Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Shakepay Turns Card Rewards Into Bitcoin Reserves
May 22, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Activity | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Payments And Money Movement
Bitcoin Rewards Test Local Business Treasury Use
On May 21, 2026, Montreal based Shakepay opened the waitlist for its physical Shakepay Visa Prepaid Card and launched a 21 day campaign that turns everyday card payments into bitcoin rewards for customers and participating local businesses. The campaign builds on Shakepay’s Virtual Card, which the company says thousands of Canadians already use every week to earn bitcoin rewards on purchases.
Here’s how it works. Customers tap the Virtual Shakepay Card in store and earn points toward early access to the physical card. Those payments can also place local businesses on Shakepay’s campaign map. Businesses that sign up for Shakepay for Business during the campaign can claim bitcoin rewards after verification.
See: Canada’s First FI Issued CAD Stablecoin Launches
Shakepay is using rewards, merchants, and local campaign mechanics to push bitcoin into daily payment behaviour without asking customers or businesses to use bitcoin at checkout.
Jean Amiouny, CEO, Shakepay:
“Most rewards programs give people points they can only use inside someone else's system. We think Canadians should be able to earn an asset they can actually own,”
Bitcoin Rewards With Local Spending
Shakepay is reframing rewards around ownership. Customers spend from their cash balance and earn rewards paid in bitcoin. That differs from closed loyalty points, which usually keep value inside one retailer, issuer, or rewards system.
Small businesses can explore bitcoin reserves without rebuilding payment acceptance or asking customers to pay with crypto. The bitcoin reward is tied to campaign activity and business onboarding, not direct bitcoin checkout.
The top 21,000 customers on the waitlist will receive early access to the physical card. The top 2,100 will be eligible for a Launch Edition card engraved with their waitlist rank. That gamified structure gives Shakepay a way to measure demand before full rollout.
See: Bitcoin as the Missing Denominator for Private Credit
The company says it helps more than 1.5 million Canadians access and use bitcoin through everyday financial products. Shakepay is a CIRO member, an Investment Dealer registered with the AMF, and a FINTRAC registered Money Service Business. They also recently became a member of Payments Canada. The Shakepay Visa Prepaid Card is issued by Peoples Trust Company under licence from Visa International Service Association.
Shakepay is testing whether bitcoin rewards can become a daily payments wedge in Canada. If the model works, bitcoin doesn't need to replace card rails to gain utility. It can ride on top of card spending, rewards, and small business treasury behaviour.
Talking Point
Will bitcoin adoption in Canada grow through direct crypto payments, or through familiar card and rewards products that make bitcoin part of everyday spending?
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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