Uphold has brought back its U.S. debit card program after a two-year hiatus, offering customers the opportunity to earn digital asset rewards on everyday purchases. The crypto wallet provider discontinued its American debit card service in March 2023 but is now relaunching with enhanced incentive structures.
New Rewards Structure
The new card allows users to earn up to 6% in XRP rewards when spending U.S. dollars, cryptocurrencies, or stablecoins. Customers who choose to deposit portions of their paychecks directly into their Uphold accounts can secure an additional 4% in XRP rewards, creating a combined earning potential of 10%.
Strategic Rationale and Community Focus
Nancy Beaton, who serves as chief revenue and marketing officer and president of Uphold U.S., explained the company's strategic decision. "We have a really high concentration of XRP holders in our community," she noted, emphasizing the platform's loyal user base within the XRP ecosystem.
Uphold's relationship with the XRP community stems from its decision to maintain XRP listings during challenging regulatory periods when other exchanges delisted the asset. "We never delisted XRP, even in the tough regulatory times when every other exchange did," Beaton stated. "And for that, XRP users are loyal to Uphold."
Industry Trends and Competitive Landscape
The timing of this relaunch reflects broader industry trends, with multiple crypto platforms introducing credit and debit cards to meet daily customer needs. Earlier this month, Gemini announced a crypto credit card offering up to 4% back in Solana token rewards on purchases.
Major payment card companies, including Visa and Mastercard, are simultaneously expanding their crypto-related activities across payments and settlements. The company initially teased the card's return in May, while U.K. customers already have access to an Uphold debit card.
Beaton emphasized that the launch aims to serve existing clients while attracting new users to the platform. "You cannot get anything like this out in the market," she added, highlighting the competitive advantage of the rewards structure.
Promotional Period and Additional Services
The promotional XRP reward rates remain valid for 90 days following account signup. This March, Uphold reinstated staking rewards for U.S. customers across 19 different digital assets including Ethereum, Solana, and NEAR.