MetaMask Announces U.S Debit Card Pilot Program
The MetaMask card works anywhere Mastercard is accepted and is already available in the EU, UK, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. There are also plans for a global rollout in the coming months
Ethereum-based crypto wallet MetaMask has launched a pilot program in the U.S. for its MetaMask card, a crypto debit card for online and real-life payments. The move comes a week after MetaMask, Mastercard, and Crypto Life launched the MetaMask Card pilot on Dec. 11.
Interested users must fill out a form and, if selected, will get to try out the card before its wider release. The post also mentions that the MetaMask card is unavailable in some states like New York and Vermont, but users can sign up to join the waitlist.
The MetaMask card works anywhere Mastercard is accepted and is already available in the EU, UK, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. There are also plans for a global rollout in the coming months.
“MetaMask Card represents a major step to removing the friction that has traditionally existed between the blockchain and real-world commerce. This is a paradigm shift that offers the best of both worlds,” said Lorenzo Santos, Senior Product Manager at Consensys, in a MetaMask blog post.
How It Works
The MetaMask card simplifies the crypto off-ramping process by abstracting away tedious steps, such as transferring funds to a centralized exchange (CEX) or bank to spend crypto.
The card provides an easier payment experience by leveraging Mastercard’s global merchant network and MetaMask’s security. All transactions are settled on Linea, an Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) network built by Consensys, the development company behind Metamask.
The card can be used via digital wallet integrations with Apple and Google Pay. It currently supports three currencies: USDT, USDC and wETH, a wrapped version of Ether on Linea.
