Key takeaways
- Selling on an exchange typically involves three fees — trading, withdrawal and bank — and one to five business days of waiting.
- A payment card converts only what you spend, at the moment you spend it, so the rest of your balance stays untouched.
- The exchange route still makes sense for very large, one-off amounts you want in a bank account.
- Both routes usually create a taxable conversion; the card simply makes it happen in smaller steps.
The exchange route
You place a sell order, pay the trading fee, request a fiat withdrawal, pay the withdrawal fee, and wait for the bank transfer to arrive — often with an additional receiving fee. Only then can you spend the money with a regular card.
The payment card route
You fund your SCHWARZMAN account once. From then on you simply pay. The exact purchase amount is converted at checkout and settled in USD; the remaining balance stays as it is.
Side by side
| Exchange + bank | SCHWARZMAN card | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to spend | 1 – 5 business days | Immediately after deposit is confirmed |
| Steps | Sell, withdraw, wait, pay | Pay |
| Fees | Trading + withdrawal + bank | Membership $19.99/month; no deposit fee; 3% per card payment |
| Amount converted | Whatever you sold | Only the purchase amount |
| Rewards | None | 1% cashback in SHOP Token on eligible payments |
When the exchange route is still the better choice
- You need a large amount in a bank account, for example for rent or a car purchase by bank transfer.
- You are above the card's limits and do not want to split a purchase.
- You want to move out of digital assets entirely.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a payment card always cheaper than selling on an exchange?
- Not always. For frequent everyday spending the card is usually simpler and cheaper; for a single large transfer to a bank account the exchange route can be more efficient.
- Can I do both?
- Yes. Many customers keep a monthly spending budget on the card and use an exchange for larger, occasional transfers.