How we rate and verify crypto cards

Every card on Crypto Cards Guide gets the same treatment. We read the issuer's own fee pages, help center articles and terms, cross-check them against independent trackers, and link every source on the card's page so you can check our work.

What we score

Each card gets a score from 0 to 10 in five areas. The overall score is a weighted average.

Area Weight What we look at
Fees 30% FX markup, crypto conversion, ATM fees, card and membership costs, small fees like declines
Rewards 20% Cashback on the free or entry tier, caps, token requirements and the asset rewards are paid in
Control 20% Who holds your money (self-custody or custodial) and how clearly fees and terms are published
Reach 15% How many countries and regions can actually sign up
Flexibility 15% Ways to get money in and out: chains, coins, bank rails, P2P and cash

We weight fees highest because they apply to every purchase, while rewards often come with caps and conditions. Each card page shows its five sub-scores and a one-line reason for each.

Where our numbers come from

In order of preference:

  1. The issuer's official fee schedule, help center or terms
  2. The issuer's official announcements and blog posts
  3. Independent trackers such as DefiLlama's card dataset, and established reviews, used to fill gaps and to cross-check

When sources disagree, we use the issuer's figure and say so. When a fee isn't published anywhere, we write "not disclosed" rather than guessing.

How often we update

We re-check every card at least once a month and whenever an issuer announces a change. Each card page shows the date we last checked it. Crypto card terms change often, so always confirm fees inside the app before you load money.

What we don't do

  • We don't accept payment for higher scores or better placement
  • We don't rank cards we haven't researched in full
  • We don't give financial, tax or legal advice

Read our editorial policy and disclosures for more on how we work and how the site is funded.