Shift - Bitcoin Visa Card - now available in the US

[ebliever]

So now I have a choice, I can use one of my three rewards credit cards that I pay $0 in fees of any kind for, and get 2% rebate (minimum, some stuff up to 5%). Or I can pay $10 to get a bitcoin-based credit card with 0 rewards.

Sorry, still not good enough. Merchants need to pony up and offer discounts for paying with bitcoin because it is to their advantage (no counterfeiting, chargebacks, etc.). This debit card-bitcoin approach is like hitching a horse up to your newfangled automobile. It misses the point entirely.

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[Struble]

I think that ones it starts to take off they will charge you somewhat of a fee.

I'm really skeptical about these things, there's always a catch, nothing is free.

[ultimatesky]

It's not completely free if they're going to add ads and fees later on.

Seems like it's a trap.

[InvoKing]

It's not completely free if they're going to add ads and fees later on.

Seems like it's a trap.

Ads??
About the fees since it is free now you can enjoy using it if you want then when they add a fee after few weeks/months/years maybe you can decide to continue using it or simply stop.
I find this shift card competitive to the other cards for the moment but its inconvenient is : it is limited to ~1/2 USA only...

[DGulari]

this news was really a good news,have tried so many bitcoin debit card but always got declined by some merchant,this one probably will be my main bitcoin debit card if they'd dont have any problem with checkout

Those other cards have failure mechanisms which the Coinbase card won't have because they are prepaid cards.  The Coinbase Bitcoin Visa is backed by cryptocurrency deposits.  There are many advantages doing it that way.  And far fewer problems with declines.

[Bought]

It's not completely free if they're going to add ads and fees later on.
Seems like it's a trap.

How could it be trap? You just need to pay one-time $10 issuance fee, no annual fees. It may later charge a per transaction fee. But it will  inform you  before they  implement any change. You can stop using it if you don't accept it. What problem do you still have with it?

[QQ88]

I find this shift card competitive to the other cards for the moment but its inconvenient is : it is limited to ~1/2 USA only...

Yes, it is the first bitcoin visa card based on USA.
Currently, the daily limit is $1,000 USD. Feel free to contact support@shiftpayments.com if you would like to increase your daily spending limit. IMO $1 k is enough for our daily spending.

[Jeremycoin]

This is Amazing, I want it on my country
I hope this card would be launch in another country

[error08]

it's very good news, in this way the bitcoin more advanced and easier to use in the community and this is the first step that bitcoin is increasingly recognized, hopefully in the country also happens

[Gyfts]

I thought the US was slow to get Bitcoin debit cards due to US laws and regulations on Bitcoin. What's different about this?

i really cant understand all of this hype in the media about that cards. We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

It's available in the US, that's what's new. It's pretty major.

[chek2fire]

i really cant understand all of this hype in the media about that cards. We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

[InvoKing]

i really cant understand all of this hype in the media about that cards. We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

With all respect to our friends on bit-x but coinbase is way popular and have thousands of users (read somewhere that they have more than 1-3 millions? Not sure) especially in the USA so it is normal to see shift cards on the media 

[Tmdz]

Its really is not progress for bitcoin but a option to move coins around.  Progress would of course be merchants accepting pure bitcoin and the transaction process already in place.  BUT if merchants start to notice people are interested in using bitcoins they might start to think, I can offer a true bitcoin  payment option and all my transactions will be free as the sender pays the mining fee and no charge backs from fraud etc.

[vinaha]

Xapo still has a better deal. Coinbase has far too much KYC.

Did I miss something or is Xapo now shipping cards to the US?

[DGulari]

We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

Bit-X is a scam with large fees and merely a 'prepaid' card.  You sell your bitcoin to someone who loads your prepaid card with value. it is not a true bitcoin card at all.  Coinbase is a card which has a deposit account backing that is done in bitcoin.  You hold bitcoin all the time.  When a charge comes in, some bitcoin is converted to $$$ to pay the merchant.  Totally different thing.  Bit-x doesn't do US.  Bit-X has shitloads of fees.  Bit-X is a prepaid card.  You could sell coconuts to some lunatic who would put $100 on a prepaid card.  Does that make it a 'coconut Visa'?  no, it just makes it a prepaid card getting charged up by some coconut dealer.  Coinbase has a completely different system. 

[SecretsCoin]

This is a very good development as I think we need more competition in this area. Currently the only two viable cards, in my opinion, are those offered by Xapo and Bit-x so its good to see another player enter the field. The fact that it launches with no fees should hopefully create some sort of competition leading to the existing providers to either drop their fees a little and or to run 'no fees' promotions.
i think so~~

[coinpr0n]

We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

Bit-X is a scam with large fees and merely a 'prepaid' card.  You sell your bitcoin to someone who loads your prepaid card with value. it is not a true bitcoin card at all.  Coinbase is a card which has a deposit account backing that is done in bitcoin.  You hold bitcoin all the time.  When a charge comes in, some bitcoin is converted to $$$ to pay the merchant.  Totally different thing.  Bit-x doesn't do US.  Bit-X has shitloads of fees.  Bit-X is a prepaid card.  You could sell coconuts to some lunatic who would put $100 on a prepaid card.  Does that make it a 'coconut Visa'?  no, it just makes it a prepaid card getting charged up by some coconut dealer.  Coinbase has a completely different system. 

Not sure I would call the Bit-X a scam, but the prepaid part is true and a very important part of the deal for me. For that reason the Coinbase/Shift card looks like a great deal. Wish I could use it.

[Amph]

We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

Bit-X is a scam with large fees and merely a 'prepaid' card.  You sell your bitcoin to someone who loads your prepaid card with value. it is not a true bitcoin card at all.  Coinbase is a card which has a deposit account backing that is done in bitcoin.  You hold bitcoin all the time.  When a charge comes in, some bitcoin is converted to $$$ to pay the merchant.  Totally different thing.  Bit-x doesn't do US.  Bit-X has shitloads of fees.  Bit-X is a prepaid card.  You could sell coconuts to some lunatic who would put $100 on a prepaid card.  Does that make it a 'coconut Visa'?  no, it just makes it a prepaid card getting charged up by some coconut dealer.  Coinbase has a completely different system. 

bit-x was free at the beginning for many user, so it's the same situation for this card free at the start and then enormous free it's a market gimmick

but it was no where near something that i would call a scam, bit-x is still here they are not running away with any money...

[Mickeyb]

We already have this cards like bit-x in almost one year now. There is nothing new here

Bit-X is a scam with large fees and merely a 'prepaid' card.  You sell your bitcoin to someone who loads your prepaid card with value. it is not a true bitcoin card at all.  Coinbase is a card which has a deposit account backing that is done in bitcoin.  You hold bitcoin all the time.  When a charge comes in, some bitcoin is converted to $$$ to pay the merchant.  Totally different thing.  Bit-x doesn't do US.  Bit-X has shitloads of fees.  Bit-X is a prepaid card.  You could sell coconuts to some lunatic who would put $100 on a prepaid card.  Does that make it a 'coconut Visa'?  no, it just makes it a prepaid card getting charged up by some coconut dealer.  Coinbase has a completely different system. 

It's kinda a harsh calling something a scam when you had all the fees and the way of doing business laid out in front of you before you have subscribed for a service.

I am not saying Bit X cards are perfect but they are definitely not a scam!

[MCHouston]

Well, I got my Shift card today, tied to Coinbase for BTC.  Activated and ready to go. What should I try and buy first? Kind of excited to try it out and see how it works.