Are Loyalty Programs in the Cryptocurrency Space Ineffective? Brazilian Digital Bank Suspends Trading of “Nucoin”
Nubank initially announced the launch of its native token, Nucoin, in 2022, with the platform going live in March of the following year. However, less than two years later, the bank abruptly halted trading functionality, and it seems that loyalty programs connected to cryptocurrencies have not yielded remarkable changes for Web2 enterprises. This development echoes Starbucks’ unexpected termination of its NFT rewards program as they prepare for future initiatives.
Nubank’s Announcement and Nucoin Trading Suspension
According to Nubank’s official statement, users can no longer trade Nucoin within the Nucoin application to prevent price volatility in the market. Nucoin has followed a trajectory similar to platform tokens, with the official emphasis last year on enhancing on-chain transparency. This included the launch of the Nucoin Explorer blockchain explorer to provide personal wallet and transaction queries. Nucoin serves as a utility token in the loyalty program, offering benefits to holders. Users can freeze (similar to staking) Nucoin to unlock additional perks or directly convert it into cash through liquidity pools.
Transition to Internal Benefits and Rewards
Following the announcement of the trading suspension, Nucoin will only be used to unlock various internal benefits and rewards within the Nubank ecosystem. These include discounts at Nubank Shopping and various experiential offers promoted by the bank. Users have until December 9th of this year to exchange Nucoin for BTC or USDC, with participants in the conversion being eligible for a prize draw. Similar to Starbucks’ announcement, the official statement emphasizes Nucoin’s preparation for the next stage.
Nubank’s Financial Evaluation and Nucoin’s Temporary Halt
The suspension of Nucoin trading by Nubank coincides with a review of its financial situation. Despite a more than 60% increase in its stock price this year, asset management firm Persevera chose to divest all holdings in June. In addition, JPMorgan and UBS downgraded Nubank’s rating to ‘Neutral’ in July, citing deteriorating asset quality. Fernando Fontoura, portfolio manager at Persevera, expressed concerns about credit quality, leading them to distance themselves from Nubank.
Bloomberg reported that Nubank set a new historical high in the second quarter with over 7% of non-performing loans overdue for more than 90 days (exceeding the industry average of 5.5%). Simultaneously, the provision for bad debts decreased from $831 million to $760 million. In response to these queries, Nubank’s COO, Youssef Lahrech, explained during a financial conference call that the bank focuses more on long-term strategies rather than short-term indicators of bad loans.
Berkshire Hathaway, owned by Warren Buffett, has twice invested in Nubank, further attracting attention to the bank’s development in the cryptocurrency space. To mitigate market fluctuations, Nubank temporarily halted Nucoin trading and allowed conversions to BTC and USDC until December.