What is Shift?
Shift is a Bitcoin debit card released by the American cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. Purchases made with the card will likewise instantly convert Bitcoin in your Coinbase wallet to USD. There is lots to be thrilled about, but also a couple of downsides of the Shift card.
Benefits of Shift
You can use the Shift card in any shop that accepts Visa cards. That gives you access to most stores worldwide. You will likewise enjoy instant conversions when you use the card, as Coinbase does the exchange automatically and in real-time. That’s a neat function not seen with a number of their competitors. The Shift card is readily available in the majority of the United States, and there are no conversion charges when exchanging Bitcoin for US Dollars. Some would argue that it’s hassle-free to utilize their Coinbase wallet directly, instead of having a different wallet tied to the card itself.
Drawbacks of Shift
Unfortunately, the Shift card only supports Bitcoin. That is quite limiting compared to some of the other cards that are available on the market. Another drawback is that the Shift card is not yet available in all US states. Although they currently cover 46 of them, it still leaves out some users. Coinbase has specified that they are working on rolling it out in all countries. Although not everyone will object to this point, the Shift wallet is inseparable from your Coinbase wallet.
Shift charges
The physical Shift card costs $20 to be issued. As soon as you have it, there is no exchange charge when you desire to convert your Bitcoin to United States Dollars. As a benefit, you’ll have the ability to enjoy complimentary domestic transactions for a restricted period. International purchases will cost you a 3% charge. When you use the Shift card to withdraw from ATMs it will cost you transactions will cost you $2.50 locally and $3.50 globally. Possibly most significantly, Coinbase does not credit card users a month-to-month upkeep cost like other card companies.
Shift details
- Card type: Visa
- Virtual card: Yes
- Physical card: Yes
- Mobile app: Yes
- Supported fiat currencies: USD
- Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC).
- Anonymous: No.
Summary
Shift appears like a solid product from Coinbase, and fans of the exchange will probably enjoy it. If you’re already a Coinbase user, then you can order the Shift card immediately. One of the features of the card is that it’s instantly connected to your Coinbase account. Coinbase has likewise made the service more appealing with by waiving the month-to-month maintenance charge. That’s a big difference from most other Bitcoin cards. Bad news for non-American — Shift is only available in the United States. That means they are excluding the majority of the world, which is a shame. Even in America, it does not cover all 50 states yet, which is also unwise. The Shift card shows the specific policy of Coinbase by just supporting Bitcoin. Fans of other cryptocurrencies will be dissatisfied with this constraint.