ether.fi Cash vs Gemini Credit Card
Crypto native
Verdict
- ether.fi Cash scores higher overall (8.1 vs 5.8 out of 10).
- ether.fi Cash is clearly stronger on: Cashback & rewards, Availability, Product features, Custody & security.
- Gemini Credit Card is clearly stronger on: FX & international, Transparency.
- A full annual cost comparison is not possible yet because some fees are not disclosed or not yet researched.
ether.fi Cash is a good fit for
- People who want to keep control of their keys
- Stablecoin holders
- Users who need credit rather than a debit/prepaid card
- Everyday spenders who want cashback
Stronger on: Cashback & rewards, Availability, Product features, Custody & security
Gemini Credit Card is a good fit for
- Users who need credit rather than a debit/prepaid card
- Frequent travellers
Stronger on: FX & international, Transparency
Score by criterion
| Criterion | ether.fi Cash | Gemini Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 100 | 100 |
| Cashback & rewards | 69 | 30 |
| Availability | 100 | 3 |
| FX & international | 40 | 100 |
| Product features | 100 | 70 |
| Custody & security | 85 | 60 |
| Credit & financing | 75 | 70 |
| Limits & ATM | – | 11 |
| Transparency | 74 | 100 |
| Best for Cashback | 7.7 | 4.7 |
| Best for Travel | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Best for Self-Custody | 8.1 | n/a |
| Best for DeFi Users | 8.1 | 6.6 |
| Best for Stablecoins | 7.7 | n/a |
| Best for High Spenders | 7.0 | 5.9 |
| Best for Low Fees | 7.4 | 8.7 |
| Best for Beginners | 9.0 | 6.7 |
| Best Crypto Credit Card | 7.9 | 7.0 |
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
ActiveShow source
ActiveShow source
Card type
Crypto-backed creditConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Marketed as a credit card; Direct Pay mode spends your own balance
Credit cardShow source
Network
VisaShow source
MastercardConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Mastercard World Elite
Custody model
Self-custodyConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Account is non-custodial; the card itself is issued by a third-party issuer under separate terms
CustodialConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Crypto rewards are deposited into the Gemini account
Card issuer / program manager
Third National (issuer under Visa license); program by Ether.Fi Cash Ltd.Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
International cardholder agreement (Ltd.); US persons are covered by separate US agreements
WebBankShow source
Tiers / plans
Core · Luxe · Pinnacle · VIPShow source
Fees
Annual fee
FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core membership; Luxe ($199/yr) and Pinnacle ($999/yr) can optionally be bought or earned via Liquid deposits / ETHFI staking
FreeShow source
Monthly fee
FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core membership
Physical card fee
$60Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core, including shipping; Luxe and higher get 1 free
Virtual card fee
FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
First virtual card free on Core; $10 in some regions and for further cards
FX fee
1.5%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Non-USD purchases, Core: 1% FX base fee + up to 0.5% (Luxe +0.25%, Pinnacle/VIP none). Purchases charged in EUR: 0% FX markup.
0%Show source
ATM fee
Not disclosedConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core: ATM withdrawals available, fee not stated; Pinnacle and VIP: free, up to 10 withdrawals per month. The marketing page that listed 2% now redirects to /personal.
3% (min. $10)Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Cash advance: $10 or 3%, whichever is greater; cash advance APR from the transaction date
Other fees & markups
Late payment up to $35 · Returned payment up to $35 · Penalty APR 33.74% variableShow source
Cashback & rewards
Base cashback
3%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core membership, on the first $2,000 of card spend per month
1%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Everything else; 2% groceries, 3% dining
Max cashback
4%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
VIP membership, on the first $50,000 of card spend per month
4%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Gas, EV charging and transit, on up to $300 spend a month (then 1%)
Cashback paid in
ETHFIShow source
BTC or 50+ cryptos available on GeminiShow source
Cashback type
Platform tokenShow source
CryptoShow source
Interest on balance
5.35%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
USD Earn vault (ether.fi Liquid), variable APY, not guaranteed; EUR vault 5.29% APY; DeFi vault risk
Cashback-eligible spend cap
$2,000/monthConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core; Luxe $10,000, Pinnacle/VIP $50,000 per month
Cashback conditions
Rates step down progressively with total monthly spend · EUR transactions use lower thresholds and rates · Spend tiers reset at the start of every monthShow source
4% only on the first $300 of gas/EV/transit spend each month, then 1% · 3% dining, 2% groceries, 1% everything else · Rewards are deposited when the transaction posts; some exclusions apply · Up to 10% back at selected merchants (offers vary)Show source
Reward expiry / vesting
Converted to ETHFI at settlement, locked for 7 days, then must be claimedShow source
Reward exclusions
ATM withdrawals and cash advances · P2P payments and transfers · Currency exchange services · Tax and government payments · Gift cards, stored-value cards, money orders and cash equivalents · MCC 6011, 6012, 6211, 6513 (rent), 6532, 7995 (gambling)Show source
Credit & financing
Credit line
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Borrow Mode
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Subject to credit approval
Credit type
Crypto-backed creditShow source
Revolving creditShow source
Collateral assets
USDC · USDT · EURC · frxUSD · weETH · WETH · eBTC · ETHFI · sETHFI · OP · WHYPE · beHYPE · liquidETH · liquidBTC · liquidUSD · liquidReserve · liquidEUR · liquidRWA · QQQx · SPYx · PAXG · TBLLxConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Aave LendGateway Product LTV list for the Optimism lending market (parameters updated August 27, 2026); eUSD no longer counts as collateral
Max loan-to-value
81%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Aave LendGateway Product LTV for USDC, USDT, EURC, frxUSD; volatile assets lower (weETH/WETH 55%, ETHFI/OP 20%); legacy Cash DebtManager LTV was 90% for stablecoins
Interest (APR)
16.74%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
16.74% to 34.74% variable purchase APR based on creditworthiness (Prime Rate 7.00% on 25 Sep 2026)
Interest notes
Variable APY set by the underlying Aave v4 lending market per asset; accrues immediately and compounds continuouslyShow source
Grace period
None; interest accrues immediately after borrowingShow source
Payment due at least 25 days after each billing cycle closes; no interest on purchases when the full balance is paid by the due dateShow source
Repayment
Repay all or part of the outstanding balance at any time, without penalty, by means permitted in the Ether.Fi AccountShow source
Liquidation risk
YesShow source
Spend own balance directly
YesShow source
Spend by borrowing against collateral
YesShow source
Availability
Available in
AD, AO, AG, Argentina, Australia, Austria, BS, BH, BD, BB, BZ, BO, Brazil, VG, Bulgaria, Canada, KY, Chile, Colombia, CR, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, DM, DO, EC, SV, France, Germany, GI, Greece, GG, GT, GY, HN, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, IM, Italy, Japan, JE, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, MV, Malta, Mexico, MC, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, OM, PW, PA, PY, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, PR, Romania, Saudi Arabia, SC, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, KN, LC, VC, SR, Sweden, Switzerland, TW, Thailand, TT, TC, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, UY, VU, Belgium, Ireland, United StatesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Subject to KYC; Belgium and Ireland eligible but no physical card delivery; US only in listed states (AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OK, PA, SC, TX, UT, VA, WV, WY); unlisted jurisdictions cannot apply for virtual or physical card
United StatesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
US residents only
Features
Apple Pay
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Only where Apple Pay is supported
Google Pay
YesShow source
Physical card
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Not shipped to every eligible region
YesShow source
Virtual card
YesShow source
YesShow source
ATM withdrawals
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Not permitted in North Korea, Iran and Myanmar
Spend stablecoins
YesShow source
Airport lounge access
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Core: 2 free passes to premium lounges; unlimited from Pinnacle
Travel / rental car insurance
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Auto rental coverage, shared across all memberships
Purchase protection
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Purchase and price protection, all memberships
Spendable assets
USDC · LiquidUSDConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Direct Pay Mode spend assets; Borrow Mode can use all vault assets as collateral
Blockchains
Ethereum · Polygon · Optimism · Arbitrum · ScrollConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Definition of Supported Blockchains in the card terms (page spells Arbitrum as 'Arbitrium'); other networks may be added
Limits
ATM limit
$25,000Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Per rolling 24 hours, same for all tiers; max $5,000 per transaction and 5 withdrawals per 24 hours
Security & custody
Regulation / licences
Ether.Fi states it is not licensed to provide financial services as part of the Card ServicesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Nigeria: card marketed by BANEX Microfinance Bank, licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria; terms governed by Puerto Rico law
Deposit protection
NoConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source
Account Balance Protection (Core up to $10K) is not yet live and is not deposit insurance
Smart-contract risk
YesShow source
Annual cost at 1,500 EUR/month
ether.fi Cash
- Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
- FX costs−54 EUR
- Crypto conversion–
- ATM costsunknown
- Cashback+540 EUR
- Net annual valuenot enough data
Gemini Credit Card
- Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
- FX costs+0 EUR
- Crypto conversion–
- ATM costs−107 EUR
- Cashback+180 EUR
- Net annual value73 EUR
Assumes 300 EUR foreign spend and 100 EUR ATM per month, base tier only. Use your own numbers