Wirex's cryptocurrency debit cards have earned positive marks from customers. The company has now expanded which digital currencies can fund those cards, announcing an integration with Shapeshift that
Wirex's cryptocurrency debit cards have earned positive marks from customers. The company has now expanded which digital currencies can fund those cards, announcing an integration with Shapeshift that opens access to dozens of alternative cryptocurrencies.
Wirex issues both plastic and virtual VISA and Mastercard debit cards. Customers can spend them anywhere and withdraw cash from ATMs. VISA and Mastercard fees don't approach the amounts Bitcoin ATMs charge. The company positions itself as a banking alternative, letting people hold both cryptocurrencies and traditional money in the same account.
Shapeshift functions as a currency exchange with no signup requirement. A user sends in one cryptocurrency and receives another at an address of their choosing in seconds. The platform supports Litecoin, Voxels, Ethereum, and more than thirty other digital currencies.
The connection lets Wirex cardholders fund their accounts with any cryptocurrency Shapeshift handles. Somebody who owns Litecoin can now fund their card with Litecoin. The same applies to each of Shapeshift's supported coins.
"Wirex renders banks wholly unnecessary," Erik Voorhees, Shapeshift's founder and chief executive, said in a statement. "With cryptocurrency and an easy mobile app, one can avoid banks and still pay for things anywhere. We are thrilled to have their services integrated with our API to expand their customer's funding options."
Wirex joins several other services that have tapped into Shapeshift's developer tools in recent months. The mobile wallet Jaxx, which handles Ethereum and Bitcoin, added Shapeshift to its platform this year. KeepKey, a hardware wallet provider, did the same. CoinCap.io, which tracks cryptocurrency prices and data, also integrated Shapeshift. For people holding smaller cryptocurrencies, the Wirex partnership expands their options to spend or exchange their coins.
(Image above is an artist rendering, not an actual card. Actual cards will not include the Shapeshift logo.)
