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The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa®, as its name suggests, allows cardholders to earn rewards in the form of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. While Bitcoin is not the only cryptocurrency around, it is perhaps the most well known. It’s not yet widely accepted for transactions, but some businesses have begun to accept it. If you’re curious about Bitcoin and would like an easy way to get started with it, using the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® provides a low-pressure way to do so.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
8.99% -29.99%
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
N/A
Foreign Transaction Fee
$0
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
Simple way to start with Bitcoin
It’s safe to say if you’re on the internet or paying attention to the news at all, you’ve probably heard of Bitcoin. The popular cryptocurrency has been in the limelight due to dramatic jumps in value as well as incidents such as Tesla beginning to accept it as a form of payment in March 2021, then deciding not to do so in May 2021. If you’re curious what the fuss is about but you’re not sure how to get started, the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® could be right for you. With this card, you’ll earn 1.5% rewards in bitcoin when you make payments.
No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa®‘s annual fee is $0 and its foreign transaction fee is $0 as well. In fact, this card charges no fees other than a 1.5% transaction fee when you sell your Bitcoin rewards. That means if you’re looking to experiment with cryptocurrency but aren’t quite sure it will be your thing, you can rest easy — you won’t have to pay just to carry this card.
Plus, if you’re traveling outside the United States, it’s nice to know you can use your card without worrying about being charged an additional fee on every transaction you make.
Pay down your balance faster
Unlike most credit cards, the way payments work with the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® is that you pay down balances from each month at a fixed rate with equal monthly payments (the APR range is 8.99% -29.99%). This could help you pay down what you charge to the card more quickly than you might with a regular credit card, where minimum payments mostly go toward interest charges and only a small amount actually goes toward paying off your principal.
Opportunity to earn a sign-up bonus
Earn a $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions. See details*.
* To qualify for the $200 bitcoin welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Account and make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days of your Upgrade Card account opening. The value of the $200 bonus will be based on the value of bitcoin at the time it is purchased (within 1-2 statement periods from the date the bonus is earned) and may change in price by the time you choose to sell it. Refer to Program Terms. Your Upgrade Card must be in good standing to receive a bonus.
Lacks redemption flexibility
Bitcoin you earn with the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® will be held by the New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG) and cannot be transferred to another digital wallet. You can sell your bitcoin, but the only way to redeem the proceeds from such a sale is as a statement credit toward your credit card.
There's a 90-day holding period
The way rewards work on this card is that bitcoin will be purchased for you within one to two statement periods from the date your payment is received. After the first bitcoin purchase, you’ll be subject to a 90-day holding period, meaning you won’t be able to sell or redeem your bitcoin.
Can't get this card in all states
The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® is not available to residents of Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® isn’t the only crypto-earning credit card on the market. Another such card worth considering is the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card.
With the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card, you’ll earn 1.5% back in bitcoin on every single purchase. Plus, earn 2% back in bitcoin on every purchase over $30,000 of annual spend (note, this amount resets each year on your account anniversary).
There’s a $0 annual fee for the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card and a foreign transaction fee of $0. The APR is 14.99% - 24.99% variable.
Note that you don’t immediately earn bitcoin on your purchases. First, you earn BlockFi CryptoCurrency Rewards Points, then these points are redeemed for bitcoin on a monthly basis.
Also be aware you must sign up for a BlockFi account to be able to apply. Where some consumers might prefer this card over the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® is that the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card allows you to transfer bitcoin from your BlockFi account to another wallet, whereas the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® only lets you redeem for statement credits.
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Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® | BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card |
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Apply Now on Upgrade's secure site
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Apply Now on BlockFi's secure site
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Apply Now on Wells Fargo's secure site
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Apply Now on Wells Fargo's secure site
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Rewards Rate | |||
Earn 1.5% rewards in bitcoin when you make payments | Earn 1.5% back in bitcoin on every single purchase | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases |
Welcome Offer | |||
Earn a $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions. See details* | N/A | Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months | Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months |
Annual Fee | |||
$0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Regular APR | |||
8.99% -29.99% | 14.99% - 24.99% | 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR | 17.24%, 22.24%, or 27.24% variable APR |
Card Details | |||
Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® | BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card |
Whether you’re curious about cryptocurrency and want to get your feet wet or you’re an experienced crypto trader looking for a way to get more bitcoin, the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® can help you do that with its $0 annual fee and its flat rewards rate on all purchases.
However, if you want a card that earns bitcoin and allows you to transfer it to another digital wallet, consider the BlockFi Rewards Visa® Signature Card as an alternative.