending cryptocurrencies is also gaining popularity, and cryptocurrency debit cards offer a seamless way to do that.
While crypto debit cards might not be as popular as the traditional credit card or debit cards, there are still several options available. Many companies provide crypto debit cards which generally leave the user with a conundrum as to which to go for. This is why we delve fully into the list here and examine the pros and cons of each card.
BitPay Card
When it comes to a simple and easy-to-use crypto debit card, this is probably the best you can get. The prepaid MasterCard allows you to spend the cryptocurrency in your wallet by converting it into dollars. The card is linked to BitPay wallet, which means you need to have a BitPay wallet for you to use this card. However, it is best for US residents.
For you to get the card, you will need your driver’s license and social security number. There are certain fees attached to the use, such as the $2.50 fee when you use it to withdraw from an ATM, the $5 inactivity charge for every month you don’t use it after 90 days without transactions. You will also be charged a 3% foreign transaction fee if used outside of the US.
You can use the card for Apple Pay, and it comes with the option of choosing a physical or virtual debit card. Although there are no rewards attached to using the card, it comes with low costs and no maintenance fee.
Pros
- The card is linked directly to your bitcoin wallet to make withdrawals
- Zero fees for conversion when reloading the card
- It is a MasterCard which means wide acceptance
Cons
- It requires a driver’s license and social security number
- There is a 3% fee for use outside the US
- Users are charged monthly for failure to use after three months.
Coinbase Card
Here is another crypto card that you can trust. It is a Visa card that is quite easy to use and capable of converting your crypto assets into the fiat currency of the location you find yourself. You need to have a Coinbase account to use it, and it is available in 49 of 50 US states (Hawaii being the exception) as well as internationally. You can use it with ATM for other purchases and with the Coinbase app, you can use it for contactless purchase.
The card supports nine cryptocurrencies. The daily limit is quite high, with a $2,500 spending limit and $1000 ATM withdrawal limit for users in the US. For international users, the ATM withdrawal limit is 500 Euros, while 10,000 Euros is the spending limit.
For users in the US, issuance and the transaction is totally free. But for international users, the issuance fee is 4.95 Euros while the transaction fee is 2.9%.
However, there are other fees attached to using the cryptocurrency card, so it is advisable to check this on the website before getting the card. Users get rewards of cashback on what they spend, and it is quite secure with bank-level AES-256 encryption, two-step authentication, and instant freeze through the Coinbase app or website.
Pros
- It supports nine cryptocurrencies
- It is available in all but one US state
- The spending limit is quite high
Cons
- International users pay way more to use the card
- It is necessary to have a Coinbase account
CoinZoom
If you have a diverse portfolio of crypto assets, this card might just be the best for you to have access to everything. The Visa debit card supports forty-one cryptocurrencies, and all it costs is $10 to own one. However, the card comes in several levels, called tiers, and at the top tier, which is the Black version, you don’t have to pay the $10 set up fee.
What differentiates the levels is the number of ZOOM coins deposited on the card. At the lowest level, it requires 1000 ZOOM coins, and at the highest, it requires 100,000 ZOOM coins.
The card also comes with several rewards depending on your level, which include up to 5% cashback, discounts on trading fees using CoinZoom, and lots more. With CoinZoom, you don’t need to convert your other crypto assets into bitcoin before spending it, and you can easily change the currency for your card anytime you feel like it.
Pros
- Extensive support with 41 cryptocurrencies
- The cards come in five different versions and offer cashback rewards
Cons
- You need to stake a significant amount of ZOOM coin to get the best rewards
- The cashback rewards are in ZOOM token
Crypto.com Card
This card offers incredible rewards for users, which is what makes it one of the best you can get. The Visa card is available in five different versions, all offering great rewards if you can stake the native CRO token.
The higher your stakes, the higher the reward. But you can still get a 1% reward even when you don’t stake. Apart from the basic card, other available card versions include Ruby Steel, Royal Indigo, Jade Green, Frosted Rose Gold, Icy White, and Obsidian. The amount of CRO staked is what basically differentiates these cards.
With the high-level cards, you enjoy as much as 100% cashback on subscription to streaming services such as Prime, Spotify, and Netflix while also enjoying Airport Lounge Access if you are holding any of the top three cards through the lounge key.
Fees for using the card basically include 0.5% for exchanges and 2% for ATMs. Beyond these, it doesn’t require high fees, but you will best enjoy the card if you spend a significant amount of crypto.
Pros
- Users enjoy significant benefits of up to 100% cashback on Amazon Prime, Spotify, and Netflix subscriptions with some of the cards.
- Users get as much as 8% rewards on normal purchase with the card
- Users get airport lounge access benefits
Cons
- The best reward rate requires taking a significant amount of CRO tokens.
Wirex Card
What makes this card great is the fact that it doesn’t charge any fee for using it to withdraw from an ATM or complete transactions even when overseas. Thus, the foreign fees are totally absent, making it ideal for travelers and tourists.
The Visa card is linked to the Wirex application, which supports more than 150 cryptocurrencies and fiat money. With this card, fiat to fiat transfers is a total fee. However, cryptocurrency exchanges require a fee. At present, the card is not available in the US, but this could change soon as the company was licensed in Georgia. It also offers bitcoin rewards.
Pros
- Fiat to fiat transfer is totally free
- No fee if you use the card on foreign soil
- You can pay with different currencies, both fiat and crypto, through the card.
Cons
- The card is not available in the United States.
Crypterium
Here is a Visa-backed bitcoin debit card that does cost anything to get nor does it require any maintenance fee as long as users meet the minimum activity requirement. The minimum activity is loading up to €299 worth of assets on it monthly.
The card is originally designed for those in Europe, but those in the US can also have access to any of both of its plastic or virtual formats. If you are getting the physical card, you must be prepared to pay the delivery fee of €14.99, and there is a 2% charge for recharging your account. For online transactions and
Apple Pay payments, users will pay €0.25, and the fee on foreign transactions is 2.5%. With Crypterium wallet available in over 180 countries, this prepaid debit card is definitely a great choice offering you versatility in terms of location and the number of cryptocurrencies you have access to.
Pros
- The crypto debit card can be gotten free of charge, and you only have to pay for delivery.
- Users can get a virtual card immediately.
- Zero maintenance fee as long as the user meets minimum requirements for monthly deposit
Cons
- The card is originally designed for users in Europe
- Users have to pay €2.99 every month if they can’t meet the minimum deposit requirement.
CryptoPay Card
This company has been in existence as far as 2013 and provides bitcoin cards for users. The cards can be physical or virtual, but for someone to get the physical card, one has to reside in Russia.
The card supports BTC, LTC, Ethereum, and XRP and comes with minimal charges. The charge of ATM withdrawal is 1.5% per transaction, and the minimum monthly maintenance fee is $1. It also charges 1% each time the user loads money on the card.
Pros
- The card support multiple cryptocurrencies
Cons
- The physical card is only available in Russia
- The fees are relatively high.
TenX Card
Another company that specializes in issuing Visa cards linked to the digital wallet is Singapore-based TenX Pte. Its cards support crypto-assets such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. It issues cards for Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand.
It offers both virtual and physical cards, with the virtual costing between $1.5 to $3 while the physical costs $15. The annual fee for maintenance varies with the maximum at $10, but this can be waived when the user’s accumulated annual spending exceeds $1000. For ATM withdrawals, the fee is $3.25 per withdrawal.
Pros
- The card supports multiple currencies
- The fees are relatively low
Cons
- It is available in only a few countries.
Binance Card
Binance is one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, and like Coinbase, it has its own crypto card. It is a Visa debit card that allows users to spend their BTC and BNB.
The card is currently available in the Beta version and available in a few countries, although Binance plans to make it global in the future. Binance is yet to disclose the countries and currencies that the card supports.
Pros
- The Binance card does not have any maintenance fees
- The card will be available to users that have a Binance wallet.
Cons
- The card only supports BTC and BNB
- The cost of issuance is expensive at $15.
Shift Card
You can spend your electronic money with a Shift card. This card is mostly for spending bitcoin, but it is believed that this will change soon. The card supports US dollars, and you can link it to your Coinbase wallet to use it.
Pros
- Zero fees for purchases and fixed fees on ATM withdrawals
Cons
- The cost of issuance is high at $20
- Higher fees on foreign transactions
How do Bitcoin Debit Cards Work
Generally, bitcoin debit cards are connected to a crypto wallet which can vary depending on the cryptocurrencies that the debit card supports. By doing this, you can use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc. purchase and make payments in fiat currencies such as dollars, pounds, euros, etc.
With a bitcoin debit card, you don’t have to convert your crypto asset to fiat currency before you can spend it. However, the costs of owning a Bitcoin debit card should also be considered, from the maintenance costs to the charges on transactions. Thus, a user needs to consider all these before getting one.
Bitcoin debit card is just an aspect of the bitcoin card. There is also the crypto credit card which functions as the traditional credit card except that it is for digital currency. You can also use the card to buy bitcoin.
How Can I Get a Bitcoin Debit Card?
For anyone who wants to get a crypto debit card, the first thing you need is to have a wallet with the card provider. Once you have this and fund the account, you can apply for a debit card from the provider, which can be either a virtual and plastic card—getting both guarantees more security, especially with online transactions.
How Safe are Bitcoin Debit Cards?
These cards are generally safe and come with features such as security code, two-factor authentication, biometric scanning, firewall encryption, instant freeze or cancel, etc. however, while the card issuer does everything to protect you from fraud, it is still necessary for you as the cardholder to protect your card by making sure all sensitive information such as card number are safely stored.
Conclusion
Spending your crypto assets has never been easier than with bitcoin debit cards. They allow you to spend your digital assets directly without having to convert them to fiat currency. There are several bitcoin debit card issuers in the market, and each has its own pros and cons. You only have to examine them to see which is most suitable for you.
