Breaking News • January 14, 2026 • 12:00 PM ET
Bilt Card 2.0 Officially Launched: Here's Everything You Need to Know
Bilt Card 2.0 is live. Richard Kerr announced the official details from the World Trade Center launch event. The housing rewards system is different from the rumors—here's the full breakdown with calculators and analysis.
The Official Announcement
At 12:00 PM ET on January 14, 2026, Bilt officially launched Card 2.0. Richard Kerr announced the details from the World Trade Center launch event. Applications opened immediately for existing cardholders and new applicants.
Key Highlights
- •Three cards: Bilt Palladium ($495 AF), Bilt Obsidian ($95 AF), and Bilt Blue ($0 AF)
- •Mortgage payments: Homeowners can now earn points on mortgage payments, not just rent
- •No transaction fees: Rent and mortgage payments have no transaction fees
- •Housing rewards: For every $30 in Bilt Cash earned, unlock 1,000 Bilt Points on rent/mortgage
- •4% Bilt Cash: All cards earn 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend
- •Multiple homes: Can earn points across multiple properties with no annual cap
How the Housing Rewards System Works
All cards earn 4% Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
For every $30 in Bilt Cash earned, you unlock 1,000 Bilt Points that can be used on rent/mortgage payments
You can earn up to 1X points (1 point per $1) on rent/mortgage, limited by how much Bilt Cash you've earned
Example: If you spend $1,500/month on everyday purchases, you earn $60/month in Bilt Cash. That $60 unlocks 2,000 Bilt Points per month (at the $30 = 1,000 points ratio). If your rent is $2,000/month, you'd earn 2,000 points (1X). If your rent is $3,000/month, you'd still earn 2,000 points (0.67X effective rate) because that's all your Bilt Cash unlocked.
The key difference from rumors: This isn't about covering transaction fees with Bilt Cash. It's about unlocking points on housing payments based on your everyday spending. The more you spend, the more housing points you can unlock—up to 1X on your full rent/mortgage payment.
Calculator: How Many Housing Points Can You Earn?
Calculate how many points you can unlock on rent/mortgage payments based on your everyday spending. For every $30 in Bilt Cash earned, you unlock 1,000 Bilt Points on housing.
4% Bilt Cash = $120.00/month
Bilt Cash & Points Unlocked
✅ Earning full 1X—your Bilt Cash unlocks enough points for your full payment
Annual Housing Points Value
The Three Bilt Card 2.0 Options
Bilt Palladium Card
- Earning: 2X points on everyday spend, up to 1X on housing
- Bilt Cash: 4% on everyday spend
- Welcome Bonus: 50,000 points + Bilt Gold Status + $300 Bilt Cash
- Credits: $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credits + $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Benefits: Priority Pass, purchase protection, no FTF, extended warranty, price drop protection, and more
Bilt Obsidian Card
- Earning: 3X points on dining OR groceries (choice, grocery cap $25K/year), 2X on travel, 1X on all other spend, up to 1X on housing
- Bilt Cash: 4% on everyday spend
- Welcome Bonus: $200 Bilt Cash on approval
- Credits: $100 Bilt Travel Hotel credits annually
- Benefits: Trip delay insurance, no FTF, extended warranty, and more
Bilt Blue Card
- Earning: 1X points on everyday spend, up to 1X on housing
- Bilt Cash: 4% on everyday spend
- Welcome Bonus: $100 Bilt Cash on account opening
- Benefits: No annual fee, no FTF, authorized users, World Elite Mastercard benefits
All cards include: 10% introductory APR on new eligible purchases for up to 12 months (subject to approval), no transaction fees on rent/mortgage, ability to earn across multiple homes, and no annual cap on housing points.
Calculator: Which Card Is Best For You?
Compare the annual value of each card tier based on your spending patterns. We're using TPG's Bilt point valuation of 2.2 cents per point.
About Credits: "Core Value" is based on points and Bilt Cash earned minus annual fees. Credits (hotel credits, welcome bonuses) are shown separately as they may not be worth full value if unused. Hotel credits require staying at hotels; Bilt Cash is a rewards currency, not cash.
Blue: $100 Bilt Cash on opening • Obsidian: $100 hotel credit + $200 Bilt Cash • Palladium: $400 hotel credits + $200 Bilt Cash annually + $300 Bilt Cash on opening
Bilt Blue
Bilt Obsidian
Bilt Palladium
The Good News
- ✅No transaction fees: Rent and mortgage payments truly have no transaction fees—this is confirmed
- ✅Mortgage payments included: Homeowners can now earn points on mortgages, expanding the program significantly
- ✅Multiple homes: Can earn across multiple properties with no annual cap—great for real estate investors
- ✅No minimum Bilt Cash: You can earn housing points with any amount of Bilt Cash, not just $30 increments
- ✅Bilt Cash flexibility: Excess Bilt Cash can be used for travel, transfers, experiences, or neighborhood credits
The Reality Check
- ⚠️Housing points are limited: To earn full 1X on rent/mortgage, you need to earn enough Bilt Cash from everyday spending. For $2,000/month rent, you'd need to spend ~$1,500/month on everyday purchases to unlock 2,000 points
- ⚠️Light users earn less: If you only used Bilt for rent before, you'll earn significantly fewer points now unless you increase everyday spending
- ⚠️The engagement model: This system rewards heavy card users—the more you spend, the more housing points you unlock
- ⚠️Palladium's 2X is strong: The premium card's 2X on everything makes it easier to unlock housing points, but the $495 fee requires heavy spending to justify
Key Insight: The Math
To earn 1X on $2,000/month rent, you need to unlock 2,000 points. At the $30 Bilt Cash = 1,000 points ratio, you need $60/month in Bilt Cash. At 4% Bilt Cash, that requires $1,500/month in everyday spending.
For $3,000/month rent, you'd need 3,000 points = $90/month Bilt Cash = $2,250/month in everyday spending to earn full 1X.
Who Should Get Each Card?
Bilt Blue ($0 AF)
Best for: Light users who primarily want to earn points on rent/mortgage with minimal everyday spending. If you spend less than $1,000/month on everyday purchases, you'll earn partial points on housing, but the $0 annual fee makes it accessible.
Bilt Obsidian ($95 AF)
Best for: Moderate spenders who dine out frequently or travel regularly. The 3X dining/grocery and 2X travel multipliers help unlock more housing points. With $300 in credits ($100 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash), the effective annual fee is -$5 in year one.
Bilt Palladium ($495 AF)
Best for: Heavy spenders who can maximize the 2X on everything. The 2X multiplier makes it much easier to unlock housing points—spending $1,500/month earns 3,000 points, which unlocks 1,000 housing points. With $900 in credits and the 50,000 point welcome bonus, the first year is very strong.
How This Compares to the Rumors
What the Rumors Got Wrong
- ❌Transaction fees: Rumors suggested 2.9% fees that could be offset with Bilt Cash. Reality: No transaction fees at all.
- ❌Partial payment system: Rumors suggested paying part via card and part via ACH. Reality: Full payment via card, but points are limited by Bilt Cash earned.
- ❌The unlock mechanism: Rumors focused on fee coverage. Reality: It's about unlocking points based on everyday spending.
What the Rumors Got Right
- ✅Three card tiers: Palladium ($495), Obsidian ($95), and Blue ($0) were accurate
- ✅4% Bilt Cash: All cards earning 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend was correct
- ✅Mortgage payments: The expansion to mortgages was confirmed
- ✅Multiple homes: The ability to earn across multiple properties was accurate
- ✅Engagement model: The "more you spend, more you earn" concept was correct, just implemented differently
Bottom Line
Bilt Card 2.0 is a significant evolution from the original card. The housing rewards system rewards engagement—the more you use the card for everyday spending, the more points you can unlock on rent/mortgage payments.
For heavy users who already spend thousands per month on credit cards, this system can work well. For light users who only used Bilt for rent, the points earning will be lower unless spending increases.
The good news: No transaction fees, mortgage payments included, and multiple homes supported. The trade-off: Housing points are now tied to everyday spending, creating an engagement model that rewards card usage.
Track Your Bilt Strategy
Whether you're planning for Bilt 2.0 or managing your current portfolio, IronChurn helps you track velocity rules, MSR deadlines, and optimize your card strategy.