New versions designed to help protect consumers against coronavirus transmission
Upgrade, a neobank that offers affordable and responsible credit to mainstream consumers, launched its first contactless-enabled Upgrade Card. Also starting, Upgrade Card is now available in digital form through both Apple Pay and Google Pay to enable mobile payments. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended last month that consumers limit the use of banknotes and, when possible, use contactless cards or smartphone payments to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
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“These new Upgrade Card features enable payments without any surface contact,” said Renaud Laplanche, Upgrade co-founder and CEO. “While more customers have been shopping online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are still using their card in stores. We want to do what we can to keep our customers safe and give them a smarter way to pay.”
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Since launching in October 2019, Upgrade Card has been rapidly gaining adoption in the U.S. with an annual rate of $500 million in new credit lines already being made available to consumers. Upgrade Card operates differently than traditional credit cards as monthly charges are combined into installment plans payable over 24 to 60 months, committing people to the discipline of paying down their balance every month. The installment plans result in significantly lower costs for consumers and help avoid the revolving debt trap of traditional credit cards.
Pricing and Availability
Upgrade Card, including the contactless and mobile payment versions, has zero fees. Every Upgrade Card comes with a credit line of $500 to $20,000. Consumers can use Upgrade Card anywhere a Visa is accepted. Upgrade Card offers lower costs than traditional credit cards due to its unique installment plans.
