Costs, licensing, consumer protection Privacy, self-custody, censorship resistance

Banca Widiba — Carta di Credito Classic / Gold

Banca Widiba S.p.A. · Visa / Mastercard

3.3/5 1.2/5 · Data verified on

Widiba credit cards (Classic and Gold) are bank charge cards, available only to Banca Widiba account holders — the digital bank of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena group — on the Visa or Mastercard network of your choice. Classic costs €5 per quarter (€20/year) with a limit up to €1,500/month; Gold €12.50 per quarter (€50/year) with a limit up to €3,000/month and is free for Elite account holders. They are charge cards (monthly settlement, no structural revolving): no cashback and no significant travel perks. Non-euro purchases carry a 2.00% markup; cash advances cost 4% with a €2.50 minimum. The APR of any instalment option is not published on the page and must be read in the official information sheet.

31
Transparency: Very low
31/100 · see methodology
31
Data exposure: Minimal
31/100 · lower is better for sovereignty · methodology

Data & conditions

Network Visa / Mastercard
Card type Charge
Backing Unsecured
APR Charge (pay in full)
Credit limit €3,000
Issuing bank Banca Widiba
Issuance fee Free
Annual fee €20/year
ATM withdrawal 4%
FX markup 2%
Cashback Not disclosed
Contactless Yes
KYC Full
Privacy 2/10
Supported countries EEA · 1+ countries
Funding / solidity Banca digitale del gruppo Monte dei Paschi di Siena · carte di credito a saldo per correntisti
Regulator Banca d'Italia / BCE
Segment B2C
Funding / solidityDigital bank of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena group · charge credit cards for account holders
MiCA / License status Banca (Banca Widiba S.p.A., gruppo Monte dei Paschi di Siena — vigilanza Banca d'Italia / BCE) Italian bank (Banca Widiba, MPS group) — supervised by Banca d'Italia / ECB

Plans & pricing

Strengths

  • Modest fee: €20/year (Classic) or €50/year (Gold), the latter free with the Elite account
  • Choice of Visa or Mastercard network, widely accepted everywhere
  • Charge card: no interest if you pay the full balance at month-end
  • 2.00% foreign-currency markup, in line with the average of bank cards
  • No notable sovereignty advantage documented.

Weaknesses

  • Reserved for Widiba account holders only: you must open the account first
  • No cashback or structural perks: it is an essential payment card
  • Expensive cash withdrawals and advances (4%, €2.50 minimum)
  • Instalment-option APR not published: check the information sheet before spreading payments
  • 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 (Banca Widiba, MPS group) — supervised by Banca d'Italia / ECB): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
  • FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.

Verdict

C D ★ 3.3/5 ★ 1.2/5

Widiba cards are honest bank charge cards but with no distinctive features: moderate fee, an average 2.00% FX markup and no cashback to justify choosing them over zero-fee cards like Cartimpronta ONE. The requirement to be a Widiba account holder and the 4% cash-advance fee limit their appeal. The Gold, free with the Elite account, is the most sensible combination. Below-average rating: a correct product but with no cost advantage that makes it stand out.

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 (Banca Widiba, MPS group) 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.

Privacy & anonymity 30% 1.0
Fund control 20% 2.2
Censorship resistance 20% 1.4
Trustless / auditability 20% 0.0
Costs 10% 2.3

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 Widiba credit card cost?

Classic costs €5 per quarter (€20/year), Gold €12.50 per quarter (€50/year); Gold is free for Widiba Elite account holders. You must already be a Widiba account holder.

What fees apply to spending abroad?

Non-euro purchases carry a 2.00% markup; cash withdrawals and advances cost 4% with a €2.50 minimum.

Sources

Update history

✓ Terms unchanged since Jul 12, 2026

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