BitPay

BitPay is one of the oldest and most established cryptocurrency payment processors, founded in 2011 by Stephen Pair and Tony Gallippi and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Over more than a decade, BitPay has processed billions of dollars in crypto payments and built a full-featured product suite spanning merchant payment processing, a non-custodial wallet, bill pay, gift cards, and a reloadable prepaid debit card.

About the BitPay Card

The BitPay Card is a prepaid Mastercard debit card launched in June 2020 that lets holders instantly convert cryptocurrency held in their BitPay Wallet into spendable fiat loaded onto the card. It works anywhere Mastercard debit is accepted — online, in-store, contactless, and at ATMs — and supports Apple Pay. The card bridges the gap between self-custodied crypto and everyday spending, letting users keep control of their private keys until the moment they load the card.

BitPay developed the BitPay Card in partnership with Mastercard, and the card carries an EMV security chip plus contactless-tap support. The virtual card is issued immediately on approval, and the physical card ships afterward.

Who is the BitPay Card for?

The BitPay Card is built for US-based crypto holders who want to spend their Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin or stablecoins at everyday merchants without first selling on an exchange and wiring fiat to a bank. It suits long-term holders who want on-demand liquidity from their portfolio, gig workers and remote professionals paid in crypto, and anyone who already uses the self-custodial BitPay Wallet. It is less ideal for frequent international travelers (because of the 3% foreign transaction fee) or users outside the United States.

Eligibility & how to apply

To get the BitPay Card you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States (all 50 states). The application is done entirely inside the BitPay app:

1. Download the BitPay app (iOS, Android, macOS, or Windows) and create or open a wallet.
2. Open the Card tab and tap Apply for BitPay Card.
3. Complete identity and residency verification with a clear selfie and a photo of a supported ID (state ID, driver's license, passport, residence permit, work permit, or immigrant visa).
4. Once approved, your virtual card is issued instantly — add it to Apple Wallet and start spending right away.
5. Your physical card ships to your verified US address and arrives within 7–10 business days.

Security

The BitPay Card is a prepaid card (not linked to your bank account), so the most you can lose is the loaded balance. It carries an EMV chip for in-person security, supports contactless tap-to-pay, and can be frozen instantly from the BitPay app if lost or stolen. Because the BitPay Wallet is self-custodial, your private keys never leave your device — BitPay cannot move your crypto until you choose to load the card.

Our verdict

The BitPay Card remains one of the simplest, most reliable ways for US crypto holders to spend their assets in the real world. Its strengths are longevity, the breadth of supported coins (15+), instant virtual issuance with Apple Pay, and tight integration with a self-custodial wallet. The main trade-offs are the US-only availability, a 3% foreign transaction fee, and variable (rather than flat) cashback. If you live in the US, already hold crypto, and want a no-annual-fee card that works everywhere Mastercard does, the BitPay Card is a strong, trustworthy choice.

• Prepaid Mastercard — accepted at millions of merchants worldwide wherever Mastercard debit is accepted, online and in-store.
• Instant crypto→fiat conversion — load your card directly from the self-custodial BitPay Wallet with no currency risk once funds are converted.
• Contactless + EMV chip — tap-to-pay convenience with industry-standard chip security.
• Apple Pay support — add the virtual card to Apple Wallet and start spending before the physical card arrives (US cardholders).
• ATM access — withdraw cash up to 3 times per day and $2,000 daily at any Mastercard-compatible ATM.
• Self-custodial wallet integration — manage multiple wallets across top blockchains from the BitPay app, keeping control of your private keys until you load the card.
• Bill pay, gift cards & more — the BitPay app supports paying credit cards, mortgages, utilities, and buying gift cards from major retailers, all paid in crypto.
• Buy & swap in-app — instantly buy BTC and hundreds of other cryptocurrencies, and swap thousands of crypto pairs from a single wallet.
• Instant virtual card on approval — no waiting to start spending; the physical card follows by mail.
• Freeze / unfreeze from the app — lock the card instantly if lost or stolen.

The BitPay Card supports loading from 15+ cryptocurrencies across the Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon and XRP Ledger ecosystems, including major coins and stablecoins:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
• Ether (ETH)
• Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
• Dogecoin (DOGE)
• Litecoin (LTC)
• Shiba Inu (SHIB)
• ApeCoin (APE)
• Polygon (MATIC)
• XRP (XRP)
• Eurocoin (EUROC)
• Six USD-pegged stablecoins: GUSD, USDC, USDP, DAI, BUSD, PYUSD
• ERC-20 tokens on the Ethereum network

BitPay also supports direct bank deposits in 9 countries, so holders can fund or settle in fiat as well as crypto.

The BitPay Card is free to apply for and carry, with most of the costs concentrated on activity and international use:

Within the United States there are no transaction fees when you use the card for purchases — you may simply pay miner and wallet network fees when loading crypto from your wallet.