Cryptocurrency Payment Card Daily Transaction Volume Surges 22 Times: How Etherfi Is Leading the Payment Revolution

The crypto-native payment card market is experiencing explosive growth. According to the latest news, daily transaction counts surged 22 times from December 2024, reaching nearly 60,000 transactions by mid-January 2026, with daily transaction volume approaching $4 million. Among them, Etherfi has established a clear leadership position with approximately 50% market share, but competitors like Gnosis, Metamask, and Solayer are also actively participating. This growth rate far exceeds that of traditional payment sectors, reflecting the rapid maturation of crypto asset consumption scenarios.

Market Landscape: Etherfi’s Absolute Advantage

Etherfi’s dominance in the market mainly stems from its early deployment and ecosystem advantages. As a key player in the Ethereum ecosystem, Etherfi has fully leveraged Ethereum’s largest DeFi infrastructure. However, it is noteworthy that the market remains relatively fragmented, with other competitors collectively holding 50%, indicating that the crypto payment card market is still in the exploration stage and far from being fully shaped.

Business Model Innovation: DeFi-Enabled Consumption Cards

Behind this growth is the innovation in the business model of crypto payment cards. According to reports, many cards generate yield on their balances through DeFi lending protocols, allowing users to earn returns while maintaining flexibility in daily spending. This effectively turns traditional bank savings accounts’ “dead money” into “active money.”

The appeal of this model is evident: compared to zero or low-interest rates on traditional bank cards, DeFi-enabled payment cards can offer more competitive yields. However, it is also important to note that card issuers are still optimizing their economic models, and there are significant differences in incentive structures and fee arrangements among providers. This means users need to compare carefully, and the sustainability of card issuers remains to be validated over time.

Infrastructure Support: The Critical Role of Visa and Mastercard

Another noteworthy detail is that these crypto payment cards mainly rely on Visa and Mastercard networks. This reflects an interesting phenomenon: the consumption scenarios for crypto assets still depend on the infrastructure of traditional payment systems. In other words, crypto payment cards are not entirely decentralized payment solutions but innovative applications built on traditional payment networks.

This hybrid model ensures practicality and acceptance but also introduces certain centralization risks. From a market growth perspective, this pragmatic approach is gaining user acceptance.

Future Outlook

My personal view is that this growth trend may continue. The supporting logic includes:

• The number of crypto asset holders is still increasing, with significant room for consumption demand release
• DeFi yield mechanisms are more attractive than traditional banks, providing a competitive edge
• Various ecosystems (Ethereum, Solana, etc.) are promoting payment card applications, and increased market participation benefits market education and adoption

However, risks to watch include: the sustainability of the economic models of card issuers, regulatory uncertainties, and competitive pressures from traditional payment institutions.

Summary

The 22-fold growth in the crypto payment card market is not accidental but the result of multiple factors working together. Etherfi’s market leadership is built on its ecosystem advantages, but there remains ample room for competition. The innovation of DeFi-enabled consumption cards is the core driver of this growth, reflecting the expansion of crypto asset application scenarios. At the same time, this market development also confirms a fact: the real application scenarios of crypto assets are shifting from speculative trading to consumer payments, which is of great significance for the industry’s overall maturity.