Credem — Carta Ego Classic / Gold Carta Ego Gold
A plan byCredem — Carta Ego Classic / Gold · Mastercard
Carta Ego is the charge card (with an instalment option) of Credem, an Italian bank of the Credito Emiliano group, available to account holders. The Classic version is free the first year, then €39/year, waivable with ≥€6,000 of spending over 12 months; the Gold costs €100/year on the Mastercard network, with a higher limit and Mastercard travel services (Airport Security Fast Track, Flight Delay Pass). They are charge cards: no interest if you settle the statement. A strength is the low foreign cost: negotiation charges on non-euro (extra-euro-area) usage are 1.00%, among the lowest of Italian bank cards. If you switch on the instalment option, however, the cost of credit is that of a revolving card: on Classic the official example shows a fixed 13.50% nominal rate and a 20.26% APR.
Carta Ego Gold
- Annual price
- €100
What's included
- €100/year fee · Mastercard network
- Higher limit + Mastercard travel services (Fast Track, Flight Delay Pass)
- FX (non-euro) 1.00% · cash advance €2.50
- Instalment option: 11.25%–12% fixed rate (example on €5,000)
- Reserved for Credem account holders
Data & conditions
| Network | Mastercard |
|---|---|
| Card type | Charge |
| Backing | Unsecured |
| APR | 20.26% (fixed) |
| Issuing bank | Credem |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | €100/year |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| FX markup | 1% |
| Cashback | Not disclosed |
| Contactless | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 2/10 |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Funding / solidity | Gruppo bancario italiano · carte di credito a saldo con opzione rateale per correntisti |
| Regulator | Banca d'Italia / BCE |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Italian banking group · charge credit cards with instalment option for account holders |
| MiCA / License status | Banca (Credito Emiliano S.p.A. — vigilanza Banca d'Italia / BCE) Italian bank (Credito Emiliano) — supervised by Banca d'Italia / ECB |
Strengths
- Low foreign cost: 1.00% negotiation charges on non-euro-area usage
- Classic free the 1st year and €39 fee waivable with ≥€6,000/year spending
- Gold with Mastercard travel services (airport Fast Track, Flight Delay Pass)
- Charge card: no interest if you pay the full balance at the due date
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Reserved for Credem account holders: you must open the account first
- Classic fee waiver tied to high annual spending (≥€6,000)
- Expensive instalment option: on Classic 20.26% APR (official example on €1,500)
- Gold at €100/year: limited travel perks versus the cost; no cashback
- Traditional credit card: not self-custody — the account requires full KYC, a credit check, and can be closed or reported to credit bureaus by the issuer.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Funds can be frozen at the platform’s discretion.
- Subject to regulation (Italian bank (Credito Emiliano) — supervised by Banca d'Italia / ECB): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
- FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.
Verdict
Carta Ego stands out for its low foreign cost (1.00%), rare among Italian bank cards, and for the Classic being free the first year with a waivable fee: for frequent spenders it is one of the more balanced charge cards. The limits are the high spending threshold to waive the fee (€6,000/year), the requirement to be a Credem account holder and an expensive instalment option (20.26% APR on Classic). The Gold at €100/year has modest travel perks for the price. Average rating: good on spending cost, penalised by the constraints and the costly instalment credit.
A credit card is a payment line, not custody of funds: there is neither self-custody nor a user balance here. It is a fully tracked and censorable instrument — full KYC, an issuer (Credem) that profiles transactions and can suspend the line or close the relationship. On the sovereignty lens it is the opposite of trustless tools: no anonymity, no censorship resistance.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
How much does the Credem Ego card cost?
Ego Classic is free the first year, then €39/year, waivable with ≥€6,000 of spending over 12 months; Ego Gold costs €100/year. Both are reserved for Credem account holders.
How much does it cost abroad or in instalments?
Non-euro-area usage carries a 1.00% negotiation charge. If you spread payments, the cost of credit rises: on Classic the official example shows a 13.50% fixed nominal rate and a 20.26% APR.
Sources
- Official service page Data verified on Jul 12, 2026