The wave of NFT attention in 2021 has led many newcomers to seek ways to enter the Non-Fungible Token ecosystem from a variety of routes.
The most popular way to get from fiat to NFT is through the traditional route of using a fiat on-ramp platform, like a Coinbase Pro, to convert USD to something like ETH or SOL, and then transferring it over to their wallet of choice, like MetaMask or Phantom, and then either minting an NFT or purchasing one on a secondary market.
However, the convenience of buying an NFT directly with a credit card is something that some users may prefer, and this has only recently become an available service. Switchere and SpaceSeven, for instance, enable users to buy NFTs with a credit card.
Here’s how it works.
Buying NFTs With Credit Card: Behind the Scenes
To best understand the mechanics of buying NFTs with credit cards, let’s familiarize ourselves with a few of the key elements.
Switchere is an Estonian-based licensed online crypto exchange that recently announced the integration of Concordium’s native payment token, the CCD. Switchere serves as a fiat on-ramp, meaning it is one of the minority of exchanges that allow people to convert fiats like USD and EUR into crypto as well as trade crypto to crypto.
As a licensed company that adheres to legal compliance, it offers a secure infrastructure that many decentralized exchanges leave to smart contracts.
Concordium is a non-permissioned public blockchain that has specialized its product for global businesses. A newer project, Concordium, is attractive to developers, creators, and investors alike because it offers lower gas fees in a scalable environment with proper identification for all parties interacting.
It’s a Layer-1 proof-of-stake blockchain with an integrated ID layer for easier regulatory compliance, which is why it makes for a good partner to support credit card payments. Concordium uses a native payment token called CCD. The company recently closed a $36 million fundraising round.
SpaceSeven is a token discovery platform and marketplace that allows users to create, buy, and sell NFTs, built on the Concordium blockchain, supported by Switchere. The NFT platform was launched on November 23, 2021 (at 4:20 PM CET).
The SpaceSeven NFT marketplace
The platform was created by Tacans, a software development house in Switzerland, and Venture Builder, with an R&D center in Ukraine. SpaceSeven allows artists to create NFTs and sell them at a fixed price or at an auction.
“Here’s how it works: a client registers his or her account and wallet on SpaceSeven and uses the Switchere widget to buy CCD through any of the available payment methods. Then, the user may exchange the CCD for the desired NFT on SpaceSeven.” — said Nikolai Khachatrian, Head of Product at Switchere.
So, users of SpaceSeven can buy NFTs directly with a credit and debit card, which is facilitated by Switchere.
“This is the first and very unique opportunity on the market to buy NFTs with your credit card. With growing interest in NFT, we would like to expand its adoption in the market.” — said Philip Mostert, CMO at SpaceSeven.
Final Thoughts: How Will NFT Purchases with Credit Cards Push NFT Adoption?
As evidenced by the trio of partners needed to make it possible to buy NFTs with a credit card, the feature is a fairly involved endeavor.
In this case, the Switchere widget makes NFTs more accessible by allowing crypto projects like SpaceSeven to accept credit card payments. In essence, this Switchere widget can be integrated into any platform that wants to start accepting credit cards as payments.
Rather than requiring users to jump between a series of hurdles mentioned above (fiat onramps, transferring cryptocurrency between various wallets, and so on), projects can integrate a payment facilitator to help people buy NFTs without the added complexities.
Of course, buying an NFT with a credit card will come with a credit card processing fee, but it’s worth noting that one would incur a multitude of fees in the traditional pathway:
- Coinbase charges a fee when buying any crypto (so USD to ETH)
- The ETH network charges a gas fee when sending ETH to a MetaMask
- The purchase of the NFT comes with its own gas fee.
It’s up to you, the user, which route makes the most sense for you.
The post How to Buy NFTs with a Credit Card: A Quick & Easy Guide appeared first on CoinCentral.
