The ether.fi Cash Visa card connects a multi-asset account to everyday spending. You hold crypto, tokenised stocks, metals and currencies in one place, then pay anywhere Visa is accepted — either directly from your balance or by borrowing against your holdings.
Every account starts on the free Core level with 3% cashback on the first $2,000 of eligible monthly spend, 0% FX markup on euro purchases and access to a travel portal with up to 65% off eligible hotels and flights.
The short answer
ether.fi Cash is a Visa card linked to a self-custodial multi-asset account.
Core is free and pays 3% on the first $2,000 each month, then 1% and 0.5%.
Luxe ($199/year) extends the 3% band to $10,000;
Pinnacle ($999/year) to $50,000;
VIP pays 4% on the first $50,000.
Cashback is credited in ETHFI tokens after a 7-day lock, not in cash. Euro purchases carry no FX markup; other currencies carry 0.5% on Core, 0.25% on Luxe and nothing on Pinnacle and VIP.
Affiliate disclosure — this page contains affiliate links. If you open an account through them, we may receive a commission from ether.fi at no extra cost to you. This does not change the rates, fees or terms you receive. All product terms are set and provided by ether.fi. Nothing here is financial, investment, legal or tax advice.
Open an ether.fi Cash account
Start on the free Core level, complete verification, and choose the virtual or physical Visa card available in your country. Upgrade later only if your spending justifies it.
On this page
- What ether.fi Cash actually is
- Cashback rates and how they are paid
- Membership tiers side by side
- When a paid tier pays for itself
- Travel benefits and Visa Signature
- Fees, FX and the real cost of spending
- Cards, wallets and ATM access
- Availability and eligibility
- Risks and limitations you must read
- How to get started
- Who the ether.fi Cash card suits best
- Frequently asked questions
3%cashback from day one
0%FX markup on EUR
5%total on travel hotels
80+supported countries
What ether.fi Cash actually is
ether.fi Cash is a Visa card connected to a self-custodial account that holds several asset types in one place. You are not opening a bank account: you are opening an account with a digital-asset platform, and the card gives you a way to spend from it at any merchant that accepts Visa.
The wider account supports crypto, tokenised stocks, precious metals and global currencies, plus sending, trading and borrowing. The card is one part of that environment rather than a standalone product, which is the main structural difference from a conventional travel or rewards card.
Two spending modes, two very different risk profiles
| Feature | Direct Pay | Borrow |
|---|---|---|
| Where the money comes from | Deducted straight from your eligible balance | A loan secured against assets in your vault |
| Eligible assets | USDC, USDT, USDT0, EURC, liquidUSD, liquidEUR | All supported vault assets used as collateral |
| Interest | None beyond standard transaction costs | Variable APY, accrues immediately, compounds continuously |
| Grace period | Not applicable | None — interest starts the moment you borrow |
| Do you keep your assets | No, the balance is spent | Yes, but they are pledged as collateral |
| Main risk | Value of the asset you spend may have moved | Rate changes and liquidation if collateral falls |
| Best suited to | Routine daily spending from stable balances | Users who want liquidity without selling holdings |
Good to know
Borrow mode routes through lending markets, so the rate is not fixed and not set by the card itself. It moves with supply and demand. The app shows your live rate and accrued balance — check it before you borrow, and repay early if you want to limit interest. Refunds on borrow-mode purchases return to your vault balance and do not automatically reduce what you owe.
Cashback rates and how they are paid
Cashback is tiered by calendar-month spend and by transaction currency. It does not stop at the top of the first band — it steps down. Rates apply progressively, so a higher spend is split across bands rather than moved entirely to a lower rate.
| Monthly spend | Core | Luxe | Pinnacle | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First band at 3% | $0 – $2,000 | $0 – $10,000 | $0 – $50,000 | 4% to $50,000 |
| Second band at 1% | $2,001 – $3,000 | $10,001 – $20,000 | $50,001 – $80,000 | Lower rates above band |
| Above that at 0.5% | Over $3,000 | Over $20,000 | Over $80,000 | Lower rates above band |
Euro spending uses lower caps from the same allowance
Transactions settled directly in euros have their own, lower thresholds — and they draw down the same monthly allowance, not a separate one. This is the detail most reviews miss, and it matters if you spend across both currencies.
| Level | 3% EUR band | 1% EUR band | Top EUR rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | First $800 | $801 – $1,500 | 0.1% above $1,500 |
| Luxe | First $3,000 | $3,001 – $6,000 | 0.1% above $6,000 |
| Pinnacle | First $16,000 | $16,001 – $26,000 | 0.1% above $26,000 |
| VIP | 4% on first $16,000 | Lower above band | Lower above band |
Worked example
A Core member spends $800 equivalent in euros early in the month. That uses $800 of the $2,000 Core allowance, leaving $1,200 of USD spend still at 3%. If instead the first $800 had been USD spend, the euro allowance at 3% would already be exhausted and later euro purchases would fall into the 1% band. The counter is shared and resets at the start of each calendar month.
How the reward reaches you
- Pending. The purchase is authorised but not cleared. Cashback is calculated in dollar terms and held as pending.
- Earned. Once the purchase clears, the amount is converted to ETHFI at the prevailing price and enters a 7-day lock.
- Claimable. After the lock ends, the balance becomes claimable on the cashback page.
- Claimed. You claim it and the ETHFI is sent to your account. Trade and borrow cashback follow the same 7-day lock.
Important
Cashback is paid in ETHFI, a cryptoasset — not in cash or stablecoins. Its market value can fall between the moment it is calculated and the moment you claim or sell it, so the dollar figures shown are not a guaranteed return. Refunded or reversed transactions can also reverse the associated cashback.
Category cashback and qualifying payments
- Subscription categories. Luxe adds 10% on one chosen category up to $10 per month, Pinnacle 20% up to $20, VIP 30% up to $30 — covering things like AI tools, streaming and food services.
- Tax and rent. Tax payments and rent processed under the qualifying merchant categories now earn cashback at your normal rate.
- Pick a Perk. Eligible members can select personalised perks and goals for additional boosts on top of the base rate.
- Exclusions. Fees, credit adjustments, returns, refunds, ATM withdrawals and cash equivalents do not earn cashback.
Start earning on the free Core level
No paid membership is required to access the headline 3% rate. Open the account, verify, activate the card and see how it fits your actual spending before considering an upgrade.
Membership tiers side by side
There are four levels. Everyone starts on Core. You can reach a higher level through monthly membership points, through eligible balances, or by buying an annual membership where it is offered in the app.
| Feature | Core | Luxe | Pinnacle | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual price | Free | $199 | $999 | By balance only |
| Liquid deposit route | — | $15,000 | $100,000 | $500,000 |
| Staked ETHFI route | — | 30,000 ETHFI | 150,000 ETHFI | 500,000 ETHFI |
| Points route | Default | 5,000 pts | 25,000 pts | Not available |
| Card material | Plastic | Purple metal | Black metal | Gold metal |
| Free virtual cards | 1 | 4 | 10 | 50 |
| Free physical cards | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Category cashback | — | 10% to $10/mo | 20% to $20/mo | 30% to $30/mo |
| Airport lounge passes | — | 2 per year | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Airport fast track | — | — | 25% back to $25/yr | 25% back to $50/yr |
| ATM withdrawals | 10 free/month | 10 free/month | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
| Added FX fee | 0.5% | 0.25% | None | None |
| Support | Standard | Standard | Dedicated team | Executive support |
How membership points are earned
Points reset every month and do not accumulate across months toward a level. That is the single most important rule if you plan to reach a tier through activity rather than paying for it.
| Activity | Points earned |
|---|---|
| Card spending | 1,000 points per $1,000 spent |
| Liquid holdings | 10 points per $1,000 held per day |
| Staked assets | 1.5 points per $1,000 staked per day |
| Staked ETHFI | 5 points per 1,000 ETHFI staked per day |
Good to know
Liquid fast-track qualification is based on the current gross USD value of eligible Liquid holdings in your Cash account, before subtracting borrowing debt. It is not based on net liquidity or on the total you have deposited over time. Buying an annual membership locks the level for twelve months instead of relying on a monthly points threshold.
When a paid tier pays for itself
A paid tier is worth it when the extra cashback and the benefits you actually use exceed the annual fee. The table below models cashback alone, assuming all spend is in USD and qualifies. It ignores category cashback, lounges and travel discounts, so treat it as a conservative floor.
| Monthly spend | Core | Luxe | Pinnacle |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $30 | $30 | $30 |
| $2,000 | $60 | $60 | $60 |
| $3,000 | $70 | $90 | $90 |
| $5,000 | $80 | $150 | $150 |
| $10,000 | $105 | $300 | $300 |
| $15,000 | $130 | $350 | $450 |
| $30,000 | $205 | $500 | $900 |
Luxe breaks even at roughly $2,830 of monthly USD spend. Pinnacle breaks even against Luxe at roughly $14,200. Below those numbers, the free tier is usually the rational choice.
How this is calculated
Between $2,000 and $3,000 of monthly spend, Core pays $60 plus 1% of the excess, while Luxe pays 3% of the whole amount.
The monthly difference is 0.02 × spend − $40. Setting that equal to $199 ÷ 12 gives a break-even of about $2,829 per month.
The same method applied to Pinnacle versus Luxe, with a $999 annual fee, gives about $14,163 per month.
These are model figures on qualifying USD spend, not projections of what you will earn.
Official source
Membership comparison
Live pricing, allowances and benefit lists shown before you buy.
View official comparison →
Official source
Cashback mechanics
Exact bands, currency rules, lock period and exclusions.
Read the cashback rules →Travel benefits and Visa Signature
Travel is where the card is most competitive, but the headline numbers need reading carefully.
The travel portal gives access to discounted rates at over one million hotels and to flight bookings, and eligible hotel bookings paid with the card earn a bonus on top of the standard rate.
The 5% travel figure is a total, not a bonus
Eligible hotel bookings earn your normal card rate plus a 2% travel bonus.
At the standard 3% band that comes to 5%.
Once your monthly spend pushes you into the 1% band the total becomes 3%, and at the 0.5% band it becomes 2.5%.
The bonus does not top every booking up to 5%.
| Your card band | Travel bonus | Total on eligible hotels |
|---|---|---|
| 3% band | +2% | 5% |
| 1% band | +2% | 3% |
| 0.5% band | +2% | 2.5% |
| Business accounts | +2% | 3% at the current 1% card rate |
What every level includes
- Discounted inventory. Access to reduced rates on eligible hotels and flights, advertised at up to 65% off. Actual savings vary by property, date and availability.
- Visa Concierge. Round-the-clock assistance for bookings, reservations and travel planning.
- Auto rental coverage. Rental car insurance when the rental is paid with the card, subject to the provider's terms.
- Purchase and price protection. Visa Signature purchase protection up to $10,000, price protection up to $2,000 and extended warranty up to $10,000.
- Global eSIM discounts. Reduced-rate data plans for travel.
- Global Blue VAT refunds. Support for claiming eligible tax-free shopping refunds.
- Visa Luxury Hotel Collection and Airport Companion. Register the card on the Visa benefits portal to activate these.
Check before you rely on it
Coverage, eligibility and availability differ by benefit, provider and location.
Lounge access, fast track and some travel features are being rolled out in phases.
Flight cashback has been described as forthcoming rather than live.
Confirm the current status of any benefit inside the app before booking on the strength of it.
Book travel with the card and earn the bonus
Open the account, activate Cash, then book through the travel portal and pay with the card so the booking qualifies for the additional 2%.
Fees, FX and the real cost of spending
The card is competitive on cost, but "no fees" is not accurate for every currency. Euro purchases carry zero markup. Other currencies carry a small added margin that falls as your membership level rises.
| Cost item | Core | Luxe | Pinnacle | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual membership | $0 | $199 | $999 | Balance-based |
| EUR FX markup | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Other currency added FX | 0.5% | 0.25% | None | None |
| First virtual card | Free in most regions, $10 in some | Included | Included | Included |
| Extra virtual card | $10 | $10 | $10 | Included |
| Physical card | $50 plus shipping | 1 free, then $100 | 2 free, then $100 | 2 free |
| ATM | 10 free per month | 10 free per month | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
Three things that make the final rate differ from the estimate
- Settlement timing. The FX rate is fixed when the transaction settles, which can be one or two days after the purchase, not at the moment you pay.
- Dynamic currency conversion. If a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of the local one, it usually adds its own markup. Always choose the local currency — and in the eurozone, always choose EUR.
- Merchant and intermediary charges. Some merchants and local processors add their own handling fees. These are not charged by the card and are outside its control.
Practical tip
The zero-markup euro benefit applies automatically with any spending asset, including USDC — you do not need to hold EURC to get it. It is currently described as a beta feature, so treat it as a current condition rather than a permanent guarantee.
Cards, wallets and ATM access
You can run the card entirely from your phone or order a physical card, depending on what your country supports. Both formats work on the same account and share the same cashback allowance.
Everyday
Virtual card
Issued in-app and usable immediately for online payments and, where supported, contactless wallet payments.
Travel
Physical card
Plastic on Core, metal on higher levels. Shipped to most supported countries, with priority shipping on Pinnacle and VIP.
Mobile
Apple Pay and Google Pay
Add the card to your wallet in supported regions and pay contactless from your phone or watch.
Cash
ATM withdrawals
Up to $5,000 per withdrawal with a limited number of attempts. Free monthly allowances depend on your level.
Availability and eligibility
The card is offered across a broad list of countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania, plus a set of US states. Eligibility is never automatic: it depends on passing identity verification and on the platform being permitted to serve your jurisdiction.
What determines whether you can open an account
- Age and identity. You must be at least 18 and complete KYC verification successfully.
- Jurisdiction. Your country must be on the supported list. If it is not listed, you cannot apply for either the virtual or the physical card.
- Physical delivery. Some eligible regions can use the card digitally but cannot receive a physical card. Belgium and Ireland are current examples.
- US coverage. Physical cards are available in a defined list of states rather than nationwide.
- Change over time. Availability shifts with regulatory and operational requirements, so the list is not static.
Before you apply
Check your country on the official availability page rather than relying on any third-party list, including this one. Regional pricing, free-card allowances and delivery options are shown inside the app before you commit to anything.
Official source
Country availability
The current list of supported countries, US states and delivery limits.
Check your country →
Official source
Card benefits by level
Full benefit tables, card allowances and upcoming features.
See all benefits →Risks and limitations you must read
This is a digital-asset product with a payment card attached, not a bank account. The protections you may be used to from a regulated bank do not automatically apply. Read this section before you fund anything.
Key risks
Reward volatility. Cashback is credited in ETHFI. Its value can fall before you claim or convert it, so the dollar value shown at purchase is not what you are guaranteed to receive.
No deposit insurance. Balances are not covered by a national deposit guarantee scheme. Digital assets can lose value, including their entire value.
Borrow-mode exposure. Interest is variable, starts immediately, compounds continuously and has no grace period. If collateral value falls, your position can be liquidated. Refunds do not automatically repay borrowed balances.
Protection programme not live. The advertised account balance protection of up to $500,000 has not launched. It is described as forthcoming, limited to eligible accounts, and explicitly excludes market losses and compromised credentials. It is not deposit insurance and the limit is a maximum, not a guaranteed payout.
Feature timing. Identity theft protection, exclusive events and some travel features are announced but not yet available. Launch timing and terms may change.
Self-custody responsibility. Keeping control of your assets also means carrying responsibility for your credentials and device security.
Questions to answer before you fund the account
- Can I cover the amount I plan to hold from money I can afford to have at risk?
- Do I understand that my rewards arrive as a token whose price moves?
- Will I use Direct Pay, and if I use Borrow, do I know the current rate and my liquidation threshold?
- Have I checked that my country is supported and that I can pass verification?
- Have I compared the total cost — FX, card fees, ATM — against the card I already use?
- Am I treating any "coming soon" benefit as unavailable until it is confirmed live?
How to get started
Setup is a short sequence, but the order matters: verification comes before funding, and funding comes before the card can be used.
- Step 1Create the account and complete identity verification. Requirements vary by country.
- Step 2Activate Cash and choose the virtual or physical card option available to you. The app shows the fee and free-card allowance that apply before you order.
- Step 3Fund the account using a supported method for your region and set your spend priority if you plan to use Direct Pay.
- Step 4Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay where supported, then make your first eligible purchase.
- Step 5Watch the cashback page through the pending, earned and claimable stages, and claim once the 7-day lock ends.
- Step 6Review after two or three months. Upgrade only if your real spending clears the break-even point for the tier you are considering.
Ready to open your ether.fi Cash account
Begin on Core at no annual cost, verify your identity, and activate the card format available in your country. Everything else can be decided once you see your own spending pattern.
Who the ether.fi Cash card suits best
The card makes most sense for people who already hold digital assets and want to spend from them without moving back and forth to a bank, and for frequent eurozone spenders who benefit from the zero FX markup.
It is a weaker fit for anyone who wants a guaranteed cash reward, a regulated bank relationship, or a card whose benefits are all fully live today.
| Profile | Fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Eurozone everyday spender | Strong | 0% FX markup plus 3% on the first euro band |
| Frequent international traveller | Strong | Travel portal discounts, hotel bonus, Visa Signature suite |
| Existing digital-asset holder | Strong | Spend or borrow from one account without selling first |
| High monthly spender | Good, paid tier | Wider 3% bands make Luxe or Pinnacle worth modelling |
| Low spender, cash-reward preference | Limited | Rewards arrive as a volatile token, not as cash |
| Anyone needing deposit protection | Not suitable | No deposit guarantee; protection programme not yet live |
The practical approach is to start free, run the card alongside your existing one for a quarter, and compare the total return after FX and fees. If the numbers work, upgrade. If they do not, you have lost nothing but the time it took to check.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ether.fi Cash Visa card?
It is a Visa card linked to a self-custodial multi-asset account. You can hold crypto, tokenised stocks, metals and currencies, then spend at merchants that accept Visa using either Direct Pay or Borrow mode.
How much cashback does it pay?
Core pays 3% on the first $2,000 of eligible monthly USD spend,
1% from $2,001 to $3,000 and 0.5% above that.
Luxe extends the 3% band to $10,000,
Pinnacle to $50,000, and
VIP pays 4% on the first $50,000.
Is the cashback paid in cash?
No. It is converted to ETHFI at the prevailing price once the purchase clears, held for a 7-day lock, then claimed to your account.
Because ETHFI is a cryptoasset, its value can move before you claim or convert it.
Do I need a paid membership to get 3%?
No. Every account starts on Core, which is free and already carries the 3% headline rate within its band. Paid tiers widen the band rather than unlock the rate.
When does Luxe become worth the annual fee?
On cashback alone, at roughly $2,830 of qualifying monthly USD spend the extra return covers the $199 annual fee.
Below that, lounges, category cashback and travel discounts would have to make up the difference for you personally.
Are euro purchases really free of FX markup?
ether.fi applies zero markup when the merchant charges in EUR, with any spending asset.
It is described as a beta feature.
If a terminal offers dynamic currency conversion, decline it and pay in EUR to keep the benefit.
Do euro and dollar spending share one allowance?
Yes. Euro transactions have lower thresholds but draw from the same monthly counter.
Spending $800 equivalent in euros reduces the remaining 3% dollar allowance by the same $800.
Is travel cashback an extra 5% on top?
No. Eligible hotel bookings earn your normal card rate plus a 2% travel bonus. At the 3% band that totals 5%; at the 1% band it totals 3%; at the 0.5% band it totals 2.5%.
Is my balance protected up to $500,000?
Not yet. The account balance protection programme has not launched.
When live it will be limited to eligible accounts, will exclude market losses and compromised credentials, and is not deposit insurance.
Treat it as unavailable until confirmed.
What does Borrow mode cost?
A variable APY set by the underlying lending market. Interest starts immediately, compounds continuously and has no grace period or minimum repayment schedule.
You can repay at any time, and refunds do not automatically reduce the borrowed balance.
Which countries are supported?
A broad list across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania, plus a defined set of US states.
Some eligible regions can use the card digitally but cannot receive a physical card.
Always check the official availability page.
Do you earn money if I sign up?
Yes. This page uses affiliate links and we may receive a commission from ether.fi if you open an account through them, at no additional cost to you.
Your account, card and all applicable terms are provided directly by ether.fi.
From the editors
Rates, thresholds and benefit lists on this page were taken from ether.fi's own help centre and membership comparison pages.
Because card programmes change frequently, confirm any figure that matters to your decision inside the app before you commit — regional pricing and allowances are always shown there first.
If you are comparing this card against an existing one, run the comparison on total cost after FX and fees rather than on the headline cashback percentage alone.
Take the next step with ether.fi Cash
Free to start, verified in-app, and available as a virtual or physical Visa card in supported countries. Check the current terms for your region before you fund the account.
This page is product information, not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Digital assets are volatile and can lose value. Card availability, cashback rates, fees, thresholds and benefits are set by ether.fi, differ by region and membership level, and may change. Some advertised benefits are not yet live. Always confirm current terms directly with ether.fi before opening an account or using a feature.