The crypto movement has taken the world by storm, and now more people than ever have some form of digital currency. Cryptocurrency cards are appearing in the market to help cryptocurrency holders quickly access their actual spending assets and move beyond speculative trading or fundraising. Self-proclaimed as the most accepted card of its kind, Crypto.com Rewards Visa offers its users a convenient way to use funds, offering perks and other benefits.
Crypto.com accepts dozens of different cryptocurrencies, and to avoid market fluctuations, the chosen cryptocurrency is in USD based on real-time market capitalization and then uploaded to Crypto.com Rewards Visa. Therefore, it is like any other form of payment card.
The Crypto.com Rewards Visa Card operates on the Visa processing network and is therefore accepted by all retailers that accept Visa as a form of payment, meaning the card is accepted at millions of locations around the world.
Crypto.com Rewards
Earning Rewards
The Crypto.com Rewards Visa Card allows cardholders to earn money in CRO rewards. CRO rewards are the Crypto.com cryptocurrency token, which the user can trade on the crypto.com platform for other digital currencies or even fiat currency.
The Crypto.com Rewards Visa Debit Card is actually a series of cards. Each level of the card depends on the amount you stake – the more you stake, the more advantages and benefits you can unlock. For example, the biggest card, Obsidian, claims to offer up to 8% CRO on most purchases.
Unfortunately, the amount you need to enter makes the bigger card useless for everyone but the most dedicated cryptocurrency enthusiasts. Indeed, the first two levels, Obsidian and Frosted Rose Gold/Icy White, are mostly practical, which makes the advertised rate “up to 8%” misleading.
Crypto.com Staking
Unlike other conventional debit and credit cards, the Crypto.com Visa Reward Card requires you to “stake” funds. “Staking” means more or less locking your funds for a certain period of time with a specific platform. In the case of Crypto.com Rewards Visa, this would be Crypto.com and its CRO token. CRO token values vary depending on the cryptocurrency market and range from $0.3 to $0.4 in Jan 2022. Basically, users lend a loan to the card issuer with their cryptocurrencies, and crypto.com offers a variety of benefits.
The entry requirement for Crypto.com Rewards Visa is USD and not CRO.
Staking must stay for six months. Once the cardholder no longer stakes their CRO, the benefits of each level automatically reduces. In order to retain rewards and benefits, users may retain their CRO membership after the initial six-month subscription period.
Crypto.com Redeeming Rewards
CRO rewards are earned on qualifying purchases, and depending on the tier of card you hold, you will earn a certain percentage. CRO rewards are instantly deposited into your account.
Obsidian
Frosted Rose Gold and Icy White
The Second highest cards. Users can choose Frosted Rose Gold or Icy White. The requirement for staking for this second tier is $40,000, which is still incredibly high. Profits have also declined, although they continue to receive a monthly discount for Spotify, Amazon Prime, and Netflix subscription services. Icy White and Frosted Rose Gold earn 5% CRO rewards on card spend. Free ATM withdrawals are allowed up to $1,000.00 per month.
Royal Indigo and Jade Green
Crypto.com Rewards Visa Tier 3 cards are also available in two options, Royal Indigo or Jade Green. The staking requirements for these cards are $4,000. Jade Green and Royal Indigo earn 3% CRO rewards on card spend. Additional benefits include a monthly cashback on Spotify and Netflix subscription services. The ATM withdrawal limit is $800 per month.
Ruby Steel
Ruby Steel is the level 4 card. A $400 subscription is required. Benefits include a monthly refund for Spotify subscriptions. Ruby Steel earns you 2% CRO rewards on card spend. ATM tax exemption limits are $500 per month.
Midnight Blue
The Midnight Blue Card is Crypto.com’s free option, meaning there are no entry requirements. The card has very few benefits. Midnight Blue earns you 1% CRO rewards on card spend. ATM deductibility is $200.00 per month. Also, unlike high-level cards, which are metal, Midnight Blue is plastic.
As of January 2022, the market value of CRO rewards is around $0.4. If you plan to earn CRO rewards for fiat currency, you should consider this amount. For instance, if you have a Ruby Steel card that earns 2% CRO rewards and makes a purchase of $1,000, you will receive $20 in CRO rewards based on the purchase price at the time of issuance.
The benefits of spending in the highlighted income categories come in the form of discounts. Cardholders are eligible for one merchant discount per month.
ATM fees are written off each month, up to a dollar amount, depending on the card. Once you reach the threshold, the fee for the withdrawal amount increases to 2% thereafter.
Is the crypto.com card worth it?
Cryptocurrency enthusiasts who are strictly looking for a way to easily access and spend their digital assets may find Crytpo.com Rewards Visa a great option. The card is full of advantages and value depending on the level, although it sometimes requires very high staking requirements. This may or may not be useful for you, given the opportunity costs of maintaining the cryptocurrency tied to the program.
For the average cryptocurrency enthusiast, at lower levels, the card only makes sense if you’ve already subscribed to digital services and your fee refunds are enough to justify what a security deposit is.
Summary
- Airport Lounge Access: Unlimited lounge access with Loungekey, which includes access to over 1,000 lounges located at over 400 airports (Jade/Indigo cards only and above).
- Earn up to 8% cashback from retailers.
- Free ATM withdrawals up to a certain amount each month, even in installments.
- Receive 10% cashback, up to $100, in monthly Airbnb credits for Obsidian Tier 1 cardholders.
- Depending on your card tier, you receive 100% cash back each month for select subscription services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Spotify.
