Investment brokerage Genial has just entered the credit card business, launching Platinum and Black options for customers. The launches may be enough to make you question whether it's worth changing your own card!
This is because Genial cards have a free annual fee and the Black version also offers unlimited access to VIP rooms through LoungeKey for the cardholder and companions. And despite this super benefit, the card is relatively affordable (see more details in this post).
In addition to LoungeKey access, Genial cards offer cashback of 0.8% (Platinum) or 1% (Black), access to a CDB to invest with a return of 220% of the CDI, up to 5 free extras and the benefits of the Mastercard Platinum brand or Black, depending on the card version.
An interesting point is that the cashback is converted into Genial's own “currency”, called gCoins. These gCoins are part of Genial Fidelidade, and can be used to invest on the broker's platform, exchange products or transfer to the Azul Fidelidade, Livelo and Smiles programs.
In other words, the card basically has a points program in the form of cashback, as it works very similar to cards that earn points as a form of loyalty. The system, in fact, reminded me a lot of the Inter Loop.
Despite indicating the possibility of transfer to airline programs and Livelo, there is no information about the parity of gCoins when exchanging for points.
To check the details of Genial Fidelidade, Click here.
How to get Genial credit cards?
Firstly, you need to have a Genial digital account – Click here to open yours. Afterwards, the broker only requires investments from R$1,000 to request the Platinum card and from R$50,000 for the Black card, and the request must be made through the Genial app.
After the request, a credit analysis will be carried out on the interested customer.
Investments can be made in any product offered on the Genial platform, such as fixed income, shares, funds, etc.
Yes, we cannot deny that R$50,000 is a good amount, but considering the unlimited access to VIP rooms offered, the possibility of transferring gCoins to loyalty programs and the free annual fee, it is a relatively affordable amount.
Is the Genial Black Card worth it?
Considering the benefits offered, the free annual fee and the requirement for investments starting at R$50,000, the Genial Black card is definitely worth it! And, in my humble opinion, it’s totally worth it!
Of course, it is not the best card for accumulating points or miles, and it offers a discreet cashback of just 1%, within the market average, but the possibility of being able to use the cashback (called gCoins) in exchange for points or miles from Azul, Livelo or Smiles, makes the benefit a little more interesting.
However, the card's biggest attraction is the combination of free annual fees and unlimited access to VIP lounges through LoungeKey for cardholders and guests, a benefit restricted, until now, to much more exclusive cards, such as BRB Dux, Santander Unlimited, Itaú The One and Sicredi Visa Infinite – and they all charge an annual fee!
A card with no annual fee and which offers the same benefit is the Inter Black Win, which even has a slightly higher cashback of 1.25%, but requires investments starting at R$1 million (20 times more than the Genial).
Another competitor, the BTG Black card, for example, which recently updated the division of modules, charges R$ 2,880 in annual fees to be entitled to all the benefits, which include only 4 annual accesses via LoungeKey, and in accordance with the rules, it would be necessary to invest at least R$240,000 to be free from the charge (considering only investments).
In other words, if you have the possibility of having this investment, the Genial Black card could be a great choice to have in your wallet!
Soon, both will be available in our rankings of the best cards for accessing VIP rooms, in which Black should debut very well, and also in the list of cards with no annual fee.
Genial Mastercard Platinum Card
- Request available with investments from R$1,000 at Genial;
- Free annual fee;
- 0.8% Cashback (transformed into gCoins);
- Access to CDB with a yield of 220% of the CDI;
- Mastercard Surprise Program;
- Mastercard Platinum benefits (such as car rental insurance, travel assistance and travel concierge);
- Available to order in 3 color options (Blue, White and Gray).
Genial Mastercard Black Card
- Request available with investments from R$50,000 at Genial;
- Free annual fee;
- 1% Cashback (transformed into gCoins);
- Unlimited access to VIP rooms via LoungeKey (holder and companions);
- Access to CDB with a yield of 220% of the CDI;
- Mastercard Surprise Program;
- Mastercard Black brand benefits (such as Purchase Protection, extended warranty, car rental insurance, roadside assistance and travel concierge);
For more information about Genial Investimentos cards, Click here.
*We would like to thank reader Thalles Peixoto, who informed us about Genial's cards via Telegram channel.
