Who’s this for? Coinbase Visa® Prepaid Debit Card is a simpler option, with no annual fees or subscriptions required, but less control over your exact rewards.

Types of crypto earned: You can choose from a continuously rotating selection of cryptocurrencies.

Other great perks: If paying with cryptocurrency, the Coinbase Prepaid Debit Card automatically converts your crypto of choice to USD for the purchase, plus the card earns uncapped rewards with no subscription required.

If you personally believe in the future of cryptocurrency, that could make it a good fit for your financial portfolio, but you should typically follow similar investing guidelines. Since cryptocurrency has the chance to be particularly volatile, never invest more than you are prepared to lose. It’s also a good idea not to over-allocate in a single cryptocurrency.

With crypto being a decentralized currency, meaning it’s not controlled by a single entity like a government or bank, it can be more accessible and have faster transfer times with lower fees. This also means that cryptocurrencies are not insured by any government-backed programs, like the FDIC, while more traditional bank accounts are.

Investing in cryptocurrency isn’t inherently good or bad, but it comes down to your risk tolerance and current financial goals.

Most crypto cards earn rewards in a similar way to traditional cash-back credit cards, you spend with the card and receive a percentage of that purchase in rewards. For some, this is a way to diversify their investments by adding crypto to their investment portfolio. There’s also the chance that the crypto you earn could increase in value, but you have to keep in mind, the inverse is true as well.

Instead of opting for a credit card that earns crypto, consider using a regular cash-back card with a high return where you spend the most and then buying crypto directly. While this adds extra steps, it also gives you more control over the crypto you purchase and how it’s stored.

Earning cryptocurrency rewards via credit card spending can be a good option for those who’d prefer to swipe without thinking about it or to make use of the additional benefits these cards offer.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cards for earning crypto.

To determine to the top crypto cards, CNBC Select analyzed over major credit cards that are widely available in the U.S. and earn crypto rewards. 

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back). 
 
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers.

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