Intesa Sanpaolo — Classic Card
Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. · Visa/Mastercard
The Classic Card is Intesa Sanpaolo's entry credit card, reserved for account holders (My Key account) and available on the Visa or Mastercard network of your choice. It costs €5/month, i.e. an effective €60/year, with no issuance fee. It is a charge card: spending is debited in a single amount the following month, but purchases between €200 and €2,500 can be split into installments via the optional XME SpensieRata service (3 to 48 installments, TAN/APR variable by credit profile). The FX fee on foreign-currency spending is 1% (plus the network's conversion), among the lowest on the market; there is no cashback and cash advances cost 4% (minimum €2.50). The higher range includes Gold and Exclusive (up to €696/year for private clients).
Data & conditions
| Network | Visa/Mastercard |
|---|---|
| Card type | Charge |
| Backing | Unsecured |
| APR | Charge (pay in full) |
| Credit limit | €1,500–€3,000 |
| Issuing bank | Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | €60/year |
| ATM withdrawal | 4% |
| FX markup | 1% |
| Cashback | Not disclosed |
| Contactless | Yes |
| Virtual card | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 2/10 |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Funding / solidity | Primo gruppo bancario italiano · carta di credito consumer su circuito Visa/Mastercard |
| Regulator | Banca Centrale Europea / Banca d'Italia |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Italy's largest banking group · consumer credit card on the Visa/Mastercard network |
| MiCA / License status | Banca (Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., vigilanza BCE/Banca d'Italia) Supervised bank (Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., ECB/Bank of Italy) |
Plans & pricing
Classic Card
- Price
- €5
- €5/month (an effective €60/year), no issuance fee
- Choice of Visa or Mastercard network
- Charge card, with optional XME SpensieRata installments (€200–€2,500, 3–48 terms)
- FX 1% (plus network conversion) · cash advance 4% (min €2.50)
- Requires an Intesa Sanpaolo (My Key) account · additional card €2/month
Exclusive
- Price
- €58
- €58/month (€696/year), reserved for private clients
- Dedicated premium limit and services
- Same charge/installment repayment logic
Strengths
- 1% FX fee on foreign-currency spending, among the lowest on the market
- Charge card: no interest if you repay in full the following month
- Choice of Visa or Mastercard network and optional installments (XME SpensieRata)
- ECB-supervised bank issuer, full range up to Gold and Exclusive
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- €5/month fee (an effective €60/year) with no cashback or included perks
- Installment TAN/APR not published: variable by credit profile
- Expensive cash advances: 4% of the amount (minimum €2.50)
- Reserved for Intesa Sanpaolo account holders; additional card €2/month
- 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 (Supervised bank (Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., ECB/Bank of Italy)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
- FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.
Verdict
The Classic Card is the most balanced of the entry-level bank credit cards: the 1% FX fee is among the lowest around and is excellent for those who spend in foreign currency. The downside is the €60/year fee with no cashback or perks and installment TAN/APR that aren't published and must be checked case by case. Good as a charge card for Intesa account holders who travel; the rating stays average because you pay a fixed fee with no economic advantage in return.
A credit card is a credit line, not custody of funds: there is neither self-custody nor a user balance. It remains a fully tracked and censorable instrument — full KYC, an Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. issuer (ECB-supervised bank) that profiles transactions and can suspend the line at its discretion. 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 Intesa Sanpaolo Classic Card cost?
€5 per month, an effective €60 per year, with no issuance fee. The additional card costs €2/month. The higher range goes up to the Exclusive (€58/month, €696/year, reserved for private clients).
Is it a charge or revolving card?
It is a charge card: spending is debited in a single amount the following month. You can, however, split purchases between €200 and €2,500 with the optional XME SpensieRata service (3–48 installments); TAN and APR depend on your credit profile and are shown at activation.
How much does spending abroad cost?
The Intesa Sanpaolo fee on spending and withdrawals in currencies other than the euro is 1% (plus the international network's conversion). Cash advances cost 4% (minimum €2.50).
Sources
- Official service page Data verified on Jul 12, 2026