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

Cardano Card Standard

A plan byCardano Card · Visa

3.5/5 1.3/5 · Data verified on

The Cardano Card is a Visa-network crypto card issued by Wirex and launched in partnership with EMURGO at the Cardano Summit 2025, with registration open from 11 November 2025. It lets users spend ADA and 685+ cryptocurrencies anywhere Visa is accepted, integrated into the Wirex app. In Phase 1 the model is custodial (funds are held by Wirex; a non-custodial version is forecast for 2026). Cryptoback cashback reaches up to 8% but only on the Elite plan with WXT locked; FX markup is 0% across the three plans (Standard free, Premium and Elite carry a monthly fee). A share of profits is directed to the Cardano Treasury.

Estimated net annual cost €0/year

Standard

Cashback
0.5%
canone_mensile_eur
Free
0%
FX markup
0.5%
Cashback
Free
Annual fee
Free
Issuance fee
Custodial
Custody

The number that matters

The banner cashback isn't what you pocket.

After FX markup, fees and withdrawals, on an average profile of €1,000/mo (20% abroad).

Advertised cashback 8%
Real net cashback 7.2%

Data verified on Jun 22, 2026 · personalise the calc

46
Transparency: Low
46/100 · see methodology
46
Data exposure: Low
46/100 · lower is better for sovereignty · methodology

Data & conditions

Network Visa
Fund custody Custodial (platform holds funds)
Issuance fee Free
Annual fee Free
Free ATM limit Free up to ~EUR 200/month (Standard tier), then 2%
ATM withdrawal 2%
FX markup 0%
Cashback 0.5% in Crypto · Nessuno per la carta base; il cashback massimo (8%) richiede WXT bloccati sul piano Elite
Contactless Yes
Virtual card Yes
KYC Full
Privacy 3/10
Supported countries US, UK, EEA, APAC
Estimated net annual cost €0/year
Regulator FCA (Financial Conduct Authority, Regno Unito)
Segment B2C
MiCA / License status Visa principal member (Wirex)Mastercard principal member (Wirex)

Strengths

  • Spend ADA and 685+ crypto anywhere Visa is accepted, built into the Wirex app.
  • 0% FX markup and Cryptoback cashback up to 8% (on higher tiers).
  • Issuer Wirex is a Visa principal member with over $20bn processed.
  • No notable sovereignty advantage documented.

Weaknesses

  • Custodial in Phase 1: funds are held by Wirex, you do not hold the keys.
  • The 8% cashback requires the paid Elite plan with WXT locked.
  • ATM withdrawals free only within monthly limits, then a 2% fee.
  • Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
  • Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.

Verdict

B D ★ 3.5/5 ★ 1.3/5 Estimated net annual cost: €0/year

Custodial card in Phase 1: funds are held by Wirex and you do not control the private keys. The issuer Wirex is a UK-based Visa/Mastercard principal member, but at launch the user has no self-custody. Medium protection, constrained by the custodial model.

Low sovereignty: custodial model with full KYC and funds under Wirex's control. A non-custodial version is announced for 2026, but in Phase 1 there is no self-custody of keys.

Privacy & anonymity 30% 0.8
Fund control 20% 0.0
Censorship resistance 20% 1.5
Costs 10% 5.0

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

Who issues the Cardano Card?

The card is issued by Wirex, a UK-based payments platform and a principal member of Visa and Mastercard, in partnership with EMURGO, which drives its commercial adoption for Cardano. A share of profits is directed to the Cardano Treasury.

Is the Cardano Card custodial or self-custody?

In Phase 1 (launch) the Cardano Card is custodial: funds are held by Wirex and you do not have direct control of the private keys. A non-custodial version is forecast for 2026.

Sources

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Update history

✓ Terms unchanged since Jun 22, 2026

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