As cryptocurrencies continue to grow in popularity, companies are finding increasing to make the crypto world more accessible. One of the ways they’re doing this is by introducing crypto debit cards.
In this article, we tell you what you need to consider when choosing a crypto card and give you eight great crypto card recommendations. We will also introduce hi Debit Card, which allows members to spend crypto and fiat holdings directly from their Flexible account, without the need to top-up funds to a separate card account.
What is a crypto card?
A crypto card works the same as a regular debit card, only they’re linked to a crypto wallet instead of a regular bank account. By converting the funds in your wallet, crypto cards allow you to make transactions at any merchants that support payment cards, even if those merchants don’t accept cryptocurrencies.
How to choose the best crypto debit card?
Choosing a crypto debit card can be difficult as there are many factors you need to consider. The main factors you’ll need to consider are related to security, fees, rewards, and the currencies they support. Make sure you take a look at the details of any card you’re interested in and compare those to other cards that are available on the market to ensure you’re getting the best one for you.
- Security: Most cards offer security measures such as two-factor authentication, but some don’t. Make sure to check that the card you’re choosing has some security features in place to keep your funds safe.
- Fees: The majority of crypto cards have fees. These can include monthly fees, foreign transaction fees, and fees for withdrawing funds from an ATM. Try to find a card that charges as small a fee as possible.
- Rewards: A lot of crypto cards offer cryptocurrency cashback as a reward, giving you the potential to earn a lot. Try to look for a card that offers generous cashback rewards.
- Staking requirements: For crypto cards with multiple tiers, there can be high staking requirements to unlock the biggest rewards. Take this into consideration when looking into the rewards that are offered and the tier you choose.
- Supported currencies: Some crypto cards will only support a few specific currencies. You should make sure that the card you choose supports your preferred currencies.
- Supported countries: Some cards are only supported in specific regions such as Europe or the US. Be sure to check that the card you’re looking at is available in your region.
Best Crypto Debit Card
1. hi
Coming soon, but definitely our TOP PICK! 🌟 Look at the uber-rewarding card benefits and the convenience of spending crypto directly with the hi Debit Card!
| Highlights | |
| Fee | No annual fees. |
| Staking requirement | 100-10 million HI |
| How many tiers are there? | 6 |
| How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 10+ |
| Benefits | Pick and mix free digital subscriptions from a catalogue of 100+, redeem premium travel and hotel benefits, and more depending on membership tiers. |
| Rewards | 1-10% cashback |
Unlike other crypto cards, the hi debit card connects directly to your Flexible hi account. This means that you won’t need to make top-ups to an external hi account. The hi card supports both fiat and cryptocurrencies and allows you to turn your everyday purchases into crypto rewards which have the potential to increase in value over time. Offers both a virtual card and a physical metal card for hi Silver members, there is even the option to personalize the card if you’re a Gold hi member.
This card hasn’t been released just yet, so make sure to sign up for the waiting list so you don’t miss out!
| Pro | Cons |
| No need to top-up funds to a separate card account. You can spend fiat and cryptocurrencies directly from your Flexible account | As it’s a debit card, it doesn’t offer the same purchase protection as credit cards. |
| Pick and mix free digital subscriptions from a catalogue of 100+ options. | |
| ‘Buy Now Convert Later’ functionality allow cardholders to pay for their spending at a later date. |
2. Crypto.com
Highlights | |
Fee | No annual fee. No foreign transaction fees. |
How many tiers are there? | 5 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 17 |
Benefits | Reimbursements for monthly subscriptions such as Netflix and Spotify. |
Rewards | 0-5% CRO |
Crypto.com is one of the leading crypto apps on the market. Their card offers a wide variety of rewards such as reimbursements for monthly subscription services, high cashback in the form of CRO, access to airport lounges, and more. This may sound appealing but be warned that these rewards differ depending on the tier of card you choose. When it comes to the crypto.com card, these tiers can be difficult to reach given their large staking requirements.
Pro | Cons |
High rewards at top tiers | Most benefits require you to stake a large amount. |
Low fees | Low limits for ATM withdrawals on the lower tier cards. |
Free ATM withdrawals each month (up to limits) |
3. Coinbase
Highlights | |
Fee | No annual or transaction fees. 2.49% cryptocurrency liquidation fee. |
How many tiers are there? | 1 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 9 |
Benefits | N/A |
Rewards | Up to 4% cashback |
Issued by the popular exchange Coinbase, the Coinbase debit card allows you to earn up to 4% back in rewards every time you make a purchase. The card is linked to your Coinbase crypto account and allows you to pay for items in US dollars by automatically liquidating your crypto assets. The rewards you get depend on the coin you choose – if you want to get cashback in Bitcoin, the rate will be 1%. If you want to get it in Stella Lumens, you can earn 4% cashback instead. You’ll also be able to switch between these 2 rewards any time you like.
Pro | Cons |
Strong security | Fee for cryptocurrency liquidation |
Generous rewards | Only available in Europe |
Affordable fees |
4. Binance
Highlights | |
Fee | No annual fees. Up to 0.9% fee for transactions and ATM withdrawals. |
How many tiers are there? | 7 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 30 |
Benefits | N/A |
Rewards | Up to 8% cashback |
DId you know that the world’s biggest crypto exchange offered a card? The Binance Card was launched back in 2020 and supports payments in a wide variety of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Binance Coin (BNB), Ethereum (ETH), and, Binance USD (BUSD). Just like with the Coinbase card we mentioned earlier, the Binance Card holds cryptocurrency in your wallet and only converts the amount that’s needed at the time of purchase.
Pro | Cons |
Low fees | Only available in Europe |
High security | Balance in Binance’s cryptocurrency required for cashback rewards |
5. BitPay
Highlights | |
Fee | No annual fees. 3% foreign transaction fee and a $2.50 ATM withdrawal fee. |
How many tiers are there? | 1 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 7 |
Benefits | N/A |
Rewards | 1.5% cashback |
The Bitpay Card supports a smaller amount of cryptocurrencies than some of the other coins, and only really supports USD as a fiat currency. The Bitpay card supports instant reloads, which means you can reload the card directly through your wallet in the Bitpay app. Bitpay prides itself on the enhanced security it offers on the card.
Pro | Cons |
Can be used anywhere in the world | Only available within the US |
No conversion fees within the U.S. |
6. BlockFi
Highlights | |
Fee | No annual fees, no foreign transaction fees. |
How many tiers are there? | 1 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 1 |
Benefits | |
Rewards | 1.5% cashback, 3.5% cashback in the first 90 days |
The BlockFi Card was one of the first cryptocurrency rewards credit cards to hit the market. Unlike some other cards, the cash back you earn doesn’t automatically go to cryptocurrency. Instead, the cashback is added to your BlockFi account monthly. Cardholders will earn 2% of any purchases within a calendar year of over 50,000 USD, however, BlockFi generally offers fewer bonuses than other crypto cards. The card does offer competitive introductory rates, where new cardholders earn 3.5% cash back on all transactions for the first 3 months.
Pros | Cons |
Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases | Only supports BitCoin |
You can earn cashback in a variety of cryptocurrencies |
7. BlockCard
Highlights | |
Fee | $5 monthly fee, $3 ATM withdrawal fee, $2 foreign transaction fee |
How many tiers are there? | 6 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 15 |
Benefits | N/A |
Rewards | 1-6% cashback |
Blockcard is primarily popular due to the generous cashback rewards. These rewards can range from 1-6% depending on the tier of card chosen. Blockcard also offers additional rewards for users who use their card a lot on a month-to-month basis. One thing to keep in mind is that these benefits typically require staking the TERN token, which is a pretty small token and could be at risk of heavy fluctuation. There is the possibility that a drop in the value of TERN could offset the benefits and rewards.
Pro | Cons |
You can earn more TERN by referring your friends | You must buy Ternio tokens to make purchases |
Potential for high cashback rewards | High fees |
There’s a fee if the card is not used for at least $750 in purchases monthly. |
8. Wirex
Highlights | |
Fee | 1% fee when funding accounts |
How many tiers are there? | 6 |
How many cryptocurrencies are supported? | 52 |
Benefits | N/A |
Rewards | Up to 8% cashback |
Wirex Card is one of the longest-running crypto cards in existence. The company has been around since 2014 and offers its card in the US. There is a token called X-points that is attached to the Wirex card, which needs to be converted into cryptocurrencies. The card offers a great cashback rate of up to 8% but doesn’t offer many additional rewards or benefits.
Pro | Cons |
Generous cashback | You must convert X-Points to receive cryptocurrencies |
Commission-free trading and zero ATM fees (up to a limit of $250) | High fees for exchanging between crypto and fiat |
Supports a lot of fiat and cryptocurrencies |
FAQ
How does a crypto debit card work?
Crypto debit cards are essentially prepaid debit cards that can be loaded with cryptocurrency instead of just fiat. When you use a crypto debit card to make a purchase, the card will convert the stored cryptocurrency into whatever fiat currency is required to make a purchase. So, these cards can be used to make purchases like a regular debit card (in-store and online) even if the merchant doesn’t accept cryptocurrencies.
Is it safe to use crypto cards?
While holding your cryptocurrency in an offline wallet may be safer, the more convenient method of using a crypto card is also secure. Most of these cards will feature security methods such as two-factor authentication which uses codes sent to your mobile or biometric scanning. This is the same as happens with most regular bank-issued cards, however, you have the advantage of being more able to control the risk of your crypto card by only adding a smaller amount of funds to the card at a time.
Where can I use a crypto card?
Crypto cards can be used to make purchases from all merchants that support Visa card payments. This means that a crypto card should work in most stores, both physical and online. You can also use a crypto card to make cash withdrawals from Visa supporting ATMs.