Updated September 29, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Coinbase vs Nexo
Coinbase
Higher score in this comparison
Nexo
Coinbase vs Nexo: the differences
| Compare | CoinbaseReviewVisitVisit | NexoReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $0 | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 0.2% to 2.5% |
| Free ATM withdrawals | $0 | €200 to €2,000 |
| Card type | Prepaid | Debit |
| Card network | Visa | Mastercard |
| Top-up fee | free for direct deposit | Not confirmed |
| Cashback rate | Not confirmed | 0.1% to 2% |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 100 |
Same on both: Custody (Custodial).
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Key differences
- Coinbase scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.9.
- Founded is lower at Coinbase: 2012 vs 2018.
- Nexo is licensed in 3 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Coinbase: 0% vs 0.2% to 2.5%.
- Support channels: only Coinbase offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Nexo offers Chat.
- Features: only Nexo offers Multi currency, Travel.
Our verdict on each
Coinbase
Coinbase suits people who already hold crypto on the exchange and want a card that spends it. The prepaid card has a monthly fee of $0 and the credit card an annual fee of $0, with a currency conversion fee of 0% and cashback of 2% to 4%.
Nexo
Nexo suits people who hold crypto and want a card that costs nothing to keep and pays cashback in tokens. The monthly fee is €0, the cashback is paid in crypto rather than cash, and the conversion fee of 0.2% to 2.5% is the trade-off to weigh.
Score breakdown
| Area | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherMonthly fee $0 ranks at 1 of 419 brands, and the credit card conversion fee is 0%. | 9.2Free monthly and annual fees sit against a currency conversion fee of 0.2% to 2.5%, so spending abroad costs more. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 8.8Higher | 8.4 |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 20 of 1020 | 10 of 1020 |
| Cashback cards | 6 of 203 | 2 of 203 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ||
| Argentina | Not confirmed | |
| Australia | Not confirmed | AUSTRAC (Australia) DCE100843695-001 |
| Hong Kong | Not confirmed | Companies Registry (Hong Kong) TC007556 |
| Ireland | IE_CBI PSD_EMI IE_CBI!C188493 | Not confirmed |
| Luxembourg | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) MiCA CASP 984500F14CA4571AAC11 | Not confirmed |
| Poland | Not confirmed | Ministry of Finance (Poland) RDWW-533 |
| Seychelles | Not confirmed |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Custodial, Virtual card | Multi currency, Crypto, Virtual card, Custodial, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Legal entity | Coinbase Luxembourg S.A. | DiPocket UAB |
| Headquarters | Luxembourg | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2012Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Help centre | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Credit cards
| Fact | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | €0 |
| APR | Not confirmed | from 1.9% |
| Rewards type | Cashback | Cashback |
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Rewards rate | 2%, 2.5%, 3% or 4% bitcoin back tiered by assets on Coinbase; 5% back on Coinbase One Card Travel bookings; 2.5-4% tiers capped at a combined $10,000 eligible purchases per calendar month | Up to 2% crypto cashback in NEXO Tokens, or 0.5% in BTC at Platinum tier, on purchases in Credit Mode |
| Perks | Zero trading fees on first $500/mo in trades (a spread applies), Boosted USDC rewards 4.00% APY on first $10K, then 3.60%, 5% more staking rewards on ETH, SOL and other eligible assets, $120 transaction credits on Base ($10/mo sponsored smart wallet gas), American Express retail protection, extended warranty and return protection, Trip cancellation/interruption, lost or damaged luggage and worldwide car rental loss & damage insurance, Roadside and emergency assistance, Eligibility check with no credit score impact, USDC security deposit option from $100 | Free ATM withdrawals up to EUR 2,000 / GBP 1,800 per month at Platinum tier, then 2% fee (min EUR/GBP 1.99), Apple Pay and Google Pay supported, Interest earned on unspent funds (Nexo Loyalty Program, up to 13% per year), Accepted at over 100 million merchants globally, Virtual card activated instantly with 50 USD balance; free shipping for physical card above 5,000 USD balance at Gold tier or higher, No monthly, annual or inactivity card fees |
| Cashback rate | 2% to 4%Higher | 0.5% to 2% |
| Card kind | Credit | Credit |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Coinbase | Nexo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0.2% to 2.5%below the median | 1% |
| Cashback rate | Not confirmed | 0.1% to 2%at the median | 2 |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 100highest quarter | 8 |
Median across 387 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Coinbase
Pros
- The prepaid card has a monthly fee of $0 and the credit card an annual fee of $0, so neither product carries a standing charge.
- The credit card's currency conversion fee of 0% sits below the site conversion figure of 1%.
- Cashback of 2% to 4% on the credit card, paid in bitcoin, and the rewards type is cashback.
Cons
- The free ATM withdrawal allowance is $0, and the card sits at 41 of 115 among brands ranked on free cash machine withdrawals.
- The prepaid card is custodial, so the balance sits with the operator rather than in a wallet the holder controls.
- The prepaid card's crypto, custodial and virtual card list covers crypto, custody and a virtual card, and retail or travel cover is not among it.
Nexo
Pros
- Free to keep: the monthly fee is €0 and the annual fee is €0.
- Cashback of 0.5% to 2% paid in NEXO Tokens, or in BTC at the Platinum tier.
- Free ATM withdrawals of €200 to €2,000 each month at the Platinum tier.
Cons
- Currency conversion costs 0.2% to 2.5%, above the site median of 1%.
- Support runs on chat, email and help centre only, with no phone line.
- Custody sits with the provider: the account is custodial, not self-custody.
Who each suits
Coinbase
Who it suits
- Coinbase account holders who want to spend a crypto balance on a visa card with a monthly fee of $0.
- People who pay in crypto and value cashback of 2% to 4% on a credit card with an annual fee of $0.
- Travellers who want a currency conversion fee of 0% on the credit card and broad visa acceptance.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants to hold their own keys, since the prepaid card is custodial rather than self-custodied.
- Skrill users who prefer a wallet outside the crypto exchange, with a monthly fee of €5 to weigh.
- CrediMax Cardy EX prepaid Visa users who want a regional prepaid card rather than a crypto-linked one, with a monthly fee of BHD 0.
Nexo
Who it suits
- Crypto holders who want everyday spending to pay part of the cost back in tokens.
- Business users, the audience Nexo lists, who pay across several of the 100 supported currencies.
- Travellers who keep their cash withdrawals inside €200 to €2,000 each month.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for anyone who wants a multi-currency account without crypto cashback or interest on unspent funds.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, for a secured credit card rather than a crypto-linked card, at a monthly fee of $0.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), for building credit on a secured card, at a monthly fee of $0.
Current offers
Coinbase
Current offer
Bonus
Crypto rewards on every purchase with the Coinbase Card (rotating reward selection)
US Card users only, excluding Hawaii; reward rate is variable; reward offers expire and a new reward can be chosen monthly
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Coinbase | Nexo |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | No | Yes |
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Bulgaria | No | Yes |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
8 of 36 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Coinbase
What does it cost to hold the Coinbase cards?+
The prepaid card carries a monthly fee of $0, and the credit card carries an annual fee of $0. The credit card is listed under the no annual fee model, so neither product charges a standing fee. Loading money by direct deposit is free for direct deposit, which keeps top-ups off the bill for account holders using a bank transfer.
Is there a charge for spending in another currency?+
The credit card's currency conversion fee is 0%, so a foreign purchase carries no percentage conversion charge. Across the brands on the site, conversion fees typically sit at 1%, with the upper quartile at 2.5%, which places this card below the usual figure. On a trip with heavy foreign spending, that gap adds up.
Nexo
What does it cost to keep the Nexo card?+
The monthly fee is €0 and the annual fee is €0, and Nexo states there are no monthly, annual or inactivity card fees. The account is aimed at business users, so holding the card adds no fixed running cost to a budget.
What is the currency conversion fee?+
Conversion costs 0.2% to 2.5%, which sits above the site median of 1%. Spending in a currency other than your balance currency is the main cost to plan for, and free ATM withdrawals only run to €200 to €2,000 a month at the Platinum tier.