Finance Monthly May 2019 Edition

STEPPING INTO THE CRYPTO VISA CARD ERA SanFrancisco-basedcryptocurrencyexchangeCoinbasehasannounced the launch of a Visa debit card, which will allow users in the UK and EU to spend their crypto assets directly from their Coinbase accounts to make real-world purchases and withdraw cash. The card uses a customer’s balance in Bitcoin or any other virtual currency and converts it into pounds or euro when paying in physical stores or online. It is the first crypto-based debit card to link directly with a cryptocurrency exchange in the UK and EU, as previously available crypto cards “required users to pre-load a specified amount of crypto onto their card, adding a point of friction to the process.” Why is the launch of the card important and how will it affect the crypto industry? 20 www.finance-monthly.com SPECIAL FEATURE - COINBASE’S VISA CARD