savebackcards.com

Exa Card (Uphold) vs Tangem Pay

Exa Card (Uphold)

Crypto native

6.5
Tangem Pay

Crypto native

4.8

Verdict

  • Exa Card (Uphold) scores higher overall (6.5 vs 4.8 out of 10).
  • Exa Card (Uphold) is clearly stronger on: Fees, Credit & financing, Transparency.
  • Tangem Pay is clearly stronger on: Product features, Custody & security.
  • A full annual cost comparison is not possible yet because some fees are not disclosed or not yet researched.

Exa Card (Uphold) is a good fit for

  • Users who need credit rather than a debit/prepaid card

Stronger on: Fees, Credit & financing, Transparency

Tangem Pay is a good fit for

  • People who want to keep control of their keys
  • Stablecoin holders

Stronger on: Product features, Custody & security

★ 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

Conditions apply; the review lists them with sources.

Score by criterion

CriterionExa Card (Uphold)Tangem Pay
Fees10079
Cashback & rewards–30
Availability–3
FX & international–40
Product features5370
Custody & security7080
Credit & financing6030
Limits & ATM–20
Transparency10086
Best for Cashbackn/a4.2
Best for Traveln/a4.3
Best for Self-Custodyn/a6.8
Best for DeFi Users6.86.0
Best for Stablecoinsn/a6.1
Best for High Spendersn/a4.2
Best for Low Fees8.06.2
Best for Beginners7.36.2
Best Crypto Credit Card7.0n/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

ActiveShow source
ActiveShow source

Card type

Crypto-backed creditShow source
Stablecoin cardConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Funded with USDC loaded in advance; no credit line

Network

VisaConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Visa Signature

VisaShow source

Custody model

HybridConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Collateral leaves Uphold and is held in Exactly Protocol smart contracts

Self-custodyShow source

Card issuer / program manager

Third National; credit by Exactly ProtocolShow source
Card issued by Rain (Visa Principal Member); service provided by Paera LLCShow source

Tiers / plans

No data yet
Basic (free) · Plus ($29.99/month) · Prestige ($999/year, coming soon)Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Plus free with $4,500 monthly spend or $65,000 in Yield Mode; Prestige coming soon

Fees

Annual fee

FreeShow source
No data yet

Monthly fee

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

Basic tier; Plus $29.99/month

Virtual card fee

FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Created automatically with the Instant Credit account

FreeConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Basic tier

Replacement fee

No data yet
$5Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Virtual card replacement/additional card $5; plastic: delivery fee only (Basic and Plus); Prestige $0

FX fee

No data yet
1.5%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Up to; Tangem pages show 1% and 1.5%

Top-up fee

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

Bank top-up via ACH (free on Plus); FedWire $11 (comparison table says $10); crypto top-ups incur network fees

ATM fee

No data yet
4%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Basic tier; 2% on Plus

Other fees & markups

No data yet
Polygon gas fee on top-up (paid to the network) · Visa foreign-exchange fee on non-USD purchasesShow source

Cashback & rewards

Base cashback

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

Basic tier; minimum $30 per transaction; monthly cap applies

Max cashback

No data yet
4%Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Prestige tier ($999/year, coming soon); Plus 2%

Cashback paid in

No data yet
USDCShow source

Cashback type

No data yet
StablecoinShow source

Cashback-eligible spend cap

No data yet
$10,000/monthConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Basic tier, per month; Plus $15,000

Max cashback per month

No data yet
$100/monthConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Basic tier; Plus $300, Prestige $1000

Cashback conditions

No data yet
Minimum transaction amount of $30 · Credited in USDC at the end of each billing cycleShow source

Reward exclusions

No data yet
In-store purchases (incl. tap-to-pay) at EU and UK merchants · Excluded merchant category codes listed in the cashback termsShow source

Credit & financing

Credit line

YesShow source
NoShow source

Credit type

InstalmentsConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

One payment or up to 8 fixed-rate installments every 28 days

NoneShow source

Collateral assets

BTC · ETH · USDC · XRPShow source
No data yet

Interest notes

Fixed APR per payment option, confirmed at purchaseShow source
No data yet

Liquidation risk

YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Spending limit depends on collateral value and health score

No data yet

Spend by borrowing against collateral

YesShow source
No data yet

Availability

Available in

No data yet
United StatesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Not all US states; plus select countries in LATAM, APAC, MEA and Africa (no list published on the page)

Account / spend currencies

No data yet
USDShow source

Own IBAN / bank details

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

US routing and account number (ACH/FedWire), not an IBAN

Features

Apple Pay

YesShow source
YesShow source

Google Pay

YesShow source
YesShow source

Physical card

NoShow source
YesConditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Page elsewhere mentions up to three virtual cards

Virtual card

YesShow source
YesShow source

ATM withdrawals

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

Contactless ATMs only, via Apple Pay or Google Pay

Spend stablecoins

No data yet
YesShow source

Airport lounge access

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

Basic (free) has no free visits (paid); Plus 2 and Prestige 8 free visits/year, marked coming soon. Only Plus and Prestige tiers.

Travel / rental car insurance

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

Auto rental insurance only on Plus and Prestige; Basic is 'Not Insured'.

Purchase protection

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

Purchase protection and extended warranty only on Plus and Prestige; Basic is 'No'.

Spendable assets

No data yet
USDC · USDTShow source

Blockchains

No data yet
Polygon · Base · BNB Smart Chain · ArbitrumShow source

Limits

ATM limit

No data yet
$250Conditions apply: tap or hover for detailsShow source

Per transaction; up to 3 withdrawals per 24 hours

Spending limit

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

Per day, Basic tier; Plus $50,000, Prestige $100,000

Annual cost at 1,500 EUR/month

Exa Card (Uphold)

  • Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
  • FX costsunknown
  • Crypto conversion–
  • ATM costsunknown
  • Cashbackunknown
  • Net annual valuenot enough data

Tangem Pay

  • Annual & monthly fees+0 EUR
  • FX costs−54 EUR
  • Crypto conversion–
  • ATM costs−48 EUR
  • Cashback+180 EUR
  • Net annual value78 EUR

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