Crypto Card Glossary

KYC

Know Your Customer — the identity check issuers must run before giving you a card.

FX fee

A charge for converting your payment into a different currency, usually a percentage of the amount.

Top-up

Moving funds onto the card balance, from crypto or from a bank card or account.

Staking

Locking tokens with the issuer, often required to unlock higher card tiers and cashback.

Stablecoin

A token designed to hold a steady value, usually pegged to a currency like the US dollar.

Self-custody

You hold the private keys; the card spends straight from your own wallet.

Custodial

The issuer holds your crypto for you and debits it when you pay.

Off-ramp

Converting crypto into regular money — which is what a card does at the moment you pay.

Interchange

The fee a merchant’s bank pays the card issuer on each purchase; it is what funds most cashback programmes.

Cashback

A reward paid back to you as a percentage of what you spend, on crypto cards often in a token.

Prepaid card

A card that spends only the balance you load onto it in advance, with no credit line.

Debit card

A card that spends directly from an account balance — on crypto cards, usually a crypto or stablecoin balance converted at payment.

Dynamic currency conversion

When a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency; the rate is usually worse than paying in local currency.

Lock-up period

How long staked tokens must stay locked before you can withdraw or sell them.

Cash advance

Borrowing cash, or a cash-like purchase, on a credit card. It usually carries an extra fee and interest from day one; some issuers treat crypto purchases this way.

Spread

The gap between the market price and the rate a platform gives you. It is a cost even when no separate fee is shown.

Chargeback

Reversing a card payment through your card issuer, for example after fraud. Platforms price this risk into card fees.