Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa Card Review

Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® review: Earn unlimited bitcoin rewards

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This offer is no longer available on our site: Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa®

The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® is no longer available. For an alternative, check out our review of the Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa®.

Pros

Earns bitcoin rewards
Fixed monthly payments

Cons

Not a traditional credit card
Bitcoin rewards are restricted
Rewards not earned at time of purchase

What you need to know about the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa®

The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® is actually a revolving line of credit. Similar to a personal loan, with this card you’ll have a fixed interest rate and pay off your purchases with a predictable, fixed monthly payment over time.

Let’s take a closer look at some of this card’s important features.

Earns bitcoin rewards

With this card, you can earn unlimited 1.5% bitcoin rewards on purchases. Some rewards credit cards allow you to earn rewards at the time of purchase, but with the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® you’ll only earn your cryptocurrency rewards when you make a payment on your balance. If you apply for the card through Credit Karma, you might see different rewards offers.

While earning bitcoin rewards may be appealing to some people who are interested in investing in cryptocurrency, there are some restrictions around the bitcoin rewards you can earn:

Bitcoin rewards are held by a third party, NYDIG, meaning you won’t be able to transfer your bitcoin into a separate wallet.
You can sell the bitcoin and get a statement credit, but all sales are subject to a 1.5% transaction fee.

Potential for lower APR

Purchase APRs for the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® range from 14.99% - 29.99%, with the lowest rates requiring cardholders to sign up for autopay. The APR you’ll receive depends on several factors, including your credit history. Lines of credit range from $500 to $50,000, but most people have limits under $25,000.

And if you want to see what rate and limit you may qualify for before submitting a formal application, you can apply for prequalification without affecting your credit score.

Other things to consider about the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® card

Potential sign-up bonus — You can earn a $200 bitcoin bonus if you open and fund an Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus account and make three debit card transactions within 60 days of account opening. You may see different offers on Credit Karma.
Not available in all states — The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa® card isn’t available for application in every state, so check your eligibility before you submit an application.

Who this card is good for

If you’re into cryptocurrency and looking for a way to earn bitcoin rewards with everyday credit card purchases, this card could be an interesting choice. And if the bitcoin you earn appreciates, you could benefit even more over time.

But in reality, the potential amount of bitcoin you can earn, though unlimited, may not amount to much thanks to a low rewards rate, plus the transaction fees you’ll get hit with. If you’re looking for a more reliable way to earn cash back — that you can even opt to invest in bitcoin on your own terms — you may want to consider a more traditional cash back rewards card.

About the author: Lance Cothern is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. His work has appeared on Business Insider, USA Today.com and his website, MoneyManifesto.com. Lance holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in … Read more.