Our take
Investors love cryptocurrency for its security, privacy, and growth potential. What's not so great about it is spending it. While more major companies are starting to accept crypto, many still don't accept cryptocurrency, and options for spending it are limited.
A Coinbase card makes spending cryptocurrency a lot easier. But does the Coinbase card live up to the hype? Find out in our full review of Coinbase cards below.
What Is a Coinbase Card?
Coinbase is a Bitcoin brokerage service that lets you buy, sell, and manage your cryptocurrency. That includes a digital wallet where you can store your crypto.
Coinbase boasts over 10-million customers, and the facilitation of $50-billion of crypto. It serves over 30 countries, and allows users to trade Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Litecoin to name just a few. One of Coinbase's latest enterprises is the Coinbase Card, a cryptocurrency Visa debit card that lets you easily spend the crypto in your wallet.
Released in April of 2019, the Coinbase Card is now available across the UK and Europe. It automatically transfers the funds in your Coinbase wallet into GBP when used at a retailer. The biggest advantage is that it's a Visa debit card, meaning you can use it just about anywhere you want.
That all sounds great, but how is it in practice? Let's take a closer look.
USD Margin Lending- Return rates optimized daily
- Secure, stable investment growth
- No minimum
- No lock-up period, withdraw anytime
Easy to use
One of the biggest upsides to the Coinbase Card is how easy it is to use.
The Coinbase card is used just like any other Visa debit card. You set it up online (including a PIN), Coinbase sends you your card, and you can get spending the funds in your Coinbase wallet. You can tap or insert with the Coinbase card, and the ease of use doesn't stop there.
Coinbase has also set up a Coinbase Card app that lets you spend your funds right from your phone. The digital card is tapped on any debit machine just like a card. That means you can spend your cryptocurrency almost anywhere, whether it's for groceries, a pizza delivery, or a trip to the movies. You can also use your Coinbase Card at online retailers!
(Note: You still need the Coinbase Card to use the app. The virtual card is issued with the physical one.)
Adding funds to your Coinbase Card is easy, too. You can add funds through debit, credit, wire, and bank transfer. You can load it with EUR, GBP, or USD, and it supports 24 different kinds of crypto. There's never been a more convenient way to spend crypto.
Affordable fees
Every crypto debit card comes with conversion fees. Coinbase works hard to keep those fees affordable.
The Coinbase Card comes with zero account management fees, whereas other cards charge a monthly fee just to keep it going. You charge a low £5.00's to get the card, and your ATM withdrawal fee is free up to £200 per month. You're only charged 1% on anything above that £200 limit.
The transaction fee differs depending on where you're spending your funds. Domestic transactions are free, with fees in the EU at 0.2%, and international fees at 3%. There's a 2.49% liquidation fee on top of all of this.
If you keep your spending domestic or within the EU, you're looking at very competitive fees here.
Your daily spending limit is a whopping £10,000 per day, letting you spend without worry. The only major downside is the lack of cashback with purchases. Still, Coinbase Card offers an affordable way to spend your crypto.
Widely available
The Coinbase Card is one of the most accepted crypto debit cards across countries. While it only serves Europe right now, Coinbase Card is available in many European countries. These include:
The UK
France
Germany
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Latvia
Iceland
Finland
Spain
Romania
Sweden
Poland
Lithuania
Austria
Greece
You can find a complete list of accepted countries on the Coinbase website. The important takeaway is just how many places you can use the Coinbase Card in. This ensures you can spend your crypto even if vacationing to another part of Europe.
Tons of Supported Cryptocurrencies
If you like to invest in a few different cryptocurrencies, you're in luck. Coinbase Card can transfer a wide variety of crypto into spendable funds through the Coinbase Card. Accepted cryptocurrencies include:
A full list is available on the website, including over 30 different types of crypto. If you can trade it on Coinbase, you can use it through your Coinbase Card. There's no need to mess around converting your crypto into anything specific -- just tap and spend.
Safe and secure
One of the main concerns crypto investors have about Crypto Cards is security.
Coinbase uses top-of-the-line, bank-level encryption services on their servers, ensuring your funds are kept safe no matter how they're used. A large percentage of your funds are held offline to ensure they're kept as safe as possible. Coinbase goes to great lengths to follow the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulation, as laid out in their privacy policy.
Your card is protected with a PIN like any Visa debit, and you can change that PIN whenever you like online. You've also got all the same options for chargebacks or fraudulent activity reports as a regular debit card. With the Coinbase Card, you don't need to worry about your safety.
Compare with Coinbase alternatives
Similar Debit Cards
Take control of your crypto with a Coinbase Card
If you've been waiting for the perfect crypto debit card, look no further than the Coinbase Card. With tons of supported currencies, low fees, security measures, and wide availability, there's no better way to take control of your crypto.
Click here to compare the Coinbase Card with other popular crypto cards at Bitcompare.net.