MetaMask Card review: a self-custody Mastercard that spends from your wallet

The MetaMask Card answers a question many crypto users ask: can I spend from my own wallet without first sending coins to an exchange? This MetaMask Card review says yes, with some caveats. The card is a Mastercard linked to your MetaMask wallet. Your tokens stay under your control until the moment you pay, and then only the purchase amount is taken. It supports four chains and a handful of stablecoins and tokens, and it works with Apple Pay and Google Pay. The big caveat in October 2026 is availability: new sign-ups in the US and UK are temporarily closed.

We based this review on MetaMask’s card page and support articles, checked in October 2026. Where details come from news coverage rather than MetaMask, such as the name of the issuing bank, we say so. If you want the wider picture first, our hub on self-custody crypto cards compares every card that works this way.

Verdict: the best fit for people who live on-chain

If you already keep stablecoins in MetaMask, this card removes a step. There is no deposit to an exchange, no waiting for a transfer and no custodial balance to worry about. MetaMask charges no FX fee of its own, so foreign purchases are converted at Mastercard’s rate. The daily limits, $15,000 on the virtual card and $30,000 on Metal, are among the highest we have seen on a crypto card.

The downsides are practical. Two big markets, the US and UK, are closed to new applicants for now, and India, the UAE and Australia are not on the country list at all. The Metal card costs $199 a year, and its 3% cashback only covers the first $10,000 of spending. MetaMask’s card page also does not name the card issuer. We score the MetaMask Card 7.9 out of 10.

MetaMask Card at a glance

How self-custody spending works

With most crypto cards, you send coins to the provider first. The provider holds them, and when you pay, it sells some from its own books. The MetaMask Card works differently. You give the card permission to take tokens from your wallet, up to a limit you set. When you tap your phone or card, the payment is approved in fiat through Mastercard, and the matching amount of tokens is pulled from your wallet on the chain you chose.

MetaMask sums it up as “you control your funds until the moment of payment”. In practice that means two things. First, MetaMask is not holding a pool of your savings, so a problem at the card company does not put your whole balance at risk. Second, you are responsible for your keys. Lose your recovery phrase and no support team can restore it.

Spending stablecoins is the cleanest option. If you pay with a token like wETH, its price can move between your purchase and the on-chain settlement, and a swap happens behind the scenes. MetaMask’s card page does not publish a swap spread for those tokens, so we suggest keeping a stablecoin balance for daily spending. Our guide to supported cryptocurrencies explains why most card users settle on USDC or a euro stablecoin.

Not every token is available on every chain, and the list can change, so confirm in the app before you move funds. A euro or pound stablecoin is useful if most of your spending happens in that currency, because the purchase and your balance are in the same unit.

MetaMask Card fees

MetaMask keeps the fee list short. The virtual card has no issuance or monthly fee. Foreign-currency purchases are converted “at Mastercard rates with no additional MetaMask fees”. That puts it among the cheapest cards for travel, alongside zero-FX options like Bleap.

The Metal card is the paid option. It costs $199 a year and adds 3% cashback in mUSD on the first $10,000 of spending, plus free ATM withdrawals. If you spend the full $10,000, you earn $300 back, so the card pays for itself with about $100 to spare. Spend $5,000 and the $150 in cashback does not cover the fee. Keep in mind that the ATM operator can still charge its own fee, and that on-chain transactions may carry network costs depending on the chain. For a cost comparison across cards, use our crypto card fees calculator.

Virtual vs Metal: limits and features

The two card types share the same wallet and the same tokens. The differences are in limits, rewards and the physical card itself.

Both limits are high enough that most people will never hit them. They matter more for business-style spending or large one-off purchases, such as booking a long trip. Remember that your real limit is also what you have approved in your wallet. If a payment declines, check the spending allowance before you contact support. Our crypto card limits guide compares these numbers across the market.

Where the MetaMask Card is available

MetaMask says the card is available in 40+ countries. Its list includes Germany, most EU states, Brazil and Canada. India, the UAE and Australia are not on it. The most important note right now is that US and UK sign-ups are “temporarily closed”, according to MetaMask’s card page.

In Brazil, MetaMask is one of the few self-custody cards on offer; our Brazil page lists the alternatives. In Europe, the card faces direct competition from Bleap and the OKX Card. For travel use, also read our guide to crypto cards for travel.

Issuer and safety

MetaMask’s official card page does not name the bank or e-money institution behind the card. News reports say the US card is issued with Cross River Bank. Outside the US, the card was built with Baanx, which industry sources say now operates as part of Monavate, an issuer also behind other crypto card programmes. We could not confirm either on MetaMask’s own pages, so treat them as reported rather than official.

Self-custody protects you against one specific risk: a provider or issuer failing while it holds your money. When the Solflare card paused in July 2026 after its issuer wound down, users kept their funds because the coins were in their own wallets. The same logic applies here. What self-custody does not protect against is losing your keys, approving a malicious contract, or the card being switched off. Our crypto card safety guide covers the habits that matter.

How to apply for the MetaMask Card

1. 01
   Check your country

   Confirm your country is on MetaMask’s list. US and UK sign-ups are temporarily closed.

2. 02
   Open the card section

   In the MetaMask app, start the card application and complete identity verification.

3. 03
   Choose chain and token

   Pick the chain (Linea, Base, Monad or Solana) and the token you want to spend, ideally a stablecoin.

4. 04
   Approve a spending allowance

   Allow the card to draw tokens from your wallet up to a limit you set.

5. 05
   Add to Apple Pay or Google Pay

   Start with the free virtual card. Consider Metal later if you spend enough to earn back $199.

Need to move funds first? Our guide on loading a crypto card explains how to withdraw stablecoins to the right chain. Paying with crypto can be a taxable disposal in many countries, so keep a record of what you spend; see crypto card taxes.

Who the MetaMask Card suits

The card is built for people who already use MetaMask every day. If you earn, trade or save on-chain and keep a stablecoin balance on Linea, Base or Solana, the card turns that balance into ordinary card spending with almost no extra cost. You avoid the round trip of sending funds to an exchange, waiting, and paying a spread to get them back out as a card balance.

It also makes sense for frequent travelers in supported countries. With no MetaMask FX fee, a $2,000 trip abroad costs nothing extra beyond Mastercard’s exchange rate. On a card with 2% FX, the same trip would cost $40 more.

It is a weaker fit if you are new to crypto. Self-custody means managing a recovery phrase, choosing the right chain and approving spending allowances, and mistakes are hard to undo. A custodial card with a support team may be easier to start with. And of course, if you live in the US or UK and don’t already have a card, you will need to wait until sign-ups reopen.

Pros and cons

MetaMask Card alternatives

Bleap is the closest alternative in Europe: also self-custody, also Mastercard, with zero FX and conversion fees and a free €400 monthly ATM allowance. ether.fi Cash suits people who want to borrow against ETH rather than sell it. If you don’t mind a custodial card, KAST covers far more countries with a free tier.

For a broader comparison of Mastercard programmes, see our page on crypto prepaid Mastercard options, or browse all crypto card reviews.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and official pages

1. MetaMask — MetaMask Card
2. MetaMask Support — what is MetaMask Card
3. Mastercard — Crypto Partner Program
4. Mastercard — stablecoin settlement expansion (June 2026)

Ready when you are

Load your card with crypto you own

Buy Bitcoin, Ether or stablecoins with a bank card, Apple Pay or bank transfer, then move them to the card or wallet you choose.

Open account

Exchange running since 2013 · registered with FinCEN (US) and the FCA (UK) · card, Apple Pay or bank transfer

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