In a move that simultaneously validates cryptocurrency’s inexorable march toward mainstream acceptance and reopens questions about the evolving landscape of consumer rewards, Crypto.com and Bread Financial have announced a multi-year partnership to launch the first Crypto.com credit card program in the United States.
The collaboration, announced on April 24, 2025, promises to deliver a suite of payment products designed to accelerate cryptocurrency adoption through what the companies describe as “innovative payment solutions”—a phrase that, in fintech parlance, typically signals a reimagined approach to the traditional interchange model.
The credit card program, slated for a summer 2025 release, will introduce American consumers to a tiered rewards structure spanning from the entry-level Midnight Blue to the presumably rarefied Obsidian card. Each tier incorporates Crypto.com’s “Level Up” program—a gamification element that rewards frequent usage with incremental benefits, not unlike the loyalty mechanisms that have propelled subscription-based services to dominance in other sectors.
What distinguishes this offering in the increasingly crowded crypto-rewards space is its uncapped CRO rewards structure. Cardholders will receive real-time deposits into their Crypto Wallet, with these CRO tokens being convertible to alternative cryptocurrencies, stocks, NFTs, and various staking options—essentially transforming everyday purchases into investment vehicles. The Visa Signature® Credit Card will be accepted anywhere Visa payments are processed, significantly expanding the utility of the program.
Unrestricted CRO rewards transform mundane transactions into multi-faceted investment pathways through real-time crypto accumulation.
The target demographic appears expansive: while leveraging Crypto.com’s existing 140+ million global customers as a foundation, the program seemingly aims to appeal to both crypto neophytes and veterans through its frictionless application process via the Crypto.com app. Unlike platforms such as Robinhood where SIPC protection covers securities up to $500,000, cryptocurrency holdings in this program will follow industry norms of being exempt from such protections. Higher tier cardholders enjoy exclusive benefits including unlimited rebates for popular entertainment services like Spotify and Netflix when participating in the Level Up program.
For Bread Financial, the partnership represents a strategic pivot toward the blockchain economy, while Crypto.com gains a regulated financial partner with established payment infrastructure—a non-trivial advantage given the regulatory scrutiny surrounding cryptocurrency operations.
Whether this partnership signals the inevitable convergence of traditional finance with digital assets or merely constitutes another experimental foray into alternative rewards structures remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the conventional boundaries between spending, investing, and speculating continue their steady erosion.
