Cryptocurrency Debit Cards: Choosing the Best One in 2020

8 min readMar 29, 2020

Apart from paying in BTC for coffee, cryptocurrency debit cards remain one of the most obvious examples of widespread crypto adoption The concept relies on traditional bank cards powered by Visa or MasterCard but with balances in crypto. It’s a great tool but the question is: how can you find the best one?

Superorder analyzed and compared ten of the most famous and feature-rich crypto cards. Below, you can find the list, as well as some tips & tricks. Let’s start and don’t forget to check your country’s laws to be sure that you can use such cards!

Crypto Debit Cards 101

How Do They Work?

Generally, the principle is similar to traditional fiat cards. Despite users should deposit cryptocurrencies, actual payments are in fiat. For instance, a card shows your balance in BTC but when you use any point of sale, these funds are converted to the relevant fiat currency. Money transfers work in the same way so crypto cards support international transfers like SWIFT. Usually, crypto cards are accepted everywhere as they rely on Visa/MasterCard infrastructures.

To use a debit card with cryptocurrencies, you should complete three simple steps:

Choose a service provider.
Order a plastic card.
Deposit crypto.

Remember that the majority of providers offer cards together with hot crypto wallets so you can deposit money directly. However, some companies don’t have in-built wallets. In this case, you will need to connect a third-party module manually.

What to Look For?

To get the most suitable crypto card, analyze a few parameters. They may vary depending on your wishes but the basics are always the same:

Availability in your country. Always be sure that you can use the desired card. Providers have lists of supported jurisdictions on their sites.
Ease of use. It’s vital to get a convenient tool. Crypto debit cards promote the overall crypto adoption so you want one with a user-friendly interface.
High security. Like fiat debit/credit cards, crypto analogs should be reliable and safe. Look for options with extra security layers like 2FA or biometrics.
Low fees. Cryptocurrencies outpace traditional payment processors here but cards may have pretty high usage fees. Pay attention to this point.
Required features. Here, clients often look for ATM withdrawals, money transfers, foreign exchange tools, supported altcoins, and various bonuses.

The Shortlist of Top 10 Cards

Well, it’s time to discover which crypto debit options are available to customers. You can compare card features using aggregators. While such platforms combine dozens of offers, we want to focus on ten of the most prominent examples (listed alphabetically). Of course, the opinion is subjective so don’t hesitate to do your own research.

1. Binance Card

We want to start with the newest entry. On March 26, Binance announced its branded crypto card. Right now, it’s available as a virtual tool through the native mobile app but Binance will launch a physical version soon. Initially, it will be available in Malaysia and Vietnam. Further, more countries will be added.

Available countries: only virtual.
Issuance fee: $15.
Monthly fee: $0.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: BTC and BNB.
Wallet included: yes.

2. BlockCard

Launched by Ternio in partnership with Litecoin and Bibox, this card is one of a few options available for US customers. It supports two wallets, online/offline payments, 12 cryptos, and even mobile payment solutions: Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay. Transactions are based on crypto-to-fiat transfers via the native TERN token.

Available countries: the USA.
Issuance fee: $10 for plastic $50 for metal.
Monthly fee: $0 after spending over $750 per month, otherwise $5.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: 12, including BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, XRP.
Wallet included: yes.

3. Coinbase Card

Being powered by one of the most famous exchanges and crypto brokers, the card is available to the UK and European citizens. The offer is available as a virtual card via the Coinbase app and as a physical plastic card. It supports GBP and EUR, works with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Still, the card’s transaction fees are pretty high.

Available countries: 29 in Europe.
Issuance fee: £/€4.95.
Monthly fee: $0.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: 9, including BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, XRP.
Wallet included: yes.

4. Cryptopay Card

Source: https://cryptopay.me/bitcoin-debit-card

This one is a prepaid crypto card that is linked with the Cryptopay wallet. You can order it and send the desired amount of crypto to the card itself. Still, cards are issued in fiat currencies: USD and RUB. Right now, this card is available for Russian citizens only but the company works on offers for European clients, too.

Available countries: currently, only Russia.
Issuance fee: free but shipment is $/€/£15.
Monthly fee: $/€/£1.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: BTC, LTC, XRP, ETH.
Wallet included: yes.

5. MCO Visa Card

Source: https://crypto.com/en/cards.html

Formerly known as Monaco, Crypto.com has not one but seven debit cards with different features. It’s a great choice for crypto adepts who want to get a range of bonuses, including cashback in MCO, rebates, airport lounge access, and so on. The card also offers deposit earnings, in-app trading, and crypto credit services.

Available countries: the USA, Europe, Singapore.
Issuance fee: $0.
Monthly fee: $0.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: 9, including BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP.
Wallet included: yes.

6. Monolith

Being one of the most famous DeFi projects connected to ETH, Monolith offers its crypto card for European customers. Users can get a physical card in EUR or GBP with support of ETH and ERC-20 tokens. The card connects to the Monolith account with which holders can send money, earn interest, and borrow.

Available countries: 31 across Europe.
Issuance fee: $0.
Monthly fee: $0.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: ETH and all ERC-20 tokens.
Wallet included: yes.

7. Nexo Card

Nexo is a crypto lending platform that offers a unique financing way. It takes your crypto as collateral and delivers fiat instead. Technically, it’s not a trading deal. With the long-awaited debit card by Nexo, customers can get and spend local fiat currencies for crypto easier. Still, there’s no info about working card solutions or countries supported.

Available countries: not disclosed.
Issuance fee: $0.
Monthly fee: $0.
Payment provider: MasterCard.
Supported cryptos: 23, including BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, EOS.
Wallet included: yes.

8. Revolut

Well, we know that Revolut is a FinTech startup that isn’t fully focused on crypto. However, it offers crypto exchange/payment services for users with paid memberships. Particularly, clients can buy crypto and pay with it using the debit card by Revolut. Despite the company owns private keys, we consider this option suits our list.

Available countries: EEA, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, the USA.
Issuance fee: €/£0 with premium/metal membership.
Monthly fee: €/£7 or €/£13.
Payment provider: Visa and MasterCard.
Supported cryptos: BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, XRP.
Wallet included: yes.

9. Uquid Card

This card is in this selection thanks to its amazing coverage, both geographical and financial. It’s available for citizens of 243 countries. It also comes in two versions (apart from virtual/plastic): for BTC only and for altcoins, more than 80 different currencies! The card supports EUR, GBP, and USD for payments, as well.

Available countries: 243 across the world, excluding the USA.
Issuance fee: $17.
Monthly fee: $1.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: 89, including BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, XRP, NEO.
Wallet included: yes.

10. Wirex Card

Wirex offers a full-functional GBP Visa debit card and EUR/USD prepaid cards. In addition to these feat currencies, the card supports cryptocurrencies. Users can exchange them in real-time. The limits are pretty high. In addition, Wirex has a convenient 0.5% cashback in BTC from various purchases.

Available countries: EEA members.
Issuance fee: £/€/$0.
Monthly fee: £1.00/€1.20/$1.50.
Payment provider: Visa.
Supported cryptos: 8, including BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, NANO.
Wallet included: yes.

Benefits of Crypto Cards

Flexible transfers. With packages that include both a card and a wallet, you can exchange crypto and fiat funds on the fly.
Physical and virtual versions. Major providers now offer both virtual (for online payments) and physical cards (for ATMs and real-world deals).
Several currencies. Apart from fiat support, providers now focus on adding more altcoins. The biggest number is 89 cryptocurrencies!
Work similarly to fiat cards. As we’ve mentioned, these financial instruments should be familiar to you. They are similar to traditional bank cards.

Limitations of Crypto Cards

Local restrictions and bans. Not all countries support cryptocurrency cards. That’s a pity if you can’t get the desired product because of your residence.
Trust issues. Crypto cards have both pros and cons similar to fiat ones. By opening an account with a particular provider, you should trust it with your own money.
Various high fees. Crypto providers also want to earn some money. That’s why they often list different fees: open, deposit, withdrawal, usage, conversion.
Volatility concerns. Cryptocurrency holders see coins as investment assets. That’s why they’re afraid to spend their money due to rate fluctuations.

Closing Thoughts

Eventually, the world will come to the widespread popularity of cryptocurrency debit and even credit cards, we’re sure. Nonetheless, modern options are far from perfect. They come with high fees, they’re blocked by governments, they test your investor skills. At the same time, they’re accepted almost everywhere because top providers like Visa and MasterCard support them. The future is bright. Choose your card and become an early adopter of this bright concept!