MetaMask Card review

Consensys / MetaMask

VirtualMastercardPassport+POANo mainland China

MetaMask Card runs on Mastercard, with Crypto Life as programme manager and Monovate as issuer. Its defining feature is self-custody: you don't load money onto the card — you approve a spending allowance from your MetaMask wallet and purchases are debited from the wallet directly. Approving the allowance only costs a little gas (officially typically about 0.01 USD).

Pros

Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet
Free virtual card, no annual fee
Issuer Monovate and network disclosed
Full fee and limit tables published

Cons

Mainland China not eligible
US sign-ups paused
No TRC20 / Ethereum mainnet funding
Two official pages conflict on FX fees

0 USDIssuance

1.0%Total cost

1%FX fee

15,000 USDDaily limit

Verdict: Strongest self-custody story, but the regional bar is high and most Chinese-speaking users cannot apply.

Card overview

Fees

Virtual issuance: 0 USD
Monthly fee: 0 USD
Top-up fee: 0%
Spend / conversion: 0%
FX fee: 1%
ATM: Free tier 2% (ATM withdrawals only for US users)

Limits

Daily: 15,000 USD
Bulk issuing: Not supported

Card info

Network: Mastercard
Issuer: Monovate (issuer); Crypto Life (card programme manager)
Website: metamask.io

Funding

Chains: Linea, Solana, Base, Monad
Assets: USDC, USDT, mUSD, wETH, EURe, GBPe, EURC
Minimum: 0 USD
Arrival: No top-up; spending is debited from your self-custody wallet within the approved allowance

Virtual card free, no annual fee; no top-up needed — you approve a spending allowance from your wallet (small gas fee, typically ~0.01 USD); spending stablecoins in local currency is free, other stablecoins 0.5%, other crypto such as wETH 0.875%; cross-border merchants 1% (free on Metal), although the official FAQ says no additional FX fee is charged — the two pages conflict; Metal tier 199 USD/year, not open to new users

Free tier: 10,000 per transaction / 15,000 daily USD; Metal: 20,000 per transaction / 30,000 daily USD

Data basis: Free tier, non-US regions

KYC requirements

Documents and regions

Passport + proof of address: ✓ Accepted
Business documents (KYB): ✗ Not accepted
Mainland China residents: Officially not eligible
Restricted regions: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and other regions not on the eligible list, United States (new sign-ups paused)

Official: KYC plus proof of residency required; eligible countries are many European countries, the UK, Canada, several Latin American countries, Bahrain, Oman, etc.; mainland China is not on the list

support.metamask.io · 2026-11-10

The fee table on the official support site is thorough: free virtual card, no annual fee, free spending with stablecoins in your local currency, 0.5% for other stablecoins, 0.875% for other assets such as wETH, and 1% at cross-border merchants — although the official FAQ separately says no additional FX fee is charged, so the two pages conflict. The restrictions are equally clear: proof of residency is required, eligible regions are mainly Europe, the UK, Canada and Latin America — not mainland China, Hong Kong or Singapore — and US sign-ups are currently paused. Funding chains are Linea, Solana, Base and Monad; TRC20 is not supported.

What 1,000 USDT buys

Open one virtual card, top up 1000 USDT once (1 USDT = 1 USD) and spend it over 10 purchases; spendable amounts at USD and non-USD merchants, on-chain gas excluded.

① Issuance fee: 0.00 USD
② Top-up fee: 1000 × 0% = 0.00 USD
③ Card balance: 1000 − 0.00 − 0.00 = 1,000.00 USD
④ Spendable at a USD merchant: 1,000.00 ÷ (1 + 0%) = 1,000.00 USD
⑤ Spendable at a non-USD merchant: 1,000.00 ÷ [(1 + 0%) × (1 + 1%)] = 990.10 USD
Total cost: USD merchant 0.00% / non-USD merchant 0.99%

Who it suits

Suits: On-chain users living in Europe, the UK, Latin America or other supported regions

Not for: Mainland China residents; users who rely on TRC20 top-ups

Checklist before you apply

Check your residence: Mainland China residents are ineligible — see the alternatives below.
Prepare documents: Passport+POA.
Check the live fee preview in the app before opening.
Use the right network: Linea, Solana, Base, Monad; the network name must match when withdrawing from an exchange.
Start small: top up only enough for one purchase first, and confirm arrival, charges and refunds work before adding more.

Similar cards

ether.fi Cash

The most transparent document policy of the group, but only open to listed jurisdictions.

Cost ≥0.5%

KYC: ID cardPassportPassport+POANo mainland China
Card: VirtualPhysicalVisa

Issuance 0 USDRead review →

KAST

Generous limits and broad chain support, but confirm spending-side fees in the in-app preview.

KYC: Business KYB
Card: VirtualPhysicalVisa
Fund: USDTUSDCPYUSDRLUSDEthereumSolanaPolygonArbitrum

Read review →

Nexo Card

A low-cost option for Europeans; not available to anyone else.

Cost ≥2.0%

KYC: No mainland China
Card: VirtualPhysicalMastercard
Fund: CryptoEURxUSDxGBPx

Issuance 0 USDRead review →

Head-to-head: MetaMask Card vs ether.fi Cash.

FAQ

Can mainland China residents apply for MetaMask Card?

No. Official: KYC plus proof of residency required; eligible countries are many European countries, the UK, Canada, several Latin American countries, Bahrain, Oman, etc.; mainland China is not on the list

How much does it cost to open a MetaMask Card card?

Virtual card issuance 0 USD, physical card —, monthly fee 0 USD.

Can MetaMask Card be used for Meta / Google / TikTok ads?

The issuer makes no specific statement on ad platforms; prefer a card that officially supports ad payments.

How much can I actually spend from 1,000 USDT on MetaMask Card?

On official fees, about 1,000.00 USD at a USD merchant and 990.10 USD at a non-USD merchant.

How can I top up MetaMask Card?

Chains: Linea, Solana, Base, Monad; assets: USDC, USDT, mUSD, wETH, EURe, GBPe, EURC; minimum: 0 USD.

Affiliate linkOpen a MetaMask Card card

Checked 2026-11-10 · support.metamask.io

A U-card is only for passing payments through: top up only what you will spend, and never keep a large balance on the card.