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Uphold Card Review
Accessible to Uphold Exchange users in the US and UK, the Uphold Card is a Mastercard debit card that can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. There is a virtual card available for both US and UK users and a physical card available for UK users with one coming soon for the US. The Uphold Card has no annual fees or activation fees and those who are limited to the virtual card can add it to their Apple or Google Pay wallets and spend in person that way.
The Uphold Card allows you to spend any asset you hold in your Uphold wallet, whether cryptocurrencies, precious metals, commodities, or fiat. Any time you make a purchase using the Uphold Card you get 2% cashback in the form of Ripple (XRP). This cryptoback can then be spent or converted to any of the assets available on Uphold, whether Bitcoin or gold. Find out if the Uphold Card is right for you in our Uphold Card Review.
Uphold Card Overview
- Simple but effective card for using your crypto for everyday purchases
- Up to 2% (XRP) cashback available to users
- No foreign transaction fees or annual fees
- Spend directly from your Uphold trading account, no need to add funds to the card
Uphold Card Pros & Cons
Pros
Can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted
2% cryptoback in Ripple
No need to top the card up, simply add funds to your connected Uphold account
FCA Regulated
Cons
Not available to all jurisdictions where Uphold is available
Not available in all US states
What is the Uphold Card?
The Uphold Card is a Mastercard Debit card offered by Uphold Exchange. There is a virtual card available for both US and UK users, with a physical card available for UK users and one coming soon for US ones.
The card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted both online and in person, with no annual fees or activation fees.
What are the Benefits of the Uphold Card?
There are many benefits to using the Uphold Mastercard card when compared to some of the other options on the market.
First of all, the fees are extremely reasonable. Yes, they are a bit obscured due to the way their fee structures work, but cardholders will usually end up paying a fee around 1% for turning bitcoin into real cash that can be spent via the Uphold Card. These fees are even more reasonable when you consider the fact that you’ll be able to earn up to 2% cashback rewards on purchases. The fact that these cashback rewards are enabled without the use of a proprietary token is another key fact to consider.
Uphold is also a reputable company that has been operating in the cryptocurrency space since 2014. This means that you can worry less about regulators eventually cracking down on this card offering or having your funds lost due to an eventually rug pulling.
The Uphold Card also supports a wide variety of different digital assets. Users are able to move between fiat currencies, cryptocurrencies, and precious metals at the click of a button. That said, it should be noted that many of these asset exchanges will incur fees larger than the usual 1% associated with movements between U.S. dollars and bitcoin.
Finally, another benefit to consider with Uphold is that you’re able to place funds into accounts that earn interest on your digital asset holdings.
Potential Uphold Card Dealbreakers
Of course, there are some downsides to the Uphold Card as well. The biggest dealbreaker for many will be the simple fact that this card is not yet widely available. It is currently only available in the United States, and even there, there is limited availability at this time.
The other major downside of the card is that US users get a virtual Uphold Card, but can’t get a physical one yet. This means that you can’t use your Uphold Card in person unless you add it to your Apple Pay or Google Pay wallets. This is a good workaround for US users who want to use their Uphold Card at physical businesses.
Is the Uphold Card Right for Me?
As long as you are a US or UK citizen, there’s no real reason not to try the Uphold Card. With a nice cashback bonus and the ability to spend any funds in your Uphold account without having to load the card, it’s a convenient way to spend crypto or any other asset you may hold. However, if you’re Canadian, or in another area where the Uphold Card isn’t offered, then the Uphold Card won’t be right for you.
Those who cannot get the Uphold Card should consider looking into the other crypto cards that we’ve reviewed. Check them out here.
Uphold Card Frequently Asked Questions
To get a crypto debit card from Uphold, you will first need to download the Uphold Card app. Once the app is downloaded, you can then start the sign-up process for the Bitcoin prepaid card. First, you’ll need to verify your phone number with Uphold. This is a familiar process that involves receiving a text message with a string of numbers in it and then inserting that string of numbers into the Uphold app. Once you’ve verified your phone number, you will then want to Connect your Uphold account. This process is completely by simply logging into your Uphold account from within the Uphold Card app. After that, you’ll be able to order your physical Uphold Mastercard card.
Yes, but there are some states where it is not available: Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, and Virginia. Only virtual cards are available for US residents, no physical cards yet, but they’re coming.
The card is also available in the UK.
The virtual Uphold card is free, as is the physical card, however, you do have to pay a shipping fee of £9.95 to receive the physical card. There is a physical card for US customers coming.
The Uphold Card can be used anywhere that Mastercard is accepted.
There are no fees for using the Uphold Card, but there are fees for ATM withdrawals.
Yes, you get 2% cashback in the form of Ripple (XRP) for every transaction made using the Uphold Card.
