Last updated on December 18th, 2020
Social distancing is changing the way Americans interact in their daily lives. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are causing significant upheaval in personal finance, with many becoming wary of the possibility of contracting COVID-19 through cash and credit cards. Because of this fear, contactless payments are gaining popularity. Upgrade is the latest issuer to launch contactless payments with the Upgrade Card.
Coronavirus Boosting Contactless Payments
The move by Upgrade follows on the heels of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines that consumers minimize their usage of cash for purchases. The organization warns that coronavirus may remain on banknotes for weeks, though there is insufficient data to confirm this belief.
Despite this uncertainty, contactless and mobile wallet payments are surging in popularity. This swell has had the effect of raising in-store limits on payment allowances and bringing more credit card issuers into the mobile wallet game. The latest player in this COVID-19 contactless payment is Upgrade.
Upgrade Card Contactless and Mobile Wallet Payments
According to Renaud Laplanche, co-founder and CEO of Upgrade, “These new Upgrade Card features enable payments without any surface contact. While more customers have been shopping online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are still using their cards in stores. We want to do what we can to keep our customers safe and give them a smarter way to pay.”
Upgrade Visa® Card with Cash Rewards
- Regular Purchase APR 8.99%-29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Annual Fee None
-
Credit NeededBestCards.com uses a variation of FICO Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when deciding whether to approve you for a credit card.Excellent , Good , Fair
- Processing Network Visa
- Earn a $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions*
- Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
- Combine the flexibility of a card with the low cost and predictability of a loan
- $0 fees - $0 annual fee, $0 activation fees, $0 maintenance fees
- No touch payments with contactless technology built in
- See if you qualify in minutes without hurting your credit score
- Access to a virtual card while you wait for your card to arrive in the mail
- Great for large purchases with predictable payments you can budget for
- Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
- *To qualify for the $200 welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking account and make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days of your Upgrade Card account opening. The bonus will be applied as a one-time credit to your account and will not otherwise reduce the amount of your regular monthly payments. The bonus credit will be posted to your Upgrade Card as a rewards credit within 1-2 billing periods following the third debit card transaction on your Rewards Checking account. Your Upgrade Card must be in good standing to receive a bonus.
- Regular Purchase APR: 8.99%-29.99% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
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About Upgrade
The Upgrade Card has been gaining popularity in the United States since its launch in October 2019. The card is a unique combination of traditional credit card and personal loan. The Upgrade Card comes with credit limits of up to $20,000 and individual repayment plans of 12, 24, 36, or 60 months. In addition, Upgrade comes with interest rates as low as 8.99%, meaning consumers can pay off their existing debts significantly faster than with other credit products.
Since 2017, Upgrade has originated over $2.5 billion in loans and credit, including $500 million through the Upgrade Card. Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Commercial Bank and Member FDIC, issues Upgrade’s personal lines of credit. Sutton Bank, member FDIC issues the Upgrade Card through a license from Visa USA.
Related Article: How to Quickly Eliminate Credit Card Debt
