5 Best Crypto Debit Cards in December 2024
Looking for the best cryptocurrency debit card? In this guide, we’ll break down the best options for investors based on factors like cashback rewards, fees, and availability by region!
Quick Look: Best Crypto Debit Cards
Crypto.com
Best for benefits and perks
CoinLedger rating: 9.4/10
Crypto.com’s debit card comes with benefits and perks for users who stake a large amount of CRO (Crypto.com’s cryptocurrency). Cashback rewards are as high as 5%!
Pros:
Cryptocurrency rewards: Crypto.com offers cashback rewards between 1-5%. The more CRO you stake, the higher your reward rate.
No annual fees: Crypto.com does not have annual fees. However, there is a monthly inactivity fee of $4.95 if you do not use your card during a month.
Subscription reimbursements: Crypto.com offers reimbursements for select subscriptions — like Spotify, Netflix, and Amazon Prime!
Cons:
Need to stake CRO to receive benefits: Most of Crypto.com's benefits are only available to users who stake CRO for at least 180 days. You’ll need to keep your CRO staked to receive your cash back benefits.
Highest benefits only available for users staking large amounts of CRO: 5% cashback rewards are only available for users who stake $400,000 of CRO.
Withdrawal limits: The Crypto.com debit card has ATM withdrawal limits based on what tier card you have. The lowest tier card — Midnight Blue — only allows users to withdraw up to $200 a month for free from an ATM.
Coinbase
Best for Coinbase users
CoinLedger rating: 9.2/10
Coinbase offers a VISA debit card funded by your Coinbase account balance. The Coinbase Card offers cashback rewards and is a great choice for existing Coinbase users!
Pros:
Cryptocurrency rewards: Coinbase offers cashback rewards in cryptocurrency. Your rewards may vary based on the type of cryptocurrency you choose to receive rewards in. Typically, ‘up-and-coming’ cryptocurrencies — rather than established cryptos like BTC and ETH — offer higher rewards.
Here are some reward rates that we’ve seen on the Coinbase Card in the past.
- Bitcoin: 1.5%
- Ethereum: 1%
- USD. Coin: 1%
- Dai: 1%
Coinbase integration: The Coinbase Card is integrated with the Coinbase ecosystem. That means you can fund your debit card and sell off your rewards on your Coinbase account — making the debit card a great choice for existing Coinbase customers.
No annual fees: The Coinbase Card has $0 annual fees!
Cons:
Lower rewards: The Coinbase Card offers lower cashback rewards than some of the other debit cards on this list.
Monthly spend limits: The Coinbase Card has a monthly spend limit for users. The spending limit varies based on your activity, but is typically high four figures to low five figures.
Long refund times: Customers have complained that refunds on the Coinbase Card take months to process.
Wirex
Best cashback rewards for US investors
CoinLedger rating: 9.1/10
Wirex is a payments platform based in the United Kingdom. The Wirex crypto debit card offers some of the highest cashback rewards in the industry!
Pros:
High rewards: The Wirex debit card offers cashback rewards from 0.5-8% depending on your pricing plan — the highest of any debit card on this list!
Low fees: Wirex does not have monthly, annual, or usage fees! The debit card allows you to withdraw up to $250 free every month via ATM, with a 2% fee afterwards!
Availability: The Wirex debit card is available in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Cons:
Reward structure: Unlike other debit cards on this list, the Wirex debit card only allows users to receive rewards in WXT — Wirex’s native cryptocurrency.
Price tiers: The Wirex debit card has three tiers: Standard, Premium, and Elite. Your cashback reward rate and maximum reward per month varies depending on your tier.
WXT purchase required: You’ll need to purchase WXT to receive rewards and upgrade to different price tiers.
BitPay
Best for low fees in the US
CoinLedger rating: 9.0/10
BitPay is a MasterCard debit card issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank. While the card was previously known for having 0 conversion fees, Bitpay recently introduced transaction fees of 2% plus 25 cents for most transactions.
Pros
Low fees: BitPay has relatively low fees when used domestically. There are 2% plus 25 cent transaction fees, 1% deposit fees, and $2.50 ATM deposit fees.
Established company: BitPay was originally founded in 2011 and is one of the oldest-operating companies in the space.
Exchange integration: BitPay has an in-built exchange to allow you to buy and sell crypto.
Cons
Only available in US: Currently, BitPay is only available for American residents.
Inactivity fee: BitPay charges a $5 inactivity fee if you do not use the debit card for 90 days.
Monolith
Best DeFi debit card
CoinLedger rating: 8.8/10
Monolith is the first DeFi protocol to offer a debit card! The Monolith debit card allows you to take control of your private keys without the need for a centralized custodian.
Pros:
No centralized custodian: Unlike other debit cards, Monolith does not require your funds to be held by a centralized custodian. That means the card is a great option for investors who value decentralization!
No annual fees: Monolith does not have monthly or annual fees for users.
Cons:
Availability: The Monolith debit card is not available in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and other countries. The Monolith debit card primarily serves users in the United Kingdom and the EU.
No cashback rewards: Unlike other debit cards, the Monolith debit card does not offer cashback rewards.
Usage Fees: The Monolith card comes with a 1% fee for adding cryptocurrency to the card (0% for TKN and DAI). In addition, there is a 1.75% fee on all purchases.
Withdrawal Limits: The Monolith debit card has a £350 daily ATM withdrawal limit.
Pro Tip: At the time of writing, Monolith is not accepting new card applications.
What about the Binance Card?
While the Binance Card was previously on this list, Binance discontinued the card for the European Economic Area in December 2023. Because the card is currently not available in the United States and most of Europe, we decided to remove the Binance Card from our top 5.
What factors did you use to determine your ratings?
The CoinLedger team looked at dozens of cryptocurrency debit cards on the market to determine this list. We based our rankings on the following factors:
- Reputation of issuing platform/exchange
- Rewards
- Availability by region and country
- Customer support
- Security features
- Relevant fees
- Spending/transfer fees
- Spend and withdrawal limits
- Supported cryptocurrencies
How do crypto debit cards work?
Cryptocurrency debit cards are designed to make it easy for you to use your cryptocurrency holdings for real-world purchases.
Cryptocurrency exchanges partner with companies like Visa and MasterCard to make sure that your crypto debit card is accepted by the vast majority of vendors and merchants.
Here’s how crypto debit cards work:
- Load your card with a set amount of cryptocurrency.
- When you make a purchase, the card will automatically convert your cryptocurrency to fiat currency, then transfer the cash to the seller.
Are crypto debit cards safe?
Cryptocurrency debit cards are safe to use.
Cards like the Coinbase Card come with features like two-factor authentication, account freezing, and the ability to change your PIN from your mobile app. Debit cards require you to provide Know Your Customer information to prevent fraud.
Pros and cons of crypto debit cards
Let’s walk through some of the pros and cons of crypto debit cards.
Pros:
- Spend cryptocurrency on everyday purchases!
- Earn crypto through cashback rewards!
- Low fees compared to other types of cards!
Cons:
- Spending crypto is a taxable event.
- Must keep your debit card supplied with cryptocurrency to spend.
Can I replace my normal debit card with a crypto debit card?
You can use a crypto debit card to effectively replace your traditional debit card. However, you should consider your own unique situation before replacing your traditional debit card with a crypto debit card.
Crypto debit cards often offer higher rewards than traditional debit cards. Unlike traditional debit cards, you may incur capital gains or losses when you make purchases with a crypto debit card (more on this later in the article).
Can I get a crypto debit card with no KYC?
All of the debit cards listed in this article require customers to fill out KYC (Know Your Customer) information before opening a debit card. It’s unlikely that you’ll find a reputable crypto debit card provider that doesn’t require KYC.
Should I get a crypto debit card or credit card?
The answer to whether you should get started with a crypto debit card or a credit card depends on your unique situation.
The pros and cons of crypto credit cards
Pros:
- Build Credit: Credit cards can help users build their credit scores!
- Rewards: Credit cards also offer generous cashback rewards!
- Disputes: It’s typically easier to dispute and get refunded for a credit card charge compared to a debit card charge.
Cons:
- Credit Checks: Credit cards often require a credit check to get started, which can be a barrier for some users.
- Interest Rates: Credit cards charge interest on unpaid balances, which can add up over time.
- Potential Fees: Like debit cards, credit cards come with annual fees and other charges.
The Gemini credit card is a popular option for crypto credit card users — the card offers benefits like 3% cashback on dining!
How to choose a crypto debit card
Here are some factors you should consider before opening a crypto debit card.
Rewards: Before you choose a crypto debit card, you should understand the cashback reward rate and other potential perks and benefits you can receive.
Fees: Understand what fees your crypto debit card charges before you get started. It’s possible that you may be charged liquidation, foreign transaction, and/or withdrawal fees.
Convenience: Many investors choose debit cards based on convenience. For example, it may be easy for an existing Coinbase user to get started with the Coinbase debit card rather than opening an account with another exchange.
Tax implications: You should research whether your debit card comes with tax implications. Some cards allow you to make purchases with stablecoin — reducing the potential capital gains impact!
Supported cryptocurrencies: Make sure that your crypto debit card is compatible with the cryptocurrencies that you’re planning to use!
Reputation: Take a look at third-party reviews on sites like Trustpilot to see what users are saying about the debit card you're interested in!
How are crypto debit cards taxed?
When you convert crypto to fiat currency, you’ll incur a capital gain or loss depending on how the price of your crypto has changed since you originally received it.
Crypto debit cards work by converting cryptocurrency to fiat currency at the point of sale. This means making purchases on a crypto debit card will be subject to capital gains tax.
To minimize taxes, many investors choose to fund their debit cards with stablecoin. Because stablecoins are pegged to the US dollar, the associated capital gain from a disposal will be close to ‘0’.
Are cashback rewards taxed?
Based on previous IRS guidance, crypto cashback rewards will likely be considered a non-taxable rebate. However, your cashback rewards will be subject to capital gains tax upon disposal.
To better understand how your debit card is taxed, check out our guide to crypto debit card taxes.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a debit card for crypto?
Yes. Platforms like Crypto.com and Coinbase offer debit cards for cryptocurrency.
- How do I get a crypto debit card?
To get started with a crypto debit card, you’ll need to sign up with a relevant exchange and verify your identity. Most crypto debit cards do not require credit checks.
- Are crypto debit cards safe?
Crypto debit cards typically come with security measures like two-factor authentication — meaning they are safe to use.
- Where can I use crypto debit cards?
Most crypto debit card providers partner with companies like Visa and MasterCard — meaning you can use your crypto debit card anywhere these cards are accepted.
- Can you withdraw money from a crypto debit card?
Typically, you can withdraw money from ATMs using a crypto debit card. However, most debit cards have a monthly withdrawal limit.