What is a U card? Funding, fees and eligibility

From stablecoins to a merchant payment

1. Application and verification: complete the required KYC, or business KYB. Supported countries, documents and address requirements differ.
2. Card issuance: receive a virtual card for online payments, or request a physical card where available.
3. Funding: transfer a supported asset using the correct network and deposit address. An address for one network must not be treated as an address for another.
4. Conversion or spending capacity: prepaid products typically convert deposits into a settlement currency; other models may use asset-backed credit or wallet authorization.
5. Merchant payment: purchases run through the card network. A different merchant currency may introduce FX charges.

The platform, issuer and card network have different roles

The operating platform typically provides the account interface and funding or conversion arrangements. The issuing institution or card program handles the particular issuing and settlement arrangements. A card network such as Visa or Mastercard provides the merchant-payment network. An app brand is not necessarily the name of a bank.

Identify the operator, actual issuer and card network in the product documentation. Direct fee questions and support requests to the responsible party. A card-network logo does not establish that the operator's balance is a bank deposit.

Three models with different settlement arrangements

Common use cases

The source covers advertising payments, overseas software and AI subscriptions, and cross-border shopping. Teams may prioritize multiple cards, limits and reconciliation, while individual subscribers may focus on merchant compatibility, recurring charges and small-payment costs.

Read the advertising-payment checklist →

Separate initial charges from ongoing costs

• Issuance and physical cards: application, delivery and replacement charges.
• Funding and conversion: costs when stablecoins enter the platform or become settlement currency.
• Purchases and FX: transaction charges and the effect of different merchant and settlement currencies.
• Maintenance and exit: monthly, inactivity and closure conditions.
• Other operations: ATM, refund and unsuccessful-payment charges where applicable.

Compare cards using the same funding amount, payment currencies, operating period and number of cards. Free issuance describes only one part of the cost.

Five checks before applying

1. Confirm residence, documents and applicant type are eligible.
2. Check whether the intended merchant accepts the card network, issuing region and product type.
3. Review funding networks, availability of deposits, settlement currency and the full fee schedule.
4. Start with a small test of funding, payment and refunds.
5. Keep payment working funds and understand restrictions, reviews and exit procedures.

Three examples of different product models

RedotPay: the source uses it as a prepaid example and lists USD 10 virtual-card issuance, USD 100 physical-card issuance, 1% crypto conversion, 1.2% non-card-currency transactions and 2% ATM withdrawals. Eligibility and designated-merchant charges require separate checks. Read our guide →

ether.fi Cash: the source describes Borrow and Direct Pay modes. Alongside purchase costs, understand asset-backed spending capacity, borrowing, settlement and supported regions. Read our guide →

MetaMask Card: the source presents a self-custodial model and explains the roles of Crypto Life, Monovate and Mastercard. Confirm local availability, wallet networks and spending authorizations. Read the source review →

Frequently asked questions

Where to go next

• Choosing a U card: eligibility, use cases and costs
• Our card comparison and fee calculator
• Choosing a card for advertising
• Source guide: U cards and conventional virtual credit cards
• Source guide: total payment costs
• Source guide: documents and residence requirements