How Crypto and Travel go Hand in Hand

It’s no secret that we’ve all spent the last year fantasising about when we can travel freely (and safely) again, and I’m sure many of us are already itching to book our next getaway or staycation. We’ve teamed up with Agoda and Booking.com to help make this easier than ever, meaning that when the time comes again to travel, you’ll be ready to go. Whether you’re in the northern hemisphere and are looking for some summer relaxation, or in the southern hemisphere and dreaming of a winter break, Wirex have got you covered.

Cryptocurrency is more than staying in one place and mining Bitcoin, in recent years it’s become increasingly popular due to the many advantages it offers, particularly when it comes to travel and making payments in foreign countries. At Wirex, we’re passionate about making crypto more accessible and open to all, so we’ve put together some ways to show why Wirex should be your travelling companion for all your future trips.

Instant transactions

Even though we may be spending a lot of time indoors at the moment, it just means that in-person purchases will be all the more special when we finally go out and about again. The Wirex Visa travelcard enables seamless spending in over 54 million locations, meaning you can use crypto to buy just about anything. In-app, we offer unlimited free traditional currency exchange (FX) with exclusive access to live over-the-counter (OTC) rates for cryptocurrency transactions. Having integrated with liquidity providers, we’ve got access to the best in-market rates, which are normally reserved for big banks and exchanges, which means you can spend less time worrying about exchange fees and more time relaxing.

No fees

When looking back over your trip, it can be frustrating to realise your bank has charged you a fee whenever you withdrew money abroad. The good news is that with the Wirex card, you’ll get free international ATM withdrawals below 400 SGD per month, and for anything above this amount, you’ll only pay a 2% fee. You have the freedom to spend and withdraw how you want and with no hidden fees meaning the Wirex travelcard is a nice cheap travelling partner.

Many businesses are now accepting crypto as payments

We recently carried out research with the Stellar Development Foundation into the mass adoption of cryptocurrency, and the results show that crypto popularity has increased enormously over the past few years. Depending on the country you visit, you may even be able to pay directly in crypto, without having to convert to the local currency first! Some countries, such as Germany and Taiwan, have higher Bitcoin merchant adoption rates and are more tourist friendly to the Bitcoin user. Bitcoin.com lists Estonia, the United States, Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, the Netherlands, Finland, Canada, the UK and Australia as Bitcoin-friendly countries. You can also check sites like Coinmap to see a list of Bitcoin-accepting merchants in different countries. Ask the owner or manager whether they accept crypto, because you never know! Even if they don’t accept crypto, you can still use your Wirex travelcard anywhere that Visa is accepted.

One card that can be used in 150 countries

Travelling light is difficult enough as is, there’s nothing more annoying than having to keep track of lots of different cards and currency. With Wirex, you’ve got everything you need: cryptocurrency, traditional currency, card and cash. We’re on a mission to bridge the gap between traditional and cryptocurrencies, and using the next generation of payment infrastructure and digital payments, you have the option to buy, hold, exchange and sell up to 20 traditional and cryptocurrencies from a single, intuitive app. State-of-the-art technology ensures they are accessible 24/7 wherever you are, so you can now use your contactless Wirex Visa card to spend these over-the-counter at over 54 million locations around the world.

Make money while you’re travelling

Did you know you could get paid to travel? We all know how expensive travelling is, but with Wirex’s Cryptoback™ scheme, you can earn up to 2% back in WXT, our native token, anytime you spend with your Wirex travelcard in-store or online. With our user-friendly interface, you can track this spending in real-time within the app, and use your Cryptoback™ rewards how you want; the choice is yours! We also recently launched an overhaul of our rewards scheme meaning you can also earn up to 6% AER interest on your WXT balance.

From 31 March 2021, Agoda and Booking.com will be providing great offers for Wirex customers in the Asia-Pacific region. Agoda are offering up to 6% off existing travel deals, while you can earn up to 10% cashback with Booking.com when booking with your Wirex travelcard. But wait, there’s more! In April we're doubling our Cryptoback™ rewards, which means you can earn up to 4% in WXT on purchases made with your Wirex card, in store and online.

Subject to T&Cs