Exa Card
Exa App · Visa
Exa Card is the self-custody card of the Exa App, built by Exa Labs (the team behind Exactly Protocol) on Optimism Mainnet. It is presented as the first onchain credit card: you can pay in the real world in up to six installments without selling your crypto, using deposited assets (USDC, ETH, wstETH, WBTC, OP) as collateral that meanwhile earns yield on Exactly Protocol markets. It is fully self-custodial: the account is created with biometric passkeys (Webauthn) instead of passwords and seed phrases. The card is virtual (Visa network), with no issuance fee, no annual fee and no cashback; the currency exchange includes a 1.5% fee. The app absorbs onchain transaction fees. Available in 160+ countries after KYC. ATM data is not documented, so the ATM limit is omitted and unknown numeric fields report 0.
Data & conditions
§ Amounts in USD/GBP are shown in the service's native currency.
| Network | Visa |
|---|---|
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | Free |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| FX markup | 1.5% |
| Cashback | — |
| Chains | Optimism |
| On-chain settlement | Yes |
| Contactless | Yes |
| Virtual card | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 6/10 |
| Supported countries | US, LATAM, EEA, APAC · 160+ countries |
| Funding / solidity | Exa Labs è il team dietro Exactly Protocol, protocollo di lending onchain su Optimism; sviluppa l'Exa App e la Exa Card con sede a Puerto Rico, USA. |
| Estimated net annual cost | €0/year |
| Regulator | Nessun regolatore proprio dichiarato; carta emessa negli USA tramite partner di issuing non divulgato |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Exa Labs is the team behind Exactly Protocol, an onchain lending protocol on Optimism; it develops the Exa App and the Exa Card, based in Puerto Rico, USA. |
| MiCA / License status | N/D — modello self-custody; carta emessa negli USA (Puerto Rico) tramite partner di issuing non divulgato pubblicamente; Exa Labs / Exactly Protocol non detengono i fondi degli utenti |
Strengths
- Self-custody with biometric passkeys (Webauthn): no seed phrase, funds stay under user control on Optimism.
- Pay in installments (up to six) without selling crypto, and deposited assets earn yield on Exactly Protocol.
- No issuance fee and no annual fee; the app absorbs onchain transaction fees.
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
Weaknesses
- 1.5% FX markup included in the exchange rate on foreign-currency spending.
- No cashback and virtual card only (no documented physical card).
- No own license declared: the card is issued via an undisclosed partner and requires KYC.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
Verdict
Limited protection: Exa Card declares no own licenses and the card is issued through an undisclosed issuing partner, so there is no identifiable consumer-protection scheme. However, its self-custody nature shifts custody responsibility to the user, reducing counterparty risk on balances.
High sovereignty: the account is created with biometric passkeys (Webauthn) with no seed phrase and funds stay under the user's control on Optimism, with no intermediary holding balances. Mandatory KYC and reliance on the Visa network for real-world spending remain.
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 Exa Card custodial or self-custody?
Exa Card is fully self-custody: the Exa App account is created with biometric passkeys (Webauthn) and funds stay under the user's control on Optimism Mainnet, with no intermediary holding balances.
How much does Exa Card cost and how do installments work?
There is no issuance fee, no annual fee and no cashback; the currency exchange includes a 1.5% fee. The card lets you pay in up to six installments using deposited crypto as collateral, without having to sell it.
Sources
- docs.exact.ly Custodial · Kyc · Regioni · Blockchain · +4 Data verified on Jun 23, 2026
- todey.xyz Card issuance fee · Annual card fee · FX markup · Cashback · +3 Data verified on Jun 22, 2026