Coinstar partners with Lithic to turn cash into digital funds

By Vriti Gothi

Coinstar has partnered with Lithic to power its newly launched general-purpose reloadable (GPR) product, the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card, marking a move to convert physical currency collected at kiosks into spendable digital funds. Issued by Lead Bank, the card integrates with the CINQ digital wallet and gives consumers near-instant access to funds through both virtual and physical card credentials.

Coinstar operates more than 10,000 kiosks across the United States, primarily serving cash-preferring consumers who may lack access to traditional banking channels. By enabling currency deposited at kiosks to be translated into digital balances within minutes, the initiative aims to lower friction for users looking to bridge cash with online payments, direct deposit, and everyday spending.

Lithic will serve as the full-stack issuer processor, providing account creation, balance management, transaction processing, card fulfilment, and fraud controls. The company’s infrastructure will enable virtual card issuance in near real time and support features typically associated with mainstream debit programs, including ATM access and ACH transfers.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting financial products that make a meaningful difference for consumers,” said Bo Jiang, CEO of Lithic. “Coinstar’s vision to bridge physical and digital currency aligns with our mission to provide the infrastructure that helps ambitious teams build better payments products.”

Coinstar said the introduction of the card advances its push into digital financial services by extending kiosk-based capabilities into app-based money movement, describing the collaboration as part of the firm’s broader inclusion strategy.

“Lithic’s technical expertise and collaborative approach have been essential in bringing the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card to market and enabling future capabilities like early direct deposit and ACH bill pay,”said, Brandon Thompson, chief commercial officer at Coinstar.

The product is now available nationally through participating kiosk locations and the CINQ digital wallet, signalling Coinstar’s continued shift from physical coin processing toward integrated digital payments and stored-value services.