Satispay Satispay Velvet
A plan bySatispay · Mastercard
Satispay is Italy's most widespread payment network (P2P and in-store via QR), run by Satispay Europe S.A., a Luxembourg electronic money institution supervised by the CSSF. From 2026 it has broadened its offering with a free IBAN (Luxembourg-based), salary crediting and three Mastercard debit cards in the paid tiers (Red, Metal, Velvet). Stock and ETF investing in-app is also coming. It is not a bank: funds are not covered by a deposit guarantee but held separately (safeguarding).
Satispay Velvet
- Price
- €40
- FX markup
- 0%
- Cashback
- 0%
- Cashback currency
- Nessuno
- Required staking
- Nessuno
What's included
- Velvet card — Mastercard Debit World Elite (22g metal)
- Unlimited airport lounges
- Zero FX fees outside the euro
Data & conditions
| Account fee | Free |
|---|---|
| IBAN | dedicato · LU · LU |
| Deposit guarantee | None (e-money account) |
| Multi-currency | No (single currency) |
| Outbound transfers to third-party IBANs | Yes |
| Utility direct billing | No |
| SEPA direct debit (SDD) | No |
| On-chain crypto withdrawal | No |
| SEPA transfer | Free |
| Card included | Carta di debito Mastercard nei piani a pagamento (Red/Metal/Velvet); base senza carta fisica |
| Network | Mastercard |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA |
| Regulator | CSSF |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Satispay Europe S.A. · Luxembourg electronic money institution (CSSF) · payment network hugely popular in Italy |
| MiCA / License status | Istituto di moneta elettronica (CSSF, n. W00000010) Luxembourg EMI (CSSF, no. W00000010) |
Strengths
- Huge acceptance network in Italy (shops and P2P), extremely popular app
- Free IBAN and SEPA transfers, salary crediting at no cost
- Mastercard debit cards in the tiers and zero FX fees outside the euro
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Not a bank: no deposit guarantee, only EMI safeguarding
- Luxembourg IBAN (not Italian): possible friction with some direct debits / public administration
- Physical cards are tied to the paid tiers (Red €3.99, Metal €9.99, Velvet €39.99/month)
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (Luxembourg EMI (CSSF, no. W00000010)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
Verdict
Rating 3.5 (tier B): Satispay is probably the most widespread payment app in Italy, and in 2026 the leap from 'P2P wallet' to quasi-account — free IBAN, salary crediting, three Mastercard cards and investing on the way — is concrete and well executed. The network's ubiquity and the zero-cost base are real strengths. But on protection it must be said plainly: it is a Luxembourg electronic money institution, not a bank, so no FITD deposit guarantee (only safeguarding), and the IBAN is Luxembourg-based, not Italian. Excellent as an everyday payment tool; for parking large sums a bank account with deposit guarantee is still preferable.
Satispay is custodial and full-KYC: the e-money is issued and held by a Luxembourg institution supervised by the CSSF, which can block or close the account and reports transactions to the authorities. No self-custody, no censorship resistance: on the sovereignty axis it is a centralised service like any other.
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 money on Satispay guaranteed up to €100,000?
No. Satispay Europe S.A. is a Luxembourg electronic money institution (CSSF, no. W00000010), not a bank: funds are not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme like Italy's FITD. They are protected through safeguarding, i.e. kept separate from the company's assets, but without the automatic up-to-€100,000 protection of bank accounts.
Is the Satispay IBAN Italian?
No: the IBAN issued is Luxembourg-based (LU), consistent with the issuing entity Satispay Europe S.A. It can be used for SEPA transfers and salary crediting, but being foreign it may cause friction with some direct debits or public-administration services.
Sources
- Official service page Carte · Plans & pricing · Natura giuridica · Regulator · +2 Data verified on Jul 12, 2026