How we check crypto cards

Short rules for card profiles and comparisons.

RS Score

Security26Hacks, freezes and regulator action since 2023 (by severity, age and compensation); custody; 3-D Secure, freeze, 2FA, separate numbers.
Issuer12Whether the issuing bank or licensed entity is named, a regulator register entry, years in operation.
Cost22A typical year: 12 purchases of $50, 30% in another currency. A hidden fee counts at the worst value in the catalogue.
In practice14App rating (500+ ratings), mass outages in the last year and published limits at popular services (subscriptions, ChatGPT, App Store).
Access14Who can get the card, top-up methods, issuing time.
Convenience8Apple Pay, Google Pay, physical card, ATM, several currencies.
Rewards4Cashback without staking or a paid plan.
  • No data — 35% of the item: a gap neither sinks nor rewards a card. A fact the provider withholds (e.g. the issuer) scores 0.
  • The score is shown with at least 50% of inputs. Partnerships and promo codes do not affect it; review sites are not used.
  • Promos and “first year free” are ignored. Rates: Bank of Russia; USDT/USDC = $1.
  • An ongoing incident (freeze, halted withdrawals) caps the score at 30.

What enters the catalogue

Each entry is an independent card programme, not merely a wallet or exchange. We add it only when a public source confirms the card product.

Citizenship and residence

Citizenship, actual residence, documents, delivery and payments are separate conditions. Country lists can be incomplete: an absent country is not proof of availability.

Fees

We show only published terms. “Free” applies to one field, while “unknown” does not mean zero cost. When a value would mislead without its condition — for example, a 0% purchase fee with a separate conversion spread, or an inactivity fee rather than a subscription — the condition is printed directly under the value. The table never adds currencies or fee types together; a yearly total exists only inside RS Score, under the scenario above.

Sources and limits

Each programme has source links and a source-check date. When the latest check is older than 30 days, the card stays in the catalogue and filters with its last confirmed state and a “Needs re-check” mark. Terms can change; an unsupported field remains unknown. We do not promise same-day accuracy or make transactions for users.

Corrections

If you find a newer official source, send the link and the field that needs checking.