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Ethena Pay Spend Card vs wavecard

Ethena Pay Spend Card

Crypto native

7.6
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wavecard

Crypto native

7.8
Get the card

Verdict

  • wavecard scores higher overall (7.8 vs 7.6 out of 10).
  • Ethena Pay Spend Card is clearly stronger on: Fees, Cashback & rewards, Custody & security, Limits & ATM.
  • wavecard is clearly stronger on: Availability, FX & international.
  • For 1,500 EUR/month of spend, Ethena Pay Spend Card comes out about 185 EUR a year ahead on base-tier terms.

Ethena Pay Spend Card is a good fit for

  • People who want to keep control of their keys
  • Users who need credit rather than a debit/prepaid card
  • Everyday spenders who want cashback

Stronger on: Fees, Cashback & rewards, Custody & security, Limits & ATM

wavecard is a good fit for

  • Everyday spenders who want cashback
  • Frequent travellers

Stronger on: Availability, FX & international

★ Our pickEditorial choice · score unchanged · Affiliate link

Neither card is our pick. The card we recommend instead:

ether.fi Cash

Crypto native · ether.fi

8.1

Why we recommend it

  • 3% cashback in ETHFI on up to $2,000 of spend a monthConditions apply
  • 5.35% variable interest on your balanceConditions apply
  • No annual or monthly fee on the base tierConditions apply
  • Extras on the base tier: airport lounge access, travel / rental car insurance, purchase protectionConditions apply
  • Self-custody: funds stay in your own walletConditions apply
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Review & sourcesEthena Pay Spend Card vs ether.fi Cashwavecard vs ether.fi Cash

Conditions apply; the review lists them with sources.

Score by criterion

CriterionEthena Pay Spend Cardwavecard
Fees10087
Cashback & rewards8975
Availability50100
FX & international60100
Product features5356
Custody & security7060
Credit & financing75–
Limits & ATM7820
Transparency93100
Best for Cashback8.27.7
Best for Travel7.27.9
Best for Self-Custody7.6n/a
Best for DeFi Users7.86.9
Best for High Spenders8.27.3
Best for Low Fees8.68.2
Best for Beginners7.58.0
Best Crypto Credit Card8.2n/a

Conditions apply, e.g. only for the base tier, up to a monthly cap or in some countries. Tap a value with * (or hover over it) to see them.

Product

Product status

ActiveConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Beta; live in 48 countries, more announced

ActiveShow source

Card type

Crypto-backed creditConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Secured: collateral in your linked self-custodial wallet secures card charges

Debit cardShow source

Network

VisaShow source
VisaShow source

Custody model

Self-custodyShow source
CustodialConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Card funded from the user's Wave Space Crypto account held via partner Lightspark

Card issuer / program manager

Third National (Puerto Rico chartered bank); program manager Signify Holdings, Inc. (Rain)Show source
Lightspark Payments Europe AS (partner for financial services); Wave Space acts as distributorConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Card issued via white-label arrangement with a third-party provider

Tiers / plans

Standard · Pro · VIPShow source
No data yet

Fees

Annual fee

FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

No recurring subscription or account fees for a standard account

No data yet

Monthly fee

FreeShow source
FreeShow source

Physical card fee

No data yet
€29.99Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Tracked delivery free; express delivery €30

Virtual card fee

FreeShow source
€2.99Show source

Replacement fee

FreeShow source
No data yet

FX fee

1%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Card-network conversion fee passed through at cost, typically around 1% and varying by currency; no Ethena Pay markup; USD spend has no conversion cost

0%Show source

Crypto conversion fee

No data yet
1%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Fee on card payments

ATM fee

$1 + 0.65%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Only where ATM access is available; ATM operator surcharges extra

€2 + 3%Show source

Other fees & markups

Late Payment Fee up to $40 · Returned Payment Fee up to $29 · Third-party gas, card network, merchant, ATM operator and funding partner (Moonpay/Iron) feesShow source
€30 express delivery for physical card · Network withdrawal fees on crypto withdrawals (may differ from actual network fee) · Possible maintenance fee for accounts inactive 365 daysShow source

Cashback & rewards

Base cashback

4%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Standard tier on the first $2,500 of monthly spend; 1% from $2,500 to $4,000; 0% above

3%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Up to 21,000 sats in total

Max cashback

5%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

VIP tier on the first $20,000 of monthly spend; Pro 4.5% on the first $8,000

No data yet

Cashback paid in

AVAXShow source
BTCShow source

Cashback type

CryptoShow source
CryptoShow source

Interest on balance

6%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Up to 6% on dollar balance, variable; the Boost portion only up to the tier's Boost Cap and requires at least one qualifying card transaction per month

No data yet

Cashback-eligible spend cap

$2,500/monthConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Standard: headline rate on the first $2,500 per calendar month; Pro $8,000, VIP $20,000; lower rates above

No data yet

Cashback conditions

Rate depends on tier and steps down with monthly spend (bands reset each calendar month) · Transactions under $1.00 earn no cashback · Paid daily after the transaction settlesShow source
No data yet

Minimum balance

$0Show source
No data yet

Reward exclusions

Cash advances, ATM withdrawals · Purchases of crypto, stablecoins, NFTs or securities · Gambling and wagering · Gift cards · Peer-to-peer transfers · Account funding, loan repayments, balance transfers · Insurance premiums, government payments · Fees, taxes, fines, chargesShow source
No data yet

Credit & financing

Credit line

YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Secured by your own collateral

No data yet

Credit type

Crypto-backed creditShow source
No data yet

Interest (APR)

0%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Purchases; issuer and Ethena Pay may introduce interest on new purchases with prior notice

No data yet

Interest notes

Currently 0% interest on all purchases; Issuer and Ethena Pay may introduce interest on new purchases in future with prior disclosureShow source
No data yet

Grace period

Outstanding payment obligation must be paid within one calendar day, otherwise a Liquidation Event occurs; additional grace period at discretionShow source
No data yet

Repayment

Repay Ethena Pay for card charges per User Agreement by permitted means in the Ethena Pay Account; prepayment without penaltyShow source
No data yet

Liquidation risk

YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Collateral can be liquidated after a Liquidation Event (e.g. unpaid charges)

No data yet

Availability

Available in

Argentina, BZ, BO, Brazil, Colombia, CR, EC, SV, GT, GY, HN, Mexico, PA, PY, Peru, SR, UY, AG, BS, BB, KY, DM, DO, GD, KN, LC, VC, TT, TC, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, PK, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, CI, EG, GH, Kenya, MA, SN, UG, ZM, Australia, New ZealandConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Live in 47 countries; South Africa no longer listed. Coming soon: USA, EU, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea

EEAConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Residents 18+

Not available in

AF, BY, MM, BI, CF, CU, CD, ET, IR, LB, LY, ML, NI, KP, RU, SO, SS, SD, SY, VE, YE, ZWConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Restricted Jurisdictions; also Abkhazia, Crimea, Donetsk/Luhansk, Northern Cyprus, Somaliland, South Ossetia

No data yet

Own IBAN / bank details

YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Virtual account (IBAN) not yet available in BB, JP, MY, PK, MA, SN, UG, AU, NZ

YesShow source

Features

Apple Pay

YesShow source
NoConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Only via the Curve app; direct Apple Pay support coming soon

Google Pay

NoConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Announced as available soon

YesShow source

Physical card

No data yet
YesShow source

Virtual card

YesShow source
YesShow source

ATM withdrawals

YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Availability limited and depends on card, device and country

YesShow source

Spendable assets

No data yet
BTCConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Bitcoin-only

Blockchains

Ethereum · Polygon · Optimism · ArbitrumConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Supported blockchains for collateral; list may be updated by issuer

Bitcoin · LightningShow source

Limits

ATM limit

No data yet
€350Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Daily; monthly €3,000

Spending limit

No data yet
€10,000Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Daily and monthly; monthly up to €15,000 with Tier 2 KYC

Security & custody

Deposit protection

NoShow source
No data yet

Smart-contract risk

YesShow source
No data yet

Annual cost at 1,500 EUR/month

Ethena Pay Spend Card

  • Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
  • FX costs−36 EUR
  • Crypto conversion–
  • ATM costs−19 EUR
  • Cashback+720 EUR
  • Net annual value665 EUR

wavecard

  • Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
  • FX costs+0 EUR
  • Crypto conversion–
  • ATM costs−60 EUR
  • Cashback+540 EUR
  • Net annual value480 EUR

Assumes 300 EUR foreign spend and 100 EUR ATM per month, base tier only. Use your own numbers

More Ethena Pay Spend Card comparisons

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