Debit cards are becoming increasingly popular as a means of payment in Germany. The Treecard of the green search engine Ecosia is nevertheless a special feature. Because the green debit card allows you to plant trees and strengthen nature with every payment.
No matter what happened: Germans loved cash. For decades, coins and bills in our wallets were the only true means of payment in Germany. But the global corona pandemic has actually changed this attitude.
To avoid unnecessary contact and reduce the risk of infection, more and more people are turning to (contactless) payment by debit card. One of the reasons for this is that fewer stores – especially smaller ones – accept cash.
Ecosia presents green debit card
So there is no better time to launch a new debit card. This is exactly what the green search engine Ecosia has done.
The Treecard has been available in the USA since October 15, 2020. Customers in the UK and Germany should also soon be able to enjoy the card.
For the cooperation, Ecosia is taking a stake in the British fin-tech company of the same name, Treecard – both financially and commercially, and with appropriate marketing measures.
What makes Treecard so special?
While other card providers rely on (attractive) cashback systems, Ecosia supports nature. How does that work?
The Treecard earns money through so-called interchange fees. These are the fees that retailers and banks have to pay for using a debit card. The issuing bank receives the fee from the merchant.
In the case of the Treecard, 80 percent of the revenue generated is invested directly in Ecosia’s tree projects. In concrete terms, this means that Ecosia will plant a new tree for every 50 euros you pay with the Treecard.
Is Ecosia’s green debit card safe?
This question can be answered quickly and briefly: Yes. As a partner for the Treecard, Ecosia has Mastercard as a card partner and Synapse as a financial partner with a banking license on board. This means that the Treecard is based on established and secure structures.
For the European market, a banking partner is currently still missing. A possible candidate would be Solarisbank, which also supports projects such as Tomorrow or Trade Republic.
All deposits are protected up to an amount of USD 250,000. You also have the option of having your debit card blocked in case of fraud.
If you want to support the environment with your debit card in the future, you can sign up for your wooden Treecard. At this time, Ecosia plans to send the green debit card to its customers in early 2021.
