Australians Can Use Crypto Debit Card at 30,000 ATMs and Up to 1 Million Payment Terminals

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Finding easy ways to spend cryptocurrency can be nothing short
of a nightmare — and even when you discover a platform where
your digital assets can be used for purchasing everyday goods and
services, you’re normally faced with delays and high transaction
fees.

A Sydney-based startup is seeking to change the status quo by
offering a crypto debit card which enables the likes of Bitcoin and
Ethereum to be used at any business or ATM across Australia.
Unlike other preloaded cards, BTC.com.au says its card is free to
acquire, and consumers don’t have to pay any fees when they top
it up.

Crypto that’s loaded on to the card is also available for
immediately use — preventing those agonizing waits until funds
clear. Although a $4.99 fee is charged monthly for maintenance,
this is refunded to customers who load $500 or more over the
course of a month — incentivizing regular usage. Likewise,
frequent users of the Bitcoin card can avoid a $4 inactivity fee as
long as they top up the cards every few months.

Danny Ariti, CEO of BTC.com.au , says his team has been
motivated to create a platform that gives Australian consumers
who may not have encountered crypto before an easy way to
include it in their everyday lives. He added that adoption of the
Bitcoin card has been greater than expected — attracting casual
crypto users and professionals ranging in age from 18 to 80.
A simple activation process takes place when a user receives their
card, and according to BTC.com.au, new applicants can usually
expect to get their plastic the day after they have ordered it online.
At present, the maximum balance that can be stored on these
cards is $999, and purchases can only be made within Australia.

New opportunities
Prices for Bitcoin and Ethereum reached dizzying highs toward the
end of 2017, but Ariti believes that the price drop has enabled
consumers “to enter the market at a price point that they feel
comfortable with.”
Understanding that first-time crypto users may find it difficult to
buy digital assets online, BTC.com.au offers their users an easy
and intuitive way to buy cryptocurrency. A partnership with the
Blueshyft network enables users to complete crypto purchases
using cash at more than 1,200 retail outlets across Australia.
Alternatively, POLi transfers enable purchases to be completed
using normal online banking services.
The startup says it is also opening new doors to people who want
to pay utility bills or give money to loved ones using crypto. The
BTC.com.au website enables users to settle accounts with
operators who accept BPAY as a payment method or transfer
funds to friends and family who have bank accounts in Australia.

A new era
As well as being compatible with ATMs across the nation,
BTC.com.au’s card can also be used at EFTPOS terminals — and
according to the Australian Payments Network , more than 960,000
can currently be found nationwide. When coupled with the 30,219
ATMs in operation as of September 2018, this means that
consumers have plenty of choices with where, how and when they
use their Bitcoin cards. It is hoped that other cryptocurrencies will
be supported by the product in the not-too-distant future.
BTC.com.au’s brokerage service is geared toward people who are
looking to make their first crypto purchase without being
overwhelmed by confusing and difficult-to-navigate trading
platforms, where charts and complicated language all too often
dissuade people from getting involved altogether.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/