Loans

How Does a Bitcoin Loan Work?

Published, 17 September, 2020

One of the major use cases for Bitcoin (BTC) is its store of value. Whether you consider Bitcoin an asset or a form of money, one thing that remains true is that the crypto ecosystem looks to Bitcoin to pave the road for bringing crypto to the rest of the world.

The best way to do this is by offering traditional financial products within the blockchain ecosystem. BlockFi is doing exactly this with collateralized crypto-to-usd loans using Bitcoin.

Reasons to Take a Bitcoin Loan

There are a number of reasons why someone might want to leverage their Bitcoin to take out a USD loan, they just need to understand how a bitcoin loan works. Most BlockFi clients don't want to sell their Bitcoin because they believe that their crypto assets will increase in value in the long-term. However, they require funding for things like real estate investment, car payments, travelling, or other expenses.

Additionally, some lenders like BlockFi have potential upsides when it comes to tax exposure. For example, funding or closing a crypto loan does not count as a taxable event. That means there are no capital gains taxes involved. This is a huge benefit when it comes to tax season and saved the headaches of an increased tax bill. It's also possible for some clients to deduct the interest from their loan on their taxes. However, everyone's situation is different and you should consult with a professional before making financial decisions. Click here to read more about the potential tax benefits of taking out a bitcoin loan.

Why take a Bitcoin backed loan with BlockFi?

BlockFi offers the most affordable bitcoin-to-USD lending rates with the largest U.S. lending footprint in the country. For many bitcoin owners, being forced to sell their assets is a last-case option. BlockFi offers Bitcoin and Ether investors the ability to access the value of their bitcoin assets without having to sell.

After a BlockFi loan is paid off, the client receives all of their collateral back, including any increased value, interest, or forked coins that occur over the duration of the loan and is an essential part of how a bitcoin loan works through BlockFi. Click here for more information on how we handle client assets.

Our clients use their BlockFi funding for a number of different things. Individuals often use their loan towards buying homes, paying taxes, or diversifying investments. We also have business clients that leverage their crypto to help with things like funding payroll or expanding operations. Click here to read about things you can do with a BlockFi loan.

Details for a BTC to USD Loan

It takes 2 minutes or less to apply for a BTC loan. Once submitted our BlockFi team will review and give you a decision and present you with loan terms within hours. After you accept and send your collateral, we will wire USD directly into your bank account. It's as simple as that.

End-to-end, our clients can apply for a Bitcoin, Ether, or Litecoin loan and have USD in their bank account in less than 90 minutes. Additionally, BlockFi lends in over 45 states and has interest rates starting at 8%, making us the largest, fastest, and most affordable crypto asset-backed lender in the U.S. If you're looking for a way to leverage your crypto asset holdings without having to sell.

Find out more information about how BlockFi cryptoasset-backed loans work.

Have questions? Contact us here!

Last updated on June 14th, 2022

As of February 14, 2022, the BlockFi Interest Account (BIA) is no longer available to new clients who are US persons or persons located in the US and existing US clients with BIA accounts are unable to transfer new assets to their BIAs. Learn More.

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Digital currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and crypto accounts held with BlockFi are not subject to FDIC or SIPC protections. Digital currency values are not static and fluctuate due to market changes. Not all products and services are available in all geographic areas and are subject to applicable terms and conditions. Eligibility for particular products and services is subject to final determination by BlockFi. Rates for BlockFi products are subject to change.

BlockFi Rewards Credit Card: For more information, please see BlockFi’s Terms of Service. BlockFi is not a Bank. Cards are issued by Evolve Bank & Trust, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa® USA Inc. Rewards are not offered by Evolve Bank & Trust and are instead offered and managed by BlockFi.

BlockFi International Ltd. holds a Class F digital assets business license under the Digital Assets Business Act, 2018 (as amended) and is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority to conduct the following digital assets business activities: (i) issuing, selling or redeeming virtual coins, tokens or any other form of digital assets (ii) operating as a digital asset exchange (iii) providing custodial wallet services (iv) operating as a digital asset derivative exchange provider and (v) operating as a digital assets services vendor.

See blockfi.com/terms for more information.