Cred app lets you ‘micro-invest’ in cryptocurrencies

Cred is launching a mobile app that allows people to invest small amounts of money in cryptocurrencies. The iOS and Android app is aimed at solving problems around access and transparency associated with buying cryptocurrencies.

Santa Monica, California-based Cred said it has created a “micro-investing” platform to ease access to cryptocurrencies, which have become a hot (and sometimes cold) commodity as people seek to replace cash in the digital era.

With the Cred app, investors can round up the amount they spend on everyday purchases to the nearest $1, $2 or $5 and invest the extra money in cryptocurrency. For example, if an investor who rounds up to the nearest $1 spends $3.55 on an iced coffee, the Cred platform will automatically invest 45 cents in cryptocurrency.

Cred founder Brendon McQueen believes that consumers often feel intimidated when looking to invest in cryptocurrency, due to a lack of education about the industry, confusing product offerings, and reluctance to trust crypto offerings.

The company believes it is uniquely positioned to address these issues by offering an easy-to-use platform that allows users to invest in cryptocurrency, track their progress, learn about each coin prior to investing, and receive daily market recaps and news updates. For its initial rollout, Cred is launching in California, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Montana, with more states being introduced in the coming months.

About 69 percent of people in the U.S. expect the price of Bitcoin to rise in the next five years, but only 5 percent own Bitcoin, according to a Global Blockchain Business Council survey of 5,000 respondents. The high prices of cryptocurrencies, complicated platforms, and lack of education can make the space intimidating for first-time investors.

After signing up and following familiar KYC protocol (know your customer, an anti-money-laundering protocol), Cred presents investors with a variety of cryptocurrency options, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, Komodo, and ZenCash — as well as tokens, including Worldwide Asset eXchange’s WAX and Neblio’s NEBL.

Above: Cred makes crypto investing simple.

Image Credit: Cred

In the app, each coin offering includes a graph that can be expanded to show the coin’s price over the last 24 hours, a month, and all time. Users can then press a “Learn” button, which describes each token’s purpose, as well as its history and relevance in the industry. Investors can then select the type of currency they are interested in and choose the amount of money they want to round up from a purchase.

Investors can also set up recurring investments, including on a weekly or monthly basis. Transactions are capped at $2,000 per month to start, which helps add peace of mind for first-time investors averse to spending large sums. Lastly, investors can make a one-time transaction.

“I’m thrilled to finally offer a non-intimidating space for consumers to get involved in cryptocurrency,” said McQueen, who serves as Cred’s CEO, in a statement. “There’s an obvious gap in the market: People aren’t investing in cryptocurrency because they think it’s too complicated and complex. Cred creates a tangible space for people to take advantage of cryptocurrency at any level of experience without having to be an expert. Our platform is clear, quick, and educational — helping us reach our mission of democratizing cryptocurrency and bringing it to the masses.”

Cred is currently partnering with 13 cryptocurrency platforms and coins — including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, EOS, Litecoin, Stellar, Monero, Dash, Komodo, Wax, Neblio, and ZenCash — and the company continues to seek out interesting coins and projects to add to its platform.

“We are super excited to be partnering with Cred, as they offer a unique micro-savings and micro-investment platform that will help onboard a whole new segment of cryptocurrency users,” said Steve Lee, chief marketing officer at Komodo, in a statement. “Komodo has long been committed to the global adoption of blockchain technologies and enabling real world usage. Through our partnership, Komodo and Cred will be able to lower the barrier-to-entry into cryptocurrency for the mass market and offer a fiat gateway for KMD in the U.S.”

Cred was founded in April 2018 and has 10 employees. The company has raised $1 million to date. McQueen previously founded and led Tuition.io, a market leader in student loan employee benefits.