A crypto credit card is a regular rewards card that pays you in bitcoin or another coin instead of points. Three things sort them: what you earn with no strings attached, what the top rate really requires, and what the card costs to keep.
Top picks
Gemini Credit Card
Coinbase One Card
Crypto.com Visa SignatureTerms read on each issuer’s site at this update. Credit cards are subject to credit approval. Crypto rewards can lose value.
Compare crypto credit cards
The low end of each range is what you earn with no subscription, stake or balance. All five are credit cards that take applications from U.S. residents.
| Card | Rewards | Paid in | Annual fee | Foreign fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Credit Card | 1% to 4% | Bitcoin or 50+ coins | $0 | None | Open account |
| Coinbase One Card | 2% to 4% | Bitcoin | $0 with Coinbase One | None | Open account |
| Crypto.com Visa Signature Credit Card | 1.5% to 6% | Bitcoin or CRO | $0 | 3% | Sign up |
| Fold Bitcoin Credit Card | 1.5% to 5% | Bitcoin | $0 | None | Visit Fold |
| Venmo Credit Card | 1% to 4% | Cash back or crypto | $0 | None | Visit Venmo |
Terms read on each issuer’s site at this update. Credit cards are subject to credit approval. Crypto rewards can lose value.
The 5 best crypto credit cards
Ranked by what a typical cardholder earns without a subscription, a stake or a large balance on the platform.
1. Gemini Credit Card
Best overallWhy we picked it It asks for nothing beyond approval: no annual fee, no subscription, no balance to hold and no token to stake. You can switch the coin you earn at any time.
- No annual or foreign fee
- Rewards arrive as you spend
- 4% capped at $300 a month
- Most purchases earn 1%
Credit card. Mastercard World Elite issued by WebBank. Subject to credit approval. See the Gemini card page, the rates and fees and the Rewards Program Terms.
2. Coinbase One Card
Best flat rateWhy we picked it Every purchase earns at least 2% in bitcoin, the highest base rate here. You need a Coinbase One membership, which starts at $49.99 a year. About $2,500 a year in spending covers it.
- 2% minimum, no categories
- No foreign transaction fee
- Paid membership required
- 4% needs $200,000 at Coinbase
Credit card on the American Express network, issued by First Electronic Bank. An active, paid Coinbase One membership is required. Subject to credit approval. See the Coinbase One Card page, the rates and fees and the rewards terms.
3. Crypto.com Visa Signature Credit Card
Best welcome bonusWhy we picked it The free tier earns 1.5% and, when we checked, came with a $100 bonus in CRO after $1,500 in purchases in 90 days. The Plus tier costs $4.99 a month and earns 3.5%.
- Free tier, no stake needed
- Earn bitcoin or CRO
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- Monthly cap on bitcoin rewards
Credit card. Visa Signature issued by Comenity Capital Bank. The welcome bonus is paid in CRO and advertised as a limited-time offer. Credit card offers are subject to credit approval. See the Crypto.com card page, the rates and fees and the Rewards Terms.
4. Fold Bitcoin Credit Card
Best for bitcoin onlyWhy we picked it It pays a flat 1.5% in bitcoin on every purchase, with no cap and no categories. The higher rates are for people who keep $15,000 or more in Fold Reserve.
- Uncapped 1.5% in bitcoin
- No annual or foreign fee
- Rewards locked for 30 days
- Boosts need a big Reserve balance
Credit card. Visa issued by Celtic Bank. A Fold account is required. Credit subject to approval. See the Fold card page, the cardholder agreement and the rewards terms.
5. Venmo Credit Card
Best for cash back you can turn into cryptoWhy we picked it A mainstream cash back card with one crypto feature. Turn on auto purchase and each month’s cash back buys bitcoin, ether, litecoin or bitcoin cash with no crypto transaction fee. Leave it off and keep the cash.
- Cash or crypto, your choice
- No annual or foreign fee
- Most purchases earn 1%
- Crypto prices include a spread
Credit card. Visa issued by Synchrony Bank. You need a Venmo account that has been open at least 30 days. An approved application results in a hard credit inquiry. See the Venmo card page, the terms and rates, the rewards program terms and the Cash Back to Crypto Terms.
Reward tiers, caps and APRs
The detail behind each range, from the issuer’s rewards terms and cardholder agreement.
| Card | How the rate is set | Caps and conditions | Purchase APR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Credit Card | 4% on gas, EV charging and transit. 3% on dining. 2% on groceries. 1% on everything else. | The 4% rate covers the first $300 a month in that category, then 1%. Some rewards are deposited when the transaction posts. | 16.74% to 34.74% |
| Coinbase One Card | 2% with under $10,000 in assets on Coinbase. 2.5% from $10,000. 3% from $50,000. 4% from $200,000. | Rates above 2% cover the first $10,000 in purchases a month, then 2%. If the membership lapses, the card account may be closed. | 19.49% to 29.49% |
| Crypto.com Visa Signature Credit Card | Basic, free: 1.5%. Plus, $4.99 a month or $500 of CRO staked: 3.5%. Pro, $29.99 a month or $5,000 staked: 4.5%. Private, $50,000 or $500,000 staked: 5% or 6%. | CRO rewards have no cap. Bitcoin earns the tier rate on the first $250 to $10,000 of purchases a month, depending on the tier, then 1% on Basic and 2% on the others. | 17.49%, 25.49% or 31.49% |
| Fold Bitcoin Credit Card | 1.5% base. With a Fold Reserve balance: 1.75% at $15,000, 2% at $25,000, 3% at $50,000, 4% at $75,000 and 5% at $100,000. | The boost covers the first $5,000 of purchases a month. Rewards are locked for 30 days after a purchase settles. | 20.49% to 29.49% |
| Venmo Credit Card | 3% on dining and entertainment, plus 1% when you split the bill and friends pay you back in the app within 30 days. 3% when you pay with Venmo. 1% on everything else. | Cash back goes to your Venmo account. With auto purchase on, it buys crypto at the end of each month. | 18.74%, 27.74% or 30.74% |
APRs are variable and are the figures in each issuer’s cardholder agreement or terms at this update. Crypto.com stakes are 12-month CRO stakes, and its welcome bonus is $100 after $1,500 in purchases on Basic, $200 after $2,000 on Plus and $300 after $5,000 on Pro and Private, within 90 days of account opening. Coinbase One Basic must be an annual plan, and the Coinbase One Card is available in the United States only, excluding U.S. territories. Fold’s card page still described an earlier bonus structure with a 4% maximum when we checked, so confirm your rate in the app. Fold describes Fold Reserve as stored value that is redeemable only for Fold products and services, not for cash, and rewards left unredeemed through 12 consecutive months of account inactivity can be forfeited. Venmo’s crypto services are provided by PayPal Digital, Inc.
A crypto reward only beats cash back if you wanted the crypto anyway. A cash back card pays you in dollars that you can spend, save or use to buy bitcoin on your own schedule. If that sounds more like you, start with a regular rewards card.
How crypto credit cards work
The card is ordinary. The reward is the part that is different.
You pay in dollars and you owe dollars. A bank issues the card, it runs on Visa, Mastercard or American Express, and the statement, the due date and the interest work the way they do on any credit card. Applying is a credit application, so your credit matters. If your score needs work first, here is how to improve your credit score.
Each purchase earns a percentage back. The card’s partner turns that into crypto and deposits it in your account on its platform. From then on the value moves with the market. When you want dollars again, you sell there, and it is worth knowing how that platform’s costs compare with the best crypto exchanges.
MoreCryptocurrency 101: a beginner’s guide
Crypto debit and prepaid cards
These four are not credit cards. They spend money or crypto you already have, with no credit line and no statement to pay off.
| Card | Type and issuer | Rewards | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase Card | Visa prepaid debit card issued by Pathward, N.A. | Rewards at a variable rate shown in the Coinbase app | No credit check and no annual fee. A spread applies when Coinbase converts crypto. All states except Hawaii. | Open account |
| Crypto.com Prepaid Visa Card | Visa prepaid card issued by Community Federal Savings Bank | 0% on the free tier. 1.5% to 4.5% in CRO with a subscription or a CRO stake, up to a monthly limit. | Free ATM withdrawals of $200 to $1,000 a month, depending on the tier. | Sign up |
| Fold Card | Visa prepaid debit card issued by Sutton Bank | Bitcoin on eligible purchases. Fold’s page does not publish a rate. | Tied to a Fold spending account with routing and account numbers, provided by Lead Bank. | Visit Fold |
| Krak Card | Visa debit card issued by Lead Bank | Up to 2% in dollars or bitcoin. The rate depends on your average balance. | No monthly or annual fee. A spread and foreign exchange fees can apply. Not available in New York, Maine, Massachusetts or Indiana. | Visit Krak |
Paying with crypto from one of these cards is a sale of that crypto. The IRS counts trading a digital asset for goods or services as a disposal, so every swipe can create a small gain or loss to track. Loading the card with dollars avoids that.
MoreBest places to buy bitcoin and crypto
Taxes, price swings and custody
Four things that matter more with crypto rewards than with points or cash back.
The IRS treats digital assets as property, not currency. Its digital assets guidance has no rule written only for card rewards. It does list receiving crypto as a reward among the reasons to answer Yes to the digital asset question on Form 1040. Selling, swapping or spending crypto you hold creates a capital gain or loss. Save the date and dollar value of every reward.
A reward is priced in dollars when you earn it. After that it rises and falls with the market, and the loss is yours if it falls. A 2% reward that drops by half is a 1% reward.
Rewards land in an account at the card’s partner, not in a wallet you control. Crypto is not a bank deposit, and Fold and Venmo both state that crypto held with them is not FDIC insured. Fold also holds rewards for 30 days before you can withdraw them.
Purchase APRs on these five cards run from 16.74% to 34.74% at this update. No reward on this page covers that. Pay the statement in full every month, or use a different card for anything you need time to pay off.
How we chose these
Card type, issuing bank and network, annual fee, reward rate and the asset it is paid in, what the top rate requires, monthly caps and the foreign transaction fee.
Every figure comes from the issuer’s own card page, rewards terms or cardholder agreement at this update. Where an issuer does not publish a number, we say so.
Cards that were discontinued or are closed to new U.S. applicants are not listed. Terms in this category change often, so confirm them with the issuer before you apply.
Crypto credit card FAQs
For most people it is the Gemini Credit Card. It has no annual fee, no subscription and no balance requirement, and it pays 1% to 4% back in bitcoin or more than 50 other coins. If you want a higher flat rate, the Coinbase One Card pays at least 2% in bitcoin on everything, but it needs a Coinbase One membership that starts at $49.99 a year.
Yes. The Gemini Credit Card, the Coinbase One Card, the Crypto.com Visa Signature Credit Card and the Fold Bitcoin Credit Card all pay rewards in bitcoin and take applications from U.S. residents. The Venmo Credit Card pays cash back and can use it to buy bitcoin for you each month.
The IRS treats digital assets as property, and its digital asset guidance has no rule written only for card rewards. It lists receiving crypto as a reward among the reasons to answer Yes to the digital asset question on Form 1040, and selling or spending crypto you hold creates a capital gain or loss. Coinbase says bitcoin back from its card is not reported on the 1099 forms it generates. Keep a record of the date and dollar value of each reward, and ask a tax professional how to report yours.
Yes. They are regular credit cards, so approval depends on your credit. Coinbase says you can see if you are approved with no credit score impact, and Crypto.com checks whether you prequalify with a soft inquiry. Venmo says an approved application results in a hard inquiry. Crypto debit cards are different. Coinbase says its debit card has no credit check.
No. A crypto credit card lends you money and pays its rewards in crypto. A crypto debit or prepaid card spends money or crypto you already have. The Coinbase Card, the Crypto.com Prepaid Visa Card, the Fold Card and the Krak Card are all debit or prepaid cards.
Neither one is available. BlockFi went bankrupt, and its website now only handles distributions to former customers. Upgrade no longer offers its Bitcoin Rewards card.
Only if you want to own the crypto. A reward paid in bitcoin can be worth more or less by the time you sell it, while cash back holds its value and lets you buy crypto whenever you choose. Carrying a balance cancels out either kind of reward, because purchase APRs on these cards run from about 17% to about 35%.
