NAKA card is launching at Plan B Forum

The NAKA card is officially launching at the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Switzerland, on October 20th and 21st, 2023. NAKA’s CEO, Dejan Roljic, will showcase the usability of NAKA scheme and card during his live speech in the magnificent Villa Ciani. 

During the two-day event will host a list of world leaders, technologists, and entrepreneurs promoting Bitcoin adoption, economics, financial freedom, and freedom of speech. 

The NAKA team, the official sponsor of the event, will grant a selected few the opportunity to become the first NAKA cardholders. They will be able to experience crypto card payments with USDt throughout the venue and the entire Lugano region.

Since 2022, Lugano has transformed itself into a true crypto hub. It hosts more than 350 merchants who support crypto payments through NAKA solutions. These encompass a rich offer of luxury item stores, galleries, bars and restaurants, including McDonald’s, and more.

Card payments remain the preferred payment method

According to Forbes Advisor, 90% of American customers use payment cards as their preferred payment method, while only 10% still rely on cash or checks. In many parts of the world, owning a payment card appears to be self-evident. 

However, for almost one-quarter of the global population, banking services and access to payment cards tend to be seen as privileges. The unbanked population faces existential challenges due to limited access to a bank account, a payment card, and other financial services.

NAKA is changing the rules of the game

We designed the first-ever EMV-compatible self-custodial payment card available to any user without any intermediaries. The card connects to a user’s non-custodial wallet and enables the user to manage his funds at his discretion. The new NAKA card is opening the door to decentralized financial services, benefiting unbanked individuals and those who lost trust in centralized financial institutions. 

• NAKA card is EMV-compatible.

The EMV-compatibility refers to the ability of a payment card, a point-of-sale terminal (card reader), or an ATM (automated teller machine) to support EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) chip technology. EMV is a global standard for chip-based payment cards and terminals designed to enhance security and reduce card fraud, particularly in face-to-face transactions.

The NAKA card is fully compatible with the EMV standard, which allows seamless integration with virtually any point-of-sale (POS) system on a global scale. 

• NAKA card is self-custodial.

Self-custody refers to the practice of individuals or entities having direct control over their own assets without the need for a third party or intermediary to hold or manage those assets on their behalf. NAKA cardholders use the NAKA decentralized application (dApp) to connect their NAKA cards to a wallet, managed by MetaMask, and fund their cards with their MetaMask assets (USDt on Polygon supported) or top them up directly with USDt on the Polygon network. 

• NAKA card runs on the NAKA payment scheme.

The card is backed by the NAKA payment scheme, a blockchain-based payment network that executes transactions and settlements by relying on smart contracts. 

• Anyone can issue the NAKA card without obtaining additional licenses.

The NAKA card can be issued by any legitimate company either as a so-called primary issuer, where the issuing of cards is communicated directly with NAKA, or through a NAKA sponsoring issuer. For more information about becoming a NAKA issuer visit our Partners webpage.

• Where can you use NAKA?

After the official launch, NAKA will be supported in three Bitcoin Cities across the globe: Lugano, Switzerland; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Ljubljana, Slovenia. These regions have established robust infrastructure for accepting Bitcoin payments at POS terminals, making them ideal for testing NAKA's cryptocurrency and card payments. After the initial phase, NAKA will expand to other markets as well. 

Become one of the first NAKA cardholders by joining our waitlist. And do not forget to visit our team at Lugano Plan B Forum on October 20th & 21st.