Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, is rolling out a branded credit card offering Bitcoin rewards as it aims to attract new users to its growing subscription platform, Coinbase One.
Set to start this fall in partnership with American Express, the Coinbase One Card will provide up to 4% back in Bitcoin on everyday purchases. The product will initially be available only to U.S.-based subscribers of Coinbase One, which offers zero trading fees, improved staking rewards, and other premium features.
The new card marks a significant step for Coinbase as it works to shift away from its dependency on trading fees, which have historically made up the bulk of its revenue.
Coinbase’s Vice President of Product, Max Branzburg, said the new rewards card represents an evolution in how users engage with the platform. “Our customers are graduating from just creating accounts to now using Coinbase as a primary financial account,” he told Decrypt.
The Coinbase One Card is designed to bring cryptocurrency into everyday spending habits. Offering Bitcoin rewards directly to users aligns with Coinbase’s strategy of increasing user loyalty and onboarding traditional finance users into digital assets.
Branzburg also hinted at potential expansions for the product, suggesting that Coinbase could eventually offer rewards in other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or Solana. “We’ve talked about every different flavor of this card that we could do,” he said. “We’ll integrate with market demand to offer more tokens, different types of rewards, and different card designs.”
Since the start of Coinbase One in 2023, the company has been expanding its subscription model to create more predictable and diversified revenue streams. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Coinbase reported $698.1 million in subscription and services revenue, representing a 9% increase over the previous quarter.
That same quarter, Coinbase’s total revenue was $2.03 billion, up 24% year-over-year but down 10% from the previous quarter—further underscoring the importance of steady subscription income during volatile trading cycles.
Coinbase One now has over 1 million subscribers, reflecting growing demand for crypto-based financial products that offer both convenience and value.
The timing of the Coinbase One Card start comes amid shifting regulatory landscapes in the U.S. After a period of uncertainty, the government has implemented clearer frameworks for crypto products, paving the way for more mainstream offerings like crypto-backed credit cards.
Branzburg confirmed that recent regulatory developments helped drive the company’s decision to move forward with the product. “We’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” he said. “With everything that’s happening, now is the right time.”
This sentiment mirrors a broader trend among Fortune 500 firms and financial institutions that are increasingly investing in blockchain-based services. According to Coinbase’s own research, nearly 60% of Fortune 500 companies are exploring blockchain applications, and roughly 20% view it as central to their strategic goals.
Coinbase is entering a competitive space already populated by several crypto-friendly rewards cards, including offerings from BlockFi, Gemini, and Crypto.com. However, most of these cards offer crypto rewards in multiple tokens. Coinbase’s focus on Bitcoin, at least initially, gives it a clear and familiar value proposition, especially for newer crypto users.
Moreover, the company’s partnership with American Express lends credibility and access to a broad user base already comfortable with card-based rewards programs. With AmEx’s extensive network and Coinbase’s crypto-native infrastructure, the collaboration could bring digital currency rewards to a larger consumer audience.
As Coinbase aims to turn its platform into a hub for digital finance, products like the Coinbase One Card play a critical role in retaining and expanding its user base. If successful, the rewards card could serve as a gateway for consumers who are crypto-curious but hesitant to engage in direct trading.
With flexible plans to include other cryptocurrencies as rewards, customizable designs, and evolving benefits, Coinbase’s new product has the potential to evolve into a flagship offering for the exchange—especially as competition grows fiercer among both fintech firms and legacy financial players.
At a time when the broader crypto market is experiencing a surge in mainstream acceptance, Coinbase’s Bitcoin rewards card may prove to be a key piece of its long-term growth strategy.
A finance graduate, Maheen Hernandez has been drawn to cryptocurrencies ever since Bitcoin first emerged in 2009. Nearly a decade later, Maheen is actively working to spread awareness about cryptocurrencies as well as their impact on the traditional currencies. Appreciate the work? Send a tip to: 0x75395Ea9a42d2742E8d0C798068DeF3590C5Faa5
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