Pengu Card Pengu Card (Standard)
A plan byPengu Card · Visa
Pengu Card is a custodial Visa debit card launched on 24 March 2026 by Pudgy Penguins in partnership with KAST, the stablecoin-based "global money app" that runs the card program under partner issuing banks. It is the Pudgy Penguins-themed edition of the KAST cards: it shares the same fees, reward caps and features as the matching KAST tiers, differing only in card art and community identity. It lets users spend stablecoins and crypto (PENGU and 25+ assets across 10+ chains such as Ethereum, Solana, Base and Polygon) at over 150 million merchants in 170+ countries, with real-time fiat conversion and Apple Pay/Google Pay support. It is custodial: funds are held by the provider (KAST). Three tiers: Pengu Card (Standard, free), Pengu Black ($1,000/year) and Pengu Gold ($10,000/year). Cashback ranges from 1.5% (Standard) up to 3% on higher tiers, with an FX markup of up to 1.75% and ATM withdrawals carrying roughly a 2% fee plus a flat charge and a stated $750 limit. The Standard tier issuance fee is free (0). It requires a verified KAST account (full KYC).
Pengu Card (Standard)
- Cashback
- 1.5%
- fee_annua
- 0
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).
Data & conditions
§ Amounts in USD/GBP are shown in the service's native currency.
| Network | Visa |
|---|---|
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | Free |
| Free ATM limit | 750 USD |
| ATM withdrawal | 2% |
| FX markup | 1.75% |
| Cashback | 1.5% · Nessuno |
| Contactless | Yes |
| Virtual card | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 2/10 |
| Supported countries | US, EEA, UK, LATAM, APAC, MENA, AFRICA · 170+ countries |
| Funding / solidity | Pengu Card e l'edizione a tema Pudgy Penguins delle carte KAST, gestita da KAST Tech, fintech di pagamenti basata su stablecoin. KAST ha raccolto 80 milioni di dollari in un round Series A a una valutazione di 600 milioni (marzo 2026) per espandersi in America Latina, Nord America e Medio Oriente e accelerare licenze e compliance. Opera tramite partner come Fireblocks e BitGo per sicurezza e custodia. |
| Estimated net annual cost | €0/year |
| Regulator | Nessun regolatore proprio (fintech non bancaria); servizi carta, custodia e on/off-ramp forniti da partner licenziati |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Pengu Card is the Pudgy Penguins-themed edition of the KAST cards, run by KAST Tech, a stablecoin-based payments fintech. KAST raised $80 million in a Series A round at a $600 million valuation (March 2026) to expand across Latin America, North America and the Middle East and accelerate licensing and compliance. It operates through partners such as Fireblocks and BitGo for security and custody. |
| MiCA / License status | Visa-issued prepaid card program operated by KAST under partner issuing banks KAST is not a bank: it is a fintech company (KAST Tech) operating through licensed and regulated institutions. The prepaid Visa card is issued by partner banks; virtual accounts, cards, custody and on/off-ramp services are provided by licensed partners, with availability subject to regulatory approval by jurisdiction. |
Strengths
- Accepted on the Visa network at over 150 million merchants in 170+ countries
- Free Standard tier with cashback from 1.5% up to 3% on higher tiers
- Supports PENGU, stablecoins and 25+ assets across 10+ chains, with Apple Pay/Google Pay
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Custodial: funds are held by KAST, not self-custodied by the user
- Premium tiers carry very high annual fees ($1,000 Black, $10,000 Gold)
- FX markup up to 1.75% and ATM fees (about 2% plus a flat charge), with a cashback holding period
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (KAST is not a bank: it is a fintech company (KAST Tech) operating through licensed and regulated institutions. The prepaid Visa card is issued by partner banks; virtual accounts, cards, custody and on/off-ramp services are provided by licensed partners, with availability subject to regulatory approval by jurisdiction.): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
Verdict
Weak protection: custodial card with full KYC, run by KAST (a fintech, not a bank) through partner issuing banks in the US; funds are not self-custodied.
Very low sovereignty: funds held by the provider, mandatory KYC and no self-custody; minimal user control over their own assets.
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
Is the Pengu Card custodial or self-custody?
It is custodial: funds are held by the provider KAST. It is not a self-custody card linked to a wallet owned by the user.
What tiers and cashback does the Pengu Card offer?
Three tiers: Pengu Card (Standard, free, 1.5% cashback), Pengu Black ($1,000/year) and Pengu Gold ($10,000/year), with cashback rising up to 3% on higher tiers.
Sources
- Official service page Azienda · Payment network · Kyc · Regioni · +7 Data verified on Jun 23, 2026
- banklesstimes.com Paesi num · Supported currencies · Italia disponibile Data verified on Jun 23, 2026
- coindesk.com Azienda info · Azienda info en Data verified on Jun 23, 2026
- spendnode.io Plans & pricing Data verified on Jun 23, 2026
Show 3 more sources
- benzinga.com Payment network · Regioni · Azienda Data verified on Jun 22, 2026
- cryptoslate.com ATM fees · Cashback · Custodial Data verified on Jun 22, 2026
- todey.xyz Custodial · FX markup · Cashback · ATM limits · +1 Data verified on Jun 22, 2026