
Companies started to offer crypto back rewards for credit card transactions, from business expenses to monthly subscription payments.
Receiving cashback from your credit and debit card purchases has been a long-time benefit for credit card users. However, crypto entered the scene as projects start to implement crypto back rewards for card purchases.
Back in 2021, BlockFi launched a Visa-backed Bitcoin rewards card as a way to welcome users into the crypto ecosystem. With the card, users can get 1.5% back in Bitcoin (BTC) instead of other rewards like cashback or miles.
In the same year, Venmo also employed mechanics that allows users to buy crypto with their cashback rewards. A program called Cash Back to Crypto allowed credit card users to spend their cashback rewards on crypto-assets like BTC, Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
Some companies started to follow the trend and integrated new crypto rewards for the old cashback mechanic. Let’s have a look at two projects that started to provide crypto rewards for card purchases.
Payments platform Paystand announced the introduction of a corporate expense card that offers crypto rewards. Through the card, businesses can get Bitcoin back without needing to redeem points. Through this, users can earn BTC automatically as they make purchases for their business.
Jeremy Almond, the CEO and co-founder of Paystand, expressed his excitement over their project's new offering. "We believe blockchain technology and cryptocurrency is the future of finance, and we’re excited to help businesses participate and grow in the digital economy,” he said.
Related: We have to be in the crypto space, Mastercard CEO says
A project called Plutus started offering 3 percent crypto back on Nike purchases back in 2020. More recently, the company announced that it’s extending its crypto back rewards to payments for subscriptions such as Netflix, Spotify, Disney+ and more.
Apart from this, the company has also revealed that they will increase the cryptoback rewards to 8%. This means that when users purchase with their cards, they are automatically accumulating crypto.
Owners of the Visa-backed Bitcoin rewards card amassed over 124 BTC collectively over 90 days, BlockFi data shows.
Bitcoin (BTC) turned out to be a far more attractive prize than airline miles or other cashback rewards, new data from BlockFi suggests.
It’s been three months since the New York-based crypto loans startup launched its Visa-backed Bitcoin rewards credit cards, BlockFi Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card, to customers. The card offers rewards in Bitcoin instead of using a more traditional points system.
According to the company, if the average Bitcoin rewards card owner continues the shopping habit seen in these first three months, they'll be on track to spend more than $30,000 per year on average. This is almost six times the average of $5,111 per cardholder in the United States.
“The fact that cardholders are pacing towards over 2 billion dollars in annualized spend reinforces BlockFi’s mission to provide clients with broader access to financial products and services that allow them to invest in cryptocurrency more easily,” BlockFi Co-founder and CEO Zac Prince told Cointelegraph.
BlockFi said its Bitcoin rewards card has grown past 50,000 owners across all 49 states, excluding New York, where the card is not available. California accounts for over 20% of total spending while Washington D.C., California, Texas and Florida follow as the highest spending states.
Related: AMC Theatres debuts crypto payments for e-gift card purchases
Cardholders have amassed more than 124 BTC in rewards collectively during the program’s first three months, with Costco, Amazon and Home Depot being the top three merchants. The spending behavior ranges from everyday purchases like groceries, utilities, and home improvement projects to more significant purchases.
“For the Bitcoin maximalist, Compass Mining has been a top merchant for those who want to earn even more bitcoin from their home mining rigs,” the announcement reads.
Available to use anywhere Visa is accepted, BlockFi’s card enables its owners to earn 1.5% back in the original cryptocurrency with an introductory 3.5% rate. Due to the price movements of Bitcoin, cardholders who were paid out rewards at their 3.5% intro rate made an effective rate of over 4.25%. Customers earning the standard 1.5% back were also getting a 1.8% effective rate, the BlockFi team explained for Cointelegraph.
Bitcoin web browser-based coupon app Lolli has secured a $5 million investment led by Serena William, her husband Alexis Ohanian’s independent venture funds, and Night Beast, the talent manager of famous YouTuber Mr. Beast.
Lolli concluded its Series A investment of $5 million. It’s the firm’s second funding in less than a year after a $3 million round in May 2020 led by actor Ashton Kutcher and Youtuber Michelle Phan.
The Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge extension gives BTC cashback for payment at Lolli’s partner websites while the extension is in “active” mode.
During the sale season this last winter, the reward’s app added eBay to its partners’ list, including Walmart, GoDaddy, Microsoft, Nike, and many other popular brands.
The 23-time grand slam winner Serena Williams noted in the press release:
“I’m excited to announce my investment in Lolli, a company on a mission to make Bitcoin more accessible. Earning and owning Bitcoin is a step towards financial inclusivity for all people.”
The extension is only active only in the U.S., and the company plans to use the investment for “international expansion.”
Lolli is promoting Bitcoin payments to reduce the cost of payments for merchants, who otherwise would have to pay 1-5% to card companies and other payment providers.
Bitcoin transactions are made unfeasible due to the high transfer fee—currently, the average fee for sending a BTC transaction is $15. However, concerning international remittances and payments, Bitcoin’s fee is comparatively cheaper than wire transfer costs.
Lolli offers an average of 7% cashback—ranging between 2-30%—for just opening a chrome extension. Its business model is based on mainstream rewards app Honey, acquired by PayPal.
With companies like Tesla enabling Bitcoin payments and PayPal and Starbucks designing respective crypto payment products, Lolli can bridge retail merchants and payment providers.
Disclosure: The author held Bitcoin at the time of press.