What is a Payment Card?
The Payment Card is a crypto card you can use to pay anywhere Mastercard is accepted. It also works with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
The card currency is USD, but you can pay in any currency — conversion from USD is handled automatically.
How does the Payment Card work?
You top up your card manually from your internal USDT wallet.
The transferred crypto is converted to USD at the bank's exchange rate and stored on your card balance.
Each transaction is charged in USD from your card balance. Conversion from USD to the purchase currency is handled automatically.
Card issuance and top-up deposits typically take 3–5 minutes.
How to get and activate a Payment Card?
The Light card type is no longer available for issuance. This article applies only to Light cards issued before July 2025.
How to add your Payment Card to Apple Pay or Google Pay
Open the app:
Google Wallet: Download it from Google Play and open it.
Apple Wallet: Open Wallet on your iPhone, or open the Watch app on Apple Watch.
Add the card:
Tap "Add Card" → choose "Payment Card / Credit or Debit Card."
❗️For Apple Wallet, depending on your selected App Store region, you may need to scroll to the very bottom of the list of banks and select “Add a Different Card.”
Enter the details manually or scan them with the camera. Check the cardholder name, expiration date, and CVV.
Select a verification method — make sure to choose email.
Complete verification:
Enter the verification code you received by email and wait for the "Card added" confirmation.
❗️When adding a card, you may see a message asking you to complete additional verification by calling the bank. There’s no need to call — just contact our support team via in-app chat, on the website, or by email at [email protected], and we’ll help you complete the process.
How to pay:
Google Wallet: Unlock your phone, hold it near the terminal, and wait for confirmation.
Apple Pay: Double-press the side button (on iPhone/Watch), authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode, then hold the device near the terminal.
Are there limits on using the Payment Card?
Limits apply to top-ups only: the maximum is $2,000 USD per month. You can top up in a single transaction or across multiple transactions throughout the month, as long as the total does not exceed $2,000 USD per month.
There are no limits on card spending — you can make purchases and pay for services for any amount within your available balance.
‼️ If you'd like to top up more than $2,000 USD per month, contact us via in-app chat, on the website, or by email at [email protected] — we'll walk you through the process for increasing your limits.
Card availability
Our Payment Card works in all countries where the Mastercard payment system is accepted. List of countries where Mastercard is accepted
There are additional restrictions, payments are not available in the following countries: Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Russia, Myanmar, Somalia, Ukraine, Yemen, China.
Where the Payment Card is supported?
❗️We cannot provide a precise and exhaustive list of services that support payments with our card.
However, below is a list of the most popular services where users have successfully made purchases using our card.
Online marketplaces:
AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Taobao, Temu, Joom, iHerb, Shein
Insurance:
Genki World
Subscriptions & media:
Netflix, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Premium, Beatport, MidJourney, Suno AI, DreamStudio, Perplexity, XAI, Cursor, Prime Video, Discord (Nitro), Telegram Premium, Patreon, Boosty, DonationAlerts, PlayStation (Apple Pay and direct card payments are supported for PSN; however, successful payment is not guaranteed.)
Digital tools & software:
App Store, Figma, GitHub, JetBrains, Unity, Envato, italki, OpenRouter, Tilda
eSIM:
EsimPlus, Airalo, Nomad
Transport & mobility:
Bolt, Grab, Uber, DIDI Taxi, GetTaxi (Gett), Rapid Rail, Udrive Rent A Car, VietJet, Miles Mobility, 12GO, EasyJet, YanGo (YandexGo)
Travel & accommodation:
Booking.com, Airbnb, Trip.com
Fashion, beauty & retail:
Zara, Uniqlo, H&M, Massimo Dutti, Calvin Klein, Oysho, Hollister, Harvey Nichols, Sephora, New Yorker, Lidl, Circle K, 7-Eleven
Our card is used by customers worldwide.
Successful payments have been made in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, UAE, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Serbia, Georgia, USA, Argentina, Mexico, the Maldives, and Hong Kong.
My payment is declined. Why?
If a card payment is declined, first check that your Payment Card balance has sufficient funds. If the balance is fine, do not retry the same transaction multiple times — this may trigger temporary restrictions.
For further assistance, contact support via in-app chat, on the website, or by email at [email protected].
Why is my payment card blocked?
If you see a message that your card is blocked, it means that the card is temporarily restricted. In this case:
you cannot make payments
you cannot top up the card
card details are not available
The most common reasons for blocking are:
a high number of declined payments in a row
suspicious activity
attempts to make payments in unsupported categories (for example, subscriptions or certain services)
If your card has been blocked, contact support via chat in the app, on the website, or by email at [email protected].
How to avoid declines
A declined payment is when a transaction does not go through.
This may happen if:
the service or its category is not supported (for example, subscriptions or certain services)
there are regional restrictions
the payment is declined by the merchant
there are too many repeated attempts
To reduce the risk of card blocking:
do not repeat the same payment multiple times in a row
if a payment is not going through, contact support team to clarify the reason
keep in mind that some services and regions may not be supported
try making the payment through a different service
Frequent declined payments may lead to temporary card blocking.
How do I add the card to the App Store?
Whether the card works with the App Store depends on Apple's policies for your region.
Apple may require that:
Your account region matches the country where you actually reside
Your payment method and its country match your Apple ID region
Your billing address is real and matches the card's country of issuance
Recommendation: Review Apple's official documentation on payment methods and Apple ID regions.
Frequently asked questions about the Payment Card
👇 Click the arrow to expand the answer
How do I top up my Payment Card?
How do I top up my Payment Card?
Go to the "Payment Card section," open your card menu, and click "Top up."
What types of Payment Cards are available?
What types of Payment Cards are available?
Currently, we only offer virtual cards — Plus and Premium.
What happens when my Payment Card expires?
What happens when my Payment Card expires?
The card is valid for 2 years. Once it expires, you'll need to open a new card with a new card number –– Plus or Premium.
What fees apply?
What fees apply?
2.5% per top-up
$0.25 per purchase (charged regardless of whether the transaction is approved or declined)
$0.02 for linking the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay
How does currency conversion from USD to the payment currency work?
How does currency conversion from USD to the payment currency work?
Currency conversion is processed at the payment network's exchange rate on the settlement date, which may differ from the transaction date. For purchases made in a currency other than USD, a 3% conversion fee may apply — this fee is set by the issuing bank and may vary based on its policies and market conditions.
Is identity verification required?
Is identity verification required?
Yes, identity verification is required to get a Payment Card and make transactions. The process only takes a few minutes — you'll need a valid government-issued ID.
How many active Payment Cards can I have at the same time?
How many active Payment Cards can I have at the same time?
You can have up to 2 active cards at the same time.
How can I view my Payment Card details?
How can I view my Payment Card details?
Go to the "Payment Card" section and click "Show" next to the eye icon.
Can I set spending limits?
Can I set spending limits?
At the moment, this feature isn’t available.
Is there an annual or monthly fee for the Payment Card?
Is there an annual or monthly fee for the Payment Card?
No, there is no maintenance fee.
How can I view my transaction history?
How can I view my transaction history?
You can find all transaction details in the "Payment Card" section, then see the "Transaction history" area.
What happens if my EMCD account is blocked?
What happens if my EMCD account is blocked?
The Payment Card will remain active, but all operations will be unavailable until the account is unblocked.
What should I do if I lose access to my Payment Card? What should I do if I notice transactions I didn’t authorize?
What should I do if I lose access to my Payment Card? What should I do if I notice transactions I didn’t authorize?
Freeze your Payment Card via your EMCD account or by contacting support (you can reach us through the app, on the emcd.io website, or by email at [email protected]).
Be sure to report the loss of access or any suspicious transactions to support so we can initiate the Payment Card reissue process.
How can I close my Payment Card?
How can I close my Payment Card?
Contact support and request to close your Payment Card.
After closure, your remaining USD balance will be converted to USDT and credited to your main EMCD account. The conversion will be processed at the bank's exchange rate.
The card may be closed by the issuing bank unilaterally if:
The card balance is 20 USD or less;
There have been no transactions on the card for more than 30 consecutive days.
Can I withdraw cash from ATMs?
Can I withdraw cash from ATMs?
No, the Payment Card does not currently support cash withdrawals.
Can I make fiat transfers from the Payment Card?
Can I make fiat transfers from the Payment Card?
No, fiat transfers are not available for the Payment Card.
Can I withdraw USDT from the Payment Card back to my EMCD account?
Can I withdraw USDT from the Payment Card back to my EMCD account?
There is no withdrawal option — your balance is only refunded when the card is closed.
3D Secure
3D Secure
Our card operates in a 3D Secure–free format. With most merchants, transactions are processed automatically without additional confirmation.
If a merchant requires mandatory 3D Secure authentication, the payment will not go through, as 3D Secure and code-based verification are not supported. In this case, we recommend choosing an alternative payment method.
Is a PIN code required to pay with the Payment Card?
Is a PIN code required to pay with the Payment Card?
A PIN code is not required for online payments or when paying via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
In some cases, certain in-store terminals may incorrectly request a PIN code. If this happens, you can try entering 1234. If the payment still does not go through, please do not retry the transaction on the same terminal and use an alternative payment method to avoid a temporary card block.
Can I top up the Payment Card using a card number?
Can I top up the Payment Card using a card number?
No, it is not possible to top up the card using a card number.
Why is my card blocked/Why is my payment not going through?
Why is my card blocked/Why is my payment not going through?
If your payment is not going through or your card appears to be blocked, it does not necessarily mean there is an issue with your Payment Card. Below are the most common reasons:
1. Insufficient funds
Make sure your card balance is sufficient, taking into account fees and possible currency conversion.
2. Unsupported merchant
Some services or merchant categories may not be supported by the card issuer. In such cases, the payment will be declined.
3. 3D Secure request
Our cards operate without SMS code verification. If a merchant requires mandatory 3D Secure authentication, the payment may be declined.
4. Multiple consecutive attempts
Several unsuccessful attempts to pay for the same purchase may result in a temporary card block.
5. Country or currency restrictions
Some merchants do not accept cards issued by banks from certain regions or only support local currencies.
If none of the above applies, please contact support team. We will check the transaction and help you resolve the issue.