Crypto cards in Austria – simply explained

Understand how crypto cards work, which models exist and what to look out for.

Open comparison Understand the difference

Use cases

Why do people use crypto cards?

Everyday

Small payments straight from your crypto balance.

Cashback

Get a share of your spending back in crypto or tokens.

Liquidity without selling

Keep your coins and still pay – via a collateralised credit line.

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A first practical contact point with crypto in everyday life.

Difference

Selling vs. borrowing

There are two fundamentally different models. They differ in what happens to your coins when you pay.

🔴 Sell

Classic cards

Coins are sold when you pay
Easy to follow
Can be tax-relevant

🟢 Borrow

Borrowing (e.g. Nexo)

Coins remain in your holdings
A credit line is used
Liquidation risk if prices drop

Rule of thumb

Simple → Sell

Keep your holdings → Borrow

Comparison

Crypto cards at a glance

Provider	Model	Fees	Cashback	Good to know
Nexo Card	Borrow	No classic annual fee; interest & spreads possible	Up to 2% in crypto (depends on card tier)	Coins remain holdings – sale only on liquidation
Bybit Card	Sell	No classic annual fee; spreads possible	Up to 2% rebate	Coins are sold at payment
Crypto.com Visa	Sell	Depends on tier; spreads possible	Up to 5% (depends on CRO staking)	Tiered model with CRO staking
Bitpanda Card	Sell	No classic annual fee; spreads possible	Up to 2% in BEST	Payment directly from your Bitpanda balance
Coinbase Card	Sell	No classic annual fee; spreads possible	Up to 1% in crypto	Payment from your Coinbase balance

Nexo Card

Borrow

Fees: No classic annual fee; interest & spreads possible
Cashback: Up to 2% in crypto (depends on card tier)
Good to know: Coins remain holdings – sale only on liquidation

Bybit Card

Sell

Fees: No classic annual fee; spreads possible
Cashback: Up to 2% rebate
Good to know: Coins are sold at payment

Crypto.com Visa

Sell

Fees: Depends on tier; spreads possible
Cashback: Up to 5% (depends on CRO staking)
Good to know: Tiered model with CRO staking

Bitpanda Card

Sell

Fees: No classic annual fee; spreads possible
Cashback: Up to 2% in BEST
Good to know: Payment directly from your Bitpanda balance

Coinbase Card

Sell

Fees: No classic annual fee; spreads possible
Cashback: Up to 1% in crypto
Good to know: Payment from your Coinbase balance

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Risks

Key risks

Selling

Tax impact – every sale can be relevant
Price timing – the rate at payment may be unfavourable

Borrowing

Loan must be repaid – interest can change
Liquidation if prices drop sharply – coins can be sold

Taxes in Austria

Paying with crypto can trigger a sale, which may be tax-relevant.

With borrowing, no direct sale occurs at payment – but a sale can happen on liquidation.

The exact treatment depends on the individual case.

Compare crypto cards now

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The content is for information and orientation only and does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice. Some links may be affiliate links.