Best Crypto Cards in India 2026

For Indian crypto users, the 1% TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on gross transaction value changes the math completely. A card offering 1% cashback isn't actually giving you a reward; it is barely covering the government's withholding requirement on your spend. Since the implementation of the 30% flat tax on Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) and the strict TDS rules, the primary function of a crypto card in India has shifted. It is no longer about casual spending. It is about liquidity access and tax management.

The five cards in this roundup represent distinct approaches to this hostile regulatory environment. Some, like the Ready Card, focus on self-custody to keep assets off-exchange until the precise moment of purchase. Others, like XPlace, allow you to borrow against your assets, potentially deferring the taxable event associated with a direct sale.

Banking friction remains the second major hurdle. Indian banks frequently block transactions to known crypto entities, and UPI support for crypto on-ramps remains volatile. The cards selected here offer international issuing bases or decentralized funding mechanisms that bypass local banking blocks. For a full list of crypto cards available in India, see our India crypto cards page.

Here is how the top crypto cards available in India compare in February 2026.

At-a-Glance Comparison

The following table breaks down the fee structures and reward potential for each contender. Note that "Staking" refers to the amount of capital you must lock up to access specific tiers.

Card	Tiers Compared	Cashback	Annual Fee	FX Fee	Staking
Ready Card	Lite Card, Metal Card	0.5-3% (STRK)	Free	0%	None
Kolo Card	Standard	2% (BTC)	Free	0%	None
PAYY Card	Virtual PAYY Card, Virtual PAYY Card	None	Free	1%	None
Crypto.com Card	Midnight Blue, Royal Indigo / Jade Green, Prime	0-8%	Free	0.5%	None to ~$1,000,000
XPlace Card	Basic, Silver, Platinum	0.5-2% (USD)	Free	0%	None

Ready Card Review: Self-Custody and STRK Rewards

Verdict: The best option for DeFi natives who want to keep funds in their own wallet until the exact moment of purchase.

The Ready Card (powered by Kulipa) addresses the primary security concern of crypto users: custody. Instead of depositing funds onto a card balance, this card connects directly to a self-custodial wallet. Funds remain in your possession until the transaction clears. This is achieved through account abstraction and smart contract session keys. For Indian users, this offers a specific advantage. You do not need to move funds to a centralized exchange wallet that might be subject to easier freezing or scrutiny.

Rewards and Fees
The reward structure is aggressive for a non-staking card. The Metal tier offers 3% cashback paid in STRK tokens. This tier requires a 120 USDC annual fee. The Lite card offers 0.5% cashback with no annual fee. While 3% is high, the rewards are paid in STRK. If the token price drops significantly, your effective cashback rate drops with it. The 120 USDC fee for the Metal card is substantial. You need to spend at least 4,000 USDC annually just to break even on the fee, assuming the price of STRK remains stable.

India-Specific Considerations
The card strictly supports USDC and USDC.e for spending. This simplifies tax calculations compared to spending volatile assets like ETH, as your cost basis and sale price are usually identical. However, the 1% TDS still applies to the transaction value if you are compliant with local laws. The lack of foreign exchange (FX) fees is a major benefit for Indian users, as most transactions will be processed as international spends.

Best for: Users who refuse to give up custody of their private keys and spend primarily in stablecoins.

Kolo Card Review: BTC Cashback and Memecoin Spending

Verdict: A flexible option for users who want to accumulate Bitcoin rewards on daily spending without complex tier structures.

Kolo Card differentiates itself with a "Memepay" feature that allows direct spending of tokens like PEPE. While novel, the core value proposition is the 2% Bitcoin cashback on the Standard tier. The card uses a hybrid custody model where users retain legal title to assets, but Kolo manages the technical execution. The "Swap by Kolo" engine routes trades through both centralized and decentralized exchanges to find the best price at the moment of conversion.

Rewards and Fees
The 2% cashback in BTC is straightforward and avoids the volatility risk of altcoin rewards like STRK or CRO. There are no monthly or inactivity fees. The card issuance fee is 10 USDC. However, Kolo operates under a "testing regulatory regime" with a pending FinTech Lab license. This creates operational risk. The company reserves the right to reduce spending limits to zero without notice.

India-Specific Considerations
Spending memecoins directly via "Memepay" creates a significant tax headache in India. Every coffee bought with PEPE is a taxable disposal event requiring a calculation of capital gains (30% tax) based on the acquisition cost of those specific tokens. The 1% TDS also applies to the gross value. Using this card for stablecoin spending to earn BTC rewards is a cleaner approach for Indian tax residents. The onboarding is fast, often taking less than a minute, which bypasses the heavy documentation requirements of some competitors.

Best for: Casual users who want simple Bitcoin rewards and fast onboarding.

PAYY Card Review: Privacy and Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Verdict: A niche tool for privacy maximalists who prioritize on-chain anonymity over financial rewards.

PAYY operates on its own private network using zero-knowledge proofs. This architecture shields transaction amounts and balances from public view on the blockchain. It is the only card in this roundup that offers this level of on-chain privacy. The card is self-custodial, meaning you hold the recovery phrase. If you lose the phrase, your funds are unrecoverable.

Rewards and Fees
This card offers zero cashback. The trade-off is explicit: you give up rewards to gain privacy. There are no annual fees or transaction fees on USD purchases. However, there is a 1% FX fee. Since the card is US-issued, Indian users will trigger this 1% fee on almost every domestic transaction.

India-Specific Considerations
With India implementing strict reporting standards and preparing for the 2027 cross-border data exchange, PAYY's privacy features are attractive. However, the physical card is contactless-only. It lacks a chip or magnetic stripe. This is a severe limitation in India, where many older POS terminals still require a dip or swipe. Additionally, funding the card requires bridging assets to the Payy Network, which adds a layer of technical complexity.

Best for: Users who require on-chain privacy and are willing to sacrifice rewards and physical card compatibility.

Crypto.com Card Review: High Stakes for High Rewards

Verdict: The highest potential return for high-net-worth individuals who can tolerate significant exposure to CRO token volatility.

The Crypto.com Visa Card remains the heavyweight in the sector. It functions as a prepaid card where you top up a fiat balance using crypto. This separation of crypto conversion and spending can be useful. You can convert a lump sum of crypto to fiat during a market peak, lock in the value, and spend the fiat over time.

Rewards and Fees
The rewards scale massively with your stake. The Prime tier offers 8% cashback but requires a staggering ~$1,000,000 stake. The more accessible Royal Indigo / Jade Green tier offers 3% rewards but requires a $5,000 (approx. ₹4,20,000) lockup in CRO. The Midnight Blue tier is free but offers no rewards. The rebate on subscriptions like Spotify and Netflix is a tangible benefit that helps offset the opportunity cost of staking.

India-Specific Considerations
The 1% TDS applies when you top up the card with crypto. If you top up ₹1,00,000, ₹1,000 is deducted immediately. On the lower tiers, this withholding tax effectively erases the value of the rewards. The 12-month lockup for the stake is also risky. If the price of CRO drops by 20% during the year, that loss will likely exceed the value of any cashback earned. However, for users who already hold large amounts of CRO, the card provides excellent utility including airport lounge access.

Best for: Serious investors with significant capital who want premium travel perks and high cashback.

XPlace Card Review: Borrowing Against Solana Assets

Verdict: A powerful financial tool for Solana users who want to access liquidity without selling their position.

XPlace offers a credit model rather than a debit model. You deposit assets like SOL or liquid staking tokens into a smart contract. The system issues you a credit line based on the value of that collateral. You spend against the credit line, and your collateral continues to earn DeFi yields (up to 16% APY) in the background.

Rewards and Fees
The fee structure is based on membership tiers rather than staking. The Platinum card costs $5,000 annually. The Silver card costs $200 annually. The Basic tier is free. Cashback ranges from 0.5% to 2% in USDC. There is a 2.5% origination fee when you first utilize the credit line. This is a significant cost that must be factored into your calculations.

India-Specific Considerations
This model is particularly interesting for Indian tax residents. Borrowing against an asset is generally not considered a "transfer" or sale under current tax laws, potentially avoiding the immediate 30% tax event. However, if your collateral is liquidated to cover the loan, that is a taxable event. The lack of ATM support is a drawback for a market that still relies heavily on cash. The card is exclusive to the Solana ecosystem, so it is useless for users holding assets on Ethereum or Bitcoin.

Best for: Solana investors looking for tax-efficient liquidity and yield on their collateral.

Category Winners

Best No-Staking Option: Ready Card
The Ready Card wins this category by offering up to 3% cashback without requiring you to lock up thousands of dollars in volatile tokens. The 120 USDC annual fee for the Metal tier is transparent and easier to manage than a fluctuating staking requirement.

Best Cashback Return: Crypto.com (Prime/Jade)
If you have the capital, nothing beats the raw percentage return of the Crypto.com cards. 3% to 8% cashback significantly outperforms traditional bank cards. However, this "win" comes with the caveat that you are effectively betting on the price stability of the CRO token.

Best for Tax Efficiency: XPlace Card
By allowing you to borrow against your assets rather than selling them, XPlace offers a mechanism that may help manage the timing of taxable events. For Indian users facing a 30% flat tax on disposals, this structural difference is more valuable than cashback points.

Best Overall Value: Kolo Card
For the average user who does not want to pay annual fees or stake capital, Kolo offers the best balance. 2% Bitcoin cashback is a solid return, and the lack of monthly fees makes it a low-risk addition to your wallet.

Final Verdict

The "best" card depends entirely on your portfolio size and risk tolerance.

For high-net-worth individuals, the Crypto.com Card (Jade Green or higher) remains the superior choice due to its travel perks and high reward ceiling. The risk of the CRO stake is the price of admission for these benefits.

For DeFi natives and privacy advocates, the Ready Card is the strongest contender. It respects the ethos of self-custody while providing a functional payment rail. It bridges the gap between on-chain sovereignty and real-world spending better than the competition.

For Solana users, the XPlace Card is the only logical choice. Its ability to combine credit spending with yield-bearing collateral is a sophisticated financial product that goes beyond simple payments.

Watch the regulatory space closely in 2026. As India moves toward the 2027 data exchange framework, the privacy features of cards like PAYY may become more desirable, while the compliance-heavy approach of Crypto.com may offer better long-term stability.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is spending crypto with a card taxed in India?
Spending crypto via a card is considered a 'transfer' or disposal of a Virtual Digital Asset (VDA). Any income from this transfer is taxed at a flat 30%, plus applicable surcharge and cess, under Section 115BBH. You cannot offset losses from other trades against these gains.

Does the 1% TDS apply to my crypto card spending?
Yes, a 1% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) applies to the gross amount of your crypto transfers if they exceed ₹10,000 (or ₹50,000 for specified persons) annually. This is deducted on the total transaction value, not just your profit, which can significantly reduce the effective value of card rewards.

Can I easily link my Indian bank account to a crypto card?
Direct integration between Indian banks and offshore crypto card programs is often difficult. Payment rail disruptions, especially with UPI, can make it hard to move money directly. Most users rely on P2P transfers or exchanges to fund their crypto wallets first, then load the card.

Are there limits on how much crypto I can spend or transfer?
While there is no direct limit on spending, India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) limits resident individuals to remitting up to USD 250,000 per financial year. If your card is funded via cross-border transfers, this limit applies to your total outflow.

Which crypto card has the highest cashback?
The Crypto.com Prime card offers the highest potential cashback at 8%. However, this requires a stake of approximately $1,000,000. Among cards with no staking requirement, the Ready Card offers the highest potential rate at 3% (paid in STRK).