The stack, and nothing I don't actually use.
Everything on this page is something I run myself or have put my own members on. Most of these links are referral links — the company pays me a small commission and it never costs you a cent more. If I stop trusting one, it comes off the page.
Cards — the honest comparison
Which crypto cards actually issue outside Europe
This is the question nobody answers properly. Most "best crypto card" lists are written for a European or US audience, and half the cards on them will simply refuse you anywhere else. Here's what I found when I checked.
| Card | Where it works | Cost to run | Rewards | Spends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | Genuinely global | Free account, real exchange rate | None — it's a currency account | Fiat, not crypto |
| RedotPay | 100+ countries, blocks 42 incl. the US | $0/month | No cashback | USDT, USDC, BTC, ETH |
| KAST | 150+ countries, excludes India & China | Free Standard tier | 4–12%, tier-dependent | USDC, USDT, USDe |
| Bitget Wallet | 50+ markets — LatAm, Asia, Africa, Europe | $0/month | Up to 3% | USDT, USDC |
| Crypto.com | Global | Free tier available | Up to 8% — requires staking CRO | 100+ assets |
| Nexo Card | Europe & UK only | Free virtual card | Up to 2% | Blocked outside those regions |
Fees, rewards and country lists change constantly, and a country missing from a block list is not a promise you'll be approved — the only real test is trying to sign up. Check the current terms on the provider's own site before you commit. Last reviewed September 2026.
Cards
How you spend it
My top three first, then the other options. Where you see a code instead of a link, type it in when the app asks who referred you.
Wise
Top threeNot crypto: fiat only. Multi-currency account and card at the real exchange rate. Free, and works in almost every country — which is more than most can say.
Open an accountKAST
Top threeA dollar account and Visa card that run on stablecoins — load USDC or USDT and spend it anywhere Visa works. Free standard tier, with paid tiers above it.
Open an accountNexo
Top threeEarn on idle crypto and cash, or borrow against your holdings in 45+ currencies without selling. The earn account is global; the card was Europe and UK only when I last checked.
Open an accountOther options
RedotPay
Crypto cardSpends USDT, USDC, BTC and ETH, with no monthly fee. Open in 100+ countries, but blocks 42 of them — the US included — so check yours.
Get RedotPayBitget Wallet
Wallet + cardA wallet with its own card that spends USDT and USDC, with no monthly fee, in 50+ markets.
Referral code cPwh6KeEOwnly Pay
LimitedPay in local currency straight from your crypto. It is limited — only some countries so far — so check yours is covered before you set it up.
Referral code 5D75680ELQuid Pay Visa
PausedA Visa card built for crypto spending. Not taking new members right now while the team works on the platform. I'll reopen this the day it's back.
Closed to new signupsWallets
Where you keep it
Rabby
EverydayFor Ethereum and the chains built like it, on computer or phone. Shows you what a transaction will do before you approve it, and warns you when something looks wrong.
DownloadMetaMask
The standardBrowser and phone wallet, mostly Ethereum and everything built on it. The one nearly every crypto site expects you to have.
DownloadTrezor
Your savingsHardware wallet — keys stay offline on a physical device. For long-term holdings. My favourite of the hardware options.
Get a TrezorTrust Wallet
Also goodMobile software wallet, owned by Binance. Simple, well known, and easy to get going with on a phone.
DownloadExodus
Also goodAnother solid software wallet, good if you want something outside the Binance ecosystem.
DownloadTokenPocket
Also goodA phone and browser wallet that covers a very wide range of networks in one place.
DownloadExchanges
Where you buy it
To turn normal money into crypto you need an exchange that checks your ID (KYC) — that is the rule everywhere. Once you already hold crypto, swapping one coin for another can be done without it.
Binance
My mainLargest exchange in the world. ~0.1% fees, 130+ coins, BNB gives you a fee discount. Verification takes patience, worth it.
Sign upKraken
SecurityUS-based, strong on security and compliance, tiered fees by volume, margin trading if you get that far.
Sign upChangeNOW
No-KYC swapsSwap one coin for another in about two minutes, with no account and no ID check. Crypto-to-crypto only — and like every swap service, they can still ask for ID if a particular swap gets flagged.
Swap nowKuCoin
Wide selectionFriendly interface, competitive fees, a very broad range of coins. KCS token gives discounts.
Sign upGate.io
AltcoinsSpot, margin and lending, and one of the widest altcoin selections anywhere. Tiered fee structure.
Sign upNot your keys, not your crypto
Coins left on an exchange are held by the exchange. They hold the keys, and what you have is their promise to pay you. If an exchange is hacked, freezes withdrawals or goes under, your coins can go with it.
Use an exchange for what it is good at: buying, selling and swapping. Any crypto you are not putting to work belongs in one of the wallets above, where you hold the keys.
Everything else
Browsing, and checking before you buy
Brave Browser
BrowsingBlocks ads and trackers, loads pages faster, and pays you in BAT for the ads you actually choose to see. It's what we all use.
Download BraveToken Sniffer & Dex Screener
Free — check firstNot referral links, just the two tools I check any new token with before I touch it. Learn to use these and you'll dodge most of the traps.
Token Sniffer