Summary: You can spend Monero (XMR) at places that don’t accept crypto by using prepaid Visa/Mastercard/Amex cards you can buy with Monero, add to Apple Pay or Google Pay, and use almost anywhere cards are accepted.
Disclaimer: Educational purposes only. Not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a professional for your situation.
What This Covers
- No-KYC prepaid cards discussed in this guide.
- Apple Pay / Google Pay basics and where they work.
- What prepaid cards are and what they aren’t.
- Vendors that currently sell prepaid cards for Monero.
- Card-by-card notes (fees, expiry, split-tender, limits).
Why Avoid KYC?
Identity protection from hackers and third parties, and general privacy considerations. Some providers demand ID/video verification for certain products; this guide focuses on options that do not require KYC, per the testing discussed in the video.
What a Prepaid Card Is (and Isn’t)
- Is: A stored-value card on Visa, Mastercard, or AmEx. You load funds first, then spend from that balance.
- Isn’t a bank account: No routing/account number, no ACH, usually no ATM cash access, no overdraft.
- Isn’t credit: No credit line, no interest, no monthly bill, no hard pull.
- Not typical debit: When balance is zero, charges decline; you can’t go into debt.
- Two families: Single-load “gift/reward” cards and reloadable cards you can top up.
Apple Pay & Google Pay — How It Works
- You add the card number, expiry, and CVV to your device. A token is created and used for payments (not your raw card number).
- Privacy trade-off: Merchants don’t get your real card number; however, the platform may still collect usage metadata.
- Not everywhere accepts Apple/Google Pay; older terminals may require typing the raw card details into the merchant system (merchant-specific).
- Online: Apple Pay is supported by many apps/sites (e.g., travel and retail checkouts).
- Gas pumps: Some terminals prompt for a ZIP. Card behavior varies; follow the card program’s guidance.
Why Fund With Monero?
- Practicality: Spend where Monero isn’t accepted directly.
- Travel / access: Useful if traveling or if bank access is unavailable.
- Privacy: Day-to-day spending without linking bank accounts.
Practical Usage Notes
- Use a normal, consistent network connection when redeeming/adding cards. Avoid tools that may trigger extra security checks.
- Pace redemptions over time to reduce automated fraud flags; follow program and merchant policies.
- If adding a card fails and you’re asked to contact the issuer or wait, consider trying again later or using a different device per issuer guidance.
Buy Prepaid Cards
Visa Reward Virtual Account
Where to buy and seller fees:
— Stealths.net: 5% seller fee; does not require email.
— Trocador.app: 3% of the card amount, plus $2 per card.
— Coincards.com: ~2% fee; requires email, first and last name, and state.
— Cakepay.com: near 0% fee; requires email.
Card facts: non-reloadable, US-only, no 3DS, split-tender usually allowed, six-month expiry—use it promptly.
Redeem at: YourRewardCard.com
American Express Reward Card
Where to buy and seller fees:
— Coincards.com: ~2% fee; requires email, first and last name, and state.
— XMR.cards: 5% seller fee; does not require email; has a Tor address available.
Card facts: non-reloadable, six-month expiry, Apple Pay support; acceptance depends on whether the merchant takes Amex.
Redeem at: AmexRewardCard.com
Virtual Promotional Prepaid Mastercard
Where to buy and seller fees:
— Trocador.app: 3% of the card amount, plus $2 per card.
— Cakepay.com: near 0% fee; requires email.
Card facts: non-reloadable, typically US-only in this context, no 3DS, six-month style validity; use swiftly.
Redeem at: MyPrepaidCenter.com
Rewarble / Nimy Max Mastercard
Where to buy and seller fees:
— XMR.cards: 8% seller fee; does not require email; Tor address available.
— Stealths.net (Rewarble voucher): 5% seller fee; does not require email.
Program fees you pay at Rewarble: additional cards and reloads cost 4.5% + $1.99; monthly $1.49 after the initial ~two-week period; FX up to ~3%.
Card facts: reloadable, choose “Nimy Max”, split-tender allowed, expiration up to 12 months total.
Redeem at: Rewarble.com
2Fiat Reloadable Mastercard
Where to buy and seller fees:
— 2Fiat.com direct: issuance $50 including $20 starting balance; per-authorization $0.50; top-up 6.8%; no monthly fee; does not require email.
Card facts: reloadable, 3DS supported, Apple/Google Pay, split-tender not supported, one-year validity.
Redeem at: 2Fiat.com
Swype Global Virtual Mastercard
Where to buy and seller fees:
— Trocador.app: 3% of the card amount, plus $2 per card.
— Cakepay.com: near 0% fee; requires email.
Program fees: $2.50/month after two months; $0.75 per foreign transaction; valid three years; not reloadable.
Card facts: non-reloadable, no 3DS, split-tender generally allowed, good for global wallet payments when 3DS isn’t required.
Redeem at: Swype.cards
Reward Center Visa
Where to buy and seller fees:
— Stealths.net: 5% seller fee; does not require email.
Card facts: non-reloadable, US-only, no 3DS, six-month expiry, split-tender not supported. Do not redeem with VPN/Tor.
Redeem at: cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com
Vendors That Sell Prepaid Cards for Monero
(Check for updates before buying; availability and terms change.)
Find them on Monerica under Businesses → Gift & Prepaid Cards.
Card-by-Card Notes
Visa Reward Virtual Account (YourRewardCard.com)
- Type: Non-reloadable, US-only, typically no 3-D Secure.
- Apple Pay: Works; tokenization reduces the importance of 3-D Secure in many cases.
- Split-tender: Often supported at larger merchants; helps drain to $0 then pay the remainder with another method.
- Expiry: ~6 months.
- Vendors: Commonly via Stealths, Trocador, Coincards, Cake Pay (fees/amounts vary).
American Express Reward Card (AmExRewardCard.com)
- Type: Non-reloadable; ~6-month expiry.
- Acceptance: Where AmEx is taken.
- Vendors: Often Coincards, XMR.Cards.
2Fiat Reloadable Mastercard (2Fiat.com)
- Type: Reloadable; supports 3-D Secure.
- Split-tender: Not observed during testing; plan full balance for purchases.
- Expiry: ~1 year.
- Costs (per program notes): Issuance fee (e.g., ~$50 with a starting balance portion), reload fee (e.g., ~6.8%), small auth fee (~$0.50) on attempts.
- Limits: Up to ~$10,000; no monthly fee noted in testing context.
Virtual Promotional Prepaid Mastercard (MyPrepaidCenter.com)
- Type: Non-reloadable, US-only, ~6-month validity.
- Split-tender: Often allowed; some terminals may prompt for PIN (can be set in portal).
- Vendors: Trocador, Cake Pay.
Rewarble / Nimy Max Mastercard (Rewarble.com)
- Type: Reloadable.
- Split-tender: Allowed per program notes.
- Term: Up to ~12 months.
- Vendors: XMR.Cards, Stealths.
Swype Global Virtual Mastercard (Swype.cards)
- Type: Non-reloadable; looks similar in Apple Pay to other virtual MCs.
- Fees: ~$2.50/month after ~2 months; FX fee (e.g., ~0.75%).
- Term: ~3 years; no 3-D Secure; split-tender allowed.
- Vendors: Trocador, Cake Pay.
Reward Center Visa (Cardholder.RewardCenter.com)
- Type: Non-reloadable, US-only, not 3-D Secure; ~6-month expiry.
- Split-tender: Not supported in testing context.
- Vendor: Stealths (noted as lower balance / less favorable option in this roundup).
Best Picks (From This Roundup)
Best Non-Reloadable
- Visa Reward Virtual Account (YourRewardCard.com). No email/physical address/phone required to redeem; use a normal network/IP.
Best Reloadable
- Rewarble / Nimy Max Mastercard
- 2Fiat Reloadable Mastercard
Both let you add to your device and top up (program specifics vary). Rewarble is the more established brand; 2Fiat is newer with competitive terms.
Reality Check & Tips
- Programs vary by region, merchant category, per-transaction/daily caps, and subscription rules. Expect differences.
- Each merchant has its own processor rules; some combinations work better than others.
- When in doubt, try a different card or method consistent with program terms.
Keep This Page Bookmarked
The prepaid landscape changes. New vendors appear; others pause or close. Check the Monerica directory for current listings under Cards.
Thanks for Reading
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More Monero tools, merchants, and guides: Monerica.com
