Crypto card glossary

Plain definitions of crypto card terms: on-chain spend, self-custody, base cashback, FX fee and more.

Crypto card

A debit, credit or prepaid card that lets you spend crypto or stablecoins at ordinary merchants. The crypto is converted to local currency when you pay. All cards

Stablecoin card

A crypto card funded with stablecoins such as USDC or USDT, so the balance doesn’t swing with crypto prices.

On-chain spend

Card spending that settles on a public blockchain, so anyone can verify the amounts. TxSpend ranks cards by it. Crypto card statistics

Issuer-reported spend

A spend figure an issuer publishes itself that includes off-chain numbers. It can’t be verified on-chain, so TxSpend shows it separately and doesn’t rank it. How TxSpend works

Self-custody card

A card that spends from a wallet you control, so the issuer never holds your funds. Best self-custody crypto cards

Custodial card

A card where the issuer holds the funds you spend, like a bank or exchange account.

Base cashback

The cashback rate on the entry tier anyone can get, without staking, holdings or a paid plan. Best crypto cards for cashback

Tier

A level of a card program with its own cashback and fees. Higher tiers usually need a subscription, staking or a minimum balance.

Annual fee

What a card costs per year to keep, including a required membership or subscription. Best crypto cards with no annual fee

FX fee

The fee added when you pay in a currency different from the card’s own currency. Crypto cards with no FX fee

Yearly value

Cashback minus the annual fee at $1,000 of spend a month. TxSpend shows it as “Kept per year”. Rewards calculator

KYC

The identity check an issuer runs before it gives you a card. It stands for “know your customer”.