Crypto card rewards are a percentage of eligible spending paid in bitcoin, a platform token or occasionally CAD. Higher rates usually need a staked token or a subscription, may be capped, and exclude some merchants. A reward paid in crypto changes value after it is credited, so compare cards on net value, not headline rate.
Figures as of October 31, 2026.
| Card | Headline rate (issuer’s words) | Paid in | When credited | Tiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakepay Card | 1% back in bitcoin (1.5% with Blue status) | Bitcoin (BTC) | After the purchase settles, typically 1–14 days, at the BTC/CAD rate when paid | 4 |
| Crypto.com Visa | 0% (Midnight) to 4.5% (Obsidian) in CRO, on capped monthly spend | CRO (Cronos token) | Shortly after an eligible purchase, to your Token Wallet | 7 |
| ether.fi Cash | 3% back in ETHFI on the first US$2,000 a month (Core), then 1% to US$3,000, then 0.5% | ETHFI (ether.fi’s token) | Converted to ETHFI when the purchase clears, then locked for 7 days before you can claim it | 3 |
| MetaMask Card | 1% back in mUSD on the free card | mUSD (a US-dollar stablecoin) | Not stated on the product or fee pages | Free, in the MetaMask app |
Three questions behind every headline rate
- What does the top rate require? A stake in the platform’s token, a paid subscription, or a minimum spend. See staking for card tiers.
- What is it paid in? A reward in a volatile coin is worth whatever that coin is worth when you sell. See reward volatility.
- What is excluded or capped? Issuers commonly exclude some merchant categories and cap rewards per month; the conditions are on each card page.
Tax
CRA has not published guidance on crypto cashback from card purchases specifically; staking rewards on a centralized platform are generally income when credited. Keep the CAD value of each reward on the day it arrives. See taxes on crypto rewards.
How do the four reward programs differ?
| Card | How you earn more | Cap | Paid in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakepay | Monthly activity: exchange $1,000+ or $2,000+ in direct deposits for Blue | None stated | Bitcoin |
| Crypto.com | A paid subscription or a 12-month CRO stake | US$750 to US$5,000 of spend a month | CRO |
| ether.fi Cash | A paid level (Luxe US$199, Pinnacle US$999 a year) raises the 3% band | 3% to US$2,000/month on Core, then 1%, then 0.5% | ETHFI (7-day lock) |
| MetaMask Card | One rate on the free card | None stated | mUSD |
What does each tier net at three budgets?
The table runs every verified tier through the same engine as the calculator, at three monthly budgets with no foreign spending. Paid tiers start negative at low spend and only overtake the free cards once their rewards cover the fee; staked tiers look strong because the table treats the stake as free.
| Card / tier | $600/month | $1,500/month | $4,000/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakepay Card — Base | $72 | $180 | $480 |
| Shakepay Card — Base from Dec 1, 2026 | $36 | $90 | $240 |
| Shakepay Card — Bright | $72 | $180 | $480 |
| Shakepay Card — Blue | $108 | $270 | $720 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Midnight Blue | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Ruby Steel (annual subscription) | $38 | $119 | $119 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Ruby Steel (CRO stake) (stake $650) | $108 | $189 | $189 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Royal Indigo / Jade Green (annual subscription) | −$220 | $50 | $229 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Royal Indigo / Jade Green (CRO stake) (stake $6,500) | $180 | $450 | $629 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Icy White / Rose Gold (stake $65,000) | $252 | $630 | $1,680 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Obsidian (stake $650,000) | $324 | $810 | $2,160 |
| ether.fi Cash — Core | $180 | $450 | $911 |
| ether.fi Cash — Luxe | −$80 | $217 | $1,042 |
| ether.fi Cash — Pinnacle | −$1,180 | −$856 | $44 |
| MetaMask Card | $36 | $90 | $240 |
Two things stand out. Shakepay’s scheduled change on December 1, 2026 halves Base rewards, so its Base and “Base from Dec 1” rows bracket what a Base customer earns this winter. And Crypto.com’s caps are in US dollars: above the cap, Ruby Steel and Jade/Indigo pay nothing more, which is why their lines flatten at the highest budget.
Is a bigger reward rate worth a monthly fee?
Only above the break-even spend. A paid tier’s fee is fixed, while its extra reward grows with spending, so at low budgets the free card wins and at high budgets the paid tier can. Caps change the picture: once your spending passes the cap, extra spending earns nothing more on Ruby Steel and Jade/Indigo, and only 0.5% or 1% on the staked top tiers. The calculator shows the break-even spend for every tier at your own budget, and the table above shows where each tier overtakes the free cards.
What is excluded from rewards?
Shakepay excludes ATM withdrawals, top-ups, bill payments, money orders, crypto and securities purchases. Crypto.com excludes some merchant categories, channels and countries and gives subscription rebates instead of rewards on Spotify, Netflix and Truth+ up to the rebate amount. Read each card’s conditions before you count on the headline rate.
| Card and tier | Shakepay Card — Base |
|---|---|
| Purchases in CAD | $1,500 a month |
| Purchases in a foreign currency | $0 a month |
| Rewards (at the CAD value when credited) | $180.00 a year1% of eligible spend, paid in BTC |
| Fixed fees | $0.00 |
| Foreign-currency fees | $0.00 |
| Net a year | $180.00No fixed fee to recover. |
Open this example in the calculator →Computed 2026-11-03.
What this means for you
Compare cards on net value at your own spend, then decide whether you want the reward in bitcoin, CRO, a stablecoin or nothing at all.
Shakepay’s Base rate falls to 0.5% on December 1, 2026. Check whether you will meet Bright or Blue each month before counting on more.
Sources
- Shakepay — Card — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — What are the Shakepay reward statuses? — page dated October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — Cashback rewards with the Shakepay Prepaid Visa Card — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — What are the fees and limits of the Shakepay Card? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — How do I order and use my physical Shakepay Card? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — How does the Shakepay Card work? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Visa Prepaid Card — Cardholder Agreement (Peoples Trust Company) — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- CSA — Crypto platforms authorized to do business with Canadians — page dated September 18, 2026
- Crypto.com — Crypto.com Visa Card (Canada) — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Crypto.com Help Center — Prepaid Visa Card Fees and Limits (Canada) — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Crypto.com Help Center — Prepaid Card Rewards & Benefits — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Bank of Canada Valet — USD/CAD (FXUSDCAD) — page dated November 2, 2026
- ether.fi Help — In which countries is the Cash card available? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — What are the benefits of a personal Cash credit card? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — How does cashback work? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — What’s the foreign exchange (FX) rate used on Cash transactions? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — ATM withdrawal limits for personal Cash cards — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — Which transactions don’t earn cashback? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — Borrow Mode vs Direct Pay Mode — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — How do I add my card to Apple Wallet or Google Pay? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- MetaMask — MetaMask Card — no date shown; read November 3, 2026
- MetaMask Support — MetaMask Card limits and fees — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- CRA — Reporting income from crypto-asset mining and staking activities — page dated November 10, 2025
Educational information, not financial, tax or legal advice. 6 min read. Reviewed October 31, 2026.