Coinbase is preparing to launch a new American Express Credit card in the US in the fall, and all about it – from the design to the benefits – seems tailor -made for Bitcoin enthusiasts.
A map built around Bitcoin’s Origin Story
Unlike most Crypto-connected maps, Coinbase’s upcoming product is not just about the perks-it is about symbolism.
The card is etched with data from Genesis Block, the very first block ever created on the Bitcoin network of Pseudonymous Inventor Satoshi Nakamoto on January 3, 2009. The only block launched Bitcoin Blockchain and marked the beginning of a whole new financial system.
The inclusion of this data is more than a design choice – it is a direct reference to Bitcoin’s basic moment. The hexadecimal code printed on the card is part of the raw data from the first block.
For non-technical readers, hexadecimal (or “hex”) is simply a base-16 numbering system used for computing. It is the digital language where Bitcoin’s original story was written – and now it is literally etched in a physical financial product.
Embedded in this block was a now famous message picked up from an hour of newspaper headline published the same day: “Chancellor on the verge of other rescue for banks.”
Nakamoto included it as both a timestamp and a statement of purpose -a criticism of the creation of the central bank’s money and the mistakes of the traditional financial system during the crisis in 2008. It has since become a rally shout for Bitcoin supporters who see cryptocurrency as an antidote to centralized monetary power.
Even the name of the card – Coinbase – is steeped in Bitcoin’s DNA. In blockchain terminology, a “coinbase transaction” is the first transaction in each new block through which new Bitcoin is created and assigned to miners.
It is a fundamental part of how the network works, and by adopting the term, Coinbase ties its brand directly to Bitcoin’s most essential function: the creation of new money without a central authority.
Overall, these design choices are intended to resonate with a specific audience: those who appreciate Bitcoin, not only as an asset, but as a philosophy – a rooted in economic sovereignty, resistance to censorship and distrust of older banking systems.
Features, roll -out plans and market context
The Coinbase One Amex card will only be available to subscribers of Coinbase One, the company’s paid membership program. Qualified card holders will be able to earn up to 4% cashback in Bitcoin on purchases, with reward scaling based on the assets they have on Coinbase.
The card has no foreign transaction fees and can be repaid using either an affiliated bank account or crypto held on the platform. Cardholders also get access to Standard American Express Perks, including exclusive offers and events.
Coinbase says Bitcoin rewards earned through expenses do not appear on 1099 tax forms, although taxes may apply if these rewards are later sold.
While Coinbase emphasizes Bitcoin’s inheritance in its marketing, Crypto Rewards cards are not new.
For example, Gemini launched a credit card in 2023 offering up to 3% Crypto Cashback on purchases and supporting a number of digital assets, from Bitcoin and Ether to StableCoins.
The difference is in positioning: Gemini markets its product as a practical consumption tool to earn crypto rewards, while Coinbase frames its AMEX card as something more symbolic -a way to adapt everyday economic activity with Bitcoin’s basic ethos.
This distinction could mean anything. For users who simply want exposure to more cryptocurrencies, existing cards may remain more appealing. But for those who see themselves as part of the Bitcoin story -or want to be -Coinbase bets that ideology and identity will be as strong a draw as cashback percentages.
