Image: Solayer
Solayer Emerald Card review: fees, cashback and limits
A self-custody Solana card that works in 154 countries, but stacks up small fees.
Quick answer
The Solayer Emerald Card is a self-custody Visa card that spends USDC on Solana. It costs $20 a year and works in about 154 countries with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Fees add up: 1% to top up, $0.15 per transaction, and $0.10 plus 1.5% on international purchases. It doesn't publish a cashback rate and rewards users with Solayer points instead.
Solayer Emerald Card at a glance
| Best for | Solana users who want a self-custody card in a country that few other cards cover. |
|---|---|
| Skip it if | You care about low fees or cashback. |
| Network | Visa |
| Card issuer | Third National |
| Custody | Self-custody |
| Card type | Credit-style card funded by USDC |
| Virtual or physical | Virtual and physical |
| Cashback | Points, no fixed cashback |
| Annual fee | $20 a year |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Yes / Yes |
| Identity check (KYC) | Required |
| Where it works | About 154 countries across most regions, according to trackers. |
Solayer Emerald Card fees
| Card cost | Included in the yearly fee |
|---|---|
| Annual or membership fee | $20 a year |
| FX and cross-border | $0.10 plus 1.5% per international transaction |
| Crypto conversion | None listed for USDC |
| ATM withdrawals | ATM withdrawals supported. Fees not publicly disclosed. |
| Other fees | $0.15 per transaction |
| 1% top-up fee |
Visa applies its own exchange rate on top of any card markup. Check the fee page in the Solayer Emerald Card app for your country before you load money. To see what Solayer Emerald Card would cost you in a year compared with every other card, try the cost calculator.
What a $100 purchase costs with Solayer Emerald Card
These are Solayer Emerald Card's own fees on the Standard tier, before the card network's exchange rate and any ATM or top-up costs. Its FX markup of 1.5% is higher than the median of 1% across the 60 cards we track with a published FX fee, and cheaper than 18 of them. For a full year based on your own spending, use the cost calculator.
Where it ranks by our score: #21 of 27 in Latin America#18 of 24 in Asia-Pacific#12 of 14 in Africa#13 of 16 in Middle East
Cashback and rewards
- Solayer doesn't publish a cashback rate
- Spending earns Solayer points
- Referrals earn 10% of the points your friends collect
Deposits and withdrawals
How to top up
- Top up with USDC on Solana from your self-custody wallet
Fees: 1% per top-up
How to withdraw
- Move USDC back to any Solana wallet
- ATM withdrawals
Fees: Solana network fees. ATM fees not published.
Supported assets: USDC on Solana.
Where Solayer Emerald Card works
About 154 countries across most regions, according to trackers.
Check the Solayer app for your country.
Limits and perks
Limits
- Spending limits are not publicly disclosed
Perks
- Solayer points on spending
Pros and cons
What's good
- Self-custody
- Very wide country coverage
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
What's not
- Many small fees: 1% top-up, $0.15 per transaction, 1.5% plus $0.10 abroad
- No published cashback rate
- $20 a year
- Only USDC on Solana
Our take on Solayer Emerald Card
Solayer's Emerald Card is one of the few self-custody cards that works almost everywhere, with about 154 countries listed. You top it up with USDC on Solana and pay with Visa, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
The fee structure is where it falls down. Topping up costs 1%, every transaction costs $0.15, and international purchases cost $0.10 plus 1.5%. A $20 purchase abroad could carry about $0.85 in fees once you count the top-up share. There's also a $20 yearly fee.
Instead of cashback, Solayer gives points, and it doesn't publish what they're worth. That makes it hard to compare with cards that pay stablecoins back.
If you live somewhere other self-custody cards don't reach, it still does the job. Otherwise, there are cheaper options for spending Solana stablecoins.
Useful for reach and self-custody, expensive for everything else. Most people will find better value elsewhere.
How we scored Solayer Emerald Card: 5.6/10
MethodologySolayer Emerald Card FAQ
How much does the Solayer card cost?
$20 a year. You'll also pay 1% to top up and $0.15 per transaction.
Does the Solayer card have cashback?
Solayer doesn't publish a cashback rate. Spending earns Solayer points instead.
What are Solayer's FX fees?
$0.10 plus 1.5% on each international transaction.
Which crypto does the Solayer card use?
USDC on Solana.
Sources
- DefiLlama card details: SolayerFees, countries, custody, verified Aug 27, 2026
- Solayer Pay FAQMembership fee
We checked these sources on 15 October 2026. Fees and rewards change often. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction and we'll check it within two working days.
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