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‘Bitcoin Will Be Earned, Not Bought,’ Says Fold CEO as Rewards Drive Adoption

Reported by Ccn
Apr 17, 2026· 3 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Fold reported Q4 2025 revenue of $9 million (8% quarter-over-quarter increase) with net loss of $69.6 million for the full year, while gaining 2,000 new customers and launching a Visa/Stripe-powered Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card.
  • • CEO Will Reeves projects Bitcoin rewards will overtake airline miles as the preferred U.S. consumer reward program, contingent on scaling to millions of cardholders and implementing enhanced fraud and risk controls.
  • • Fold went public via SPAC on February 14, 2026, positioning itself as the first Bitcoin financial services company to reach public markets and establishing credibility for similar firms to follow.
  • • Transaction volume declined 3% year-over-year to $215 million, and the company recorded a $6 million operating loss despite product expansion including Fold for Business (payroll and corporate bonus programs).
  • • Fold holds 1,490 Bitcoin and has strengthened its balance sheet by retiring two convertible debt instruments, signaling financial restructuring ahead of scaling operations.
Summary
Fold, a Bitcoin financial services firm that went public via SPAC on February 14, 2026, reported Q4 revenue of $9 million, representing an 8% sequential increase, as it continues building a Bitcoin-native ecosystem centered on consumer rewards integration. During the company's Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings call, CEO Will Reeves articulated an ambitious thesis: Bitcoin rewards will displace airline miles as America's dominant consumer loyalty program. This assertion carries strategic weight given Fold's recent product launches, most notably a Visa and Stripe-powered Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card that allows users to earn Bitcoin cashback on everyday purchases.

However, Fold's financial performance reflects the early-stage challenges of scaling a Bitcoin-focused financial services platform. The company added 2,000 customers in Q4 but reported a full-year 2025 net loss of $69.6 million and an operating loss of $6 million. Transaction volume declined 3% year-over-year to $215 million—a metric that underscores the tension between user acquisition and transaction velocity. Reeves acknowledged these headwinds, noting that achieving Fold's vision of mainstream Bitcoin rewards dominance requires scaling to millions of cardholders while simultaneously tightening fraud and risk management infrastructure. He emphasized: "That means that these card programs and our card program needs to scale to millions of cardholders" while implementing better controls before "really opening the floodgates" for mass adoption.

Fold's product roadmap extends beyond consumer cards. The company launched Fold for Business, enabling corporations to incorporate Bitcoin into payroll, bonuses, and broader financial programs. Steak 'n Shake serves as a marquee partner, accepting Bitcoin payments and distributing Bitcoin bonuses to employees. This B2B strategy represents a diversification effort as Fold navigates a demanding consumer credit market against established competitors including Coinbase, Gemini, Swan Bitcoin, and River Financial—all of which now offer Bitcoin credit card rewards in the U.S.

Reeves positioned Fold's public market debut as a watershed moment for Bitcoin financial services legitimacy. "Fold was the first Bitcoin financial services company to make it through the door. We won't be the last," he stated, citing JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon's shifted stance on Bitcoin and the extraordinary success of spot Bitcoin ETFs as evidence of mainstream institutional adoption. The company holds 1,490 Bitcoin on its balance sheet and recently retired two convertible debt instruments, indicating balance sheet optimization ahead of potential growth initiatives. While challenges persist—particularly transaction volume headwinds—Reeves characterized 2025 as successful relative to internal targets, asserting that Fold "continued to add customers and expand our platform while building the foundation to scale a Bitcoin-native financial services ecosystem across multiple interconnected product lines."

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Sources

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AlphaMaven summarised this story from the reporting below. Each link opens the original article.

Ccn ‘Bitcoin Will Be Earned, Not Bought,’ Says Fold CEO as Rewards Drive Adoption