Decaf Card

Decaf Card Visa Prepaid Review: Fees, Rewards & Availability

Basic Information

Decaf Card is a Visa prepaid debit card integrated into the Decaf non-custodial mobile wallet that enables users to spend USDC stablecoins at over 150 million merchants worldwide. Developed by Decaf, Inc., a Delaware-registered financial technology company, the card is explicitly positioned as a solution for making stablecoins usable for everyday purchases both online and in physical stores, including while traveling internationally.

Decaf emphasizes that it is not a bank, exchange, or asset custodian, and that all payment services and card products are delivered in partnership with licensed institutions in their respective jurisdictions. However, Decaf does not publicly disclose the identity of the card-issuing bank or BIN sponsor in its official documentation.

The card operates on a prepaid model where users load USDC from the Solana network and spend from their loaded balance. Independent ecosystem recognition from Stellar's i³ Awards 2025 explicitly ties the Decaf Visa card infrastructure to Rain, a Visa Principal Member providing compliance and settlement services for stablecoin-linked Visa programs.

Rewards and Benefits

Decaf Card does not offer any cashback percentage, points program, or rewards structure in its official card documentation. The card's value proposition centers on usability features rather than earn-back incentives, with no staking requirements or referral programs documented in publicly accessible materials.

Unique Features and Integrations

• Non-custodial wallet integration - Card embedded in Decaf's non-custodial wallet, allowing users to maintain control over private keys while accessing spending rails
• Global Visa acceptance - Marketed for use in 150+ countries at Visa-accepting merchants
• Mobile wallet support - Official instructions for Apple Pay and Google Pay integration
• ATM cash withdrawals - Available via physical card (up to $250 per transaction, 3x daily)
• No Decaf-added fees - No monthly/annual fees, no FX markup (Visa rate only), and no ATM withdrawal fees

Fees and Limits

Decaf Card fees are structured to minimize ongoing costs, with Decaf adding no monthly, annual, foreign exchange, or ATM withdrawal fees. The primary costs are upfront activation fees that vary significantly by region.

Fee Structure

Spending and Withdrawal Limits

Important note: Fees not disclosed in public documentation include card replacement, chargeback/dispute, declined transaction, expedited shipping, and dormancy/inactivity fees. Users should verify these details in the full Cardholder Agreement before activation.

Card Tiers and Options

Decaf does not offer traditional tier structures with metal cards or staking levels. Instead, the program presents two practical variants differentiated by form factor and activation cost.

Both card variants are funded exclusively with USDC on the Solana network via the in-app "Add Funds" flow. The virtual card is suitable for users who primarily need online/mobile payment capability, while the physical card enables full point-of-sale acceptance and ATM cash withdrawals.

Top-Up Methods

• Pre-load required: add funds before spending
• Supports USDC (Solana network only)
• Top-up via Decaf app "Add Funds" flow (send USDC to card funding address)
• No support for other cryptos or fiat direct funding

Self-Custody Hybrid Custody

• Users hold private keys in the Decaf Wallet (non-custodial architecture)
• To fund the card, USDC is transferred from user wallet to a platform-controlled balance for spending
• Unspent crypto in the wallet remains under user control; loaded card funds depend on partner custody
• If provider disappears, wallet funds are safe, but loaded card balance may be lost

Supported Currencies and Conversion

Supported Cryptocurrencies

For card funding (official):

• USDC (on Solana network only)

Decaf's Help Center explicitly specifies USDC on Solana as the exclusive funding asset for Decaf Card. Users holding other cryptocurrencies must first swap or bridge to USDC on Solana before loading the card.

Broader Decaf Wallet support (not for direct card funding):
USDT, SOL, XLM for wallet transfers and swaps, but these assets are not explicitly documented as direct card funding options.

Supported Fiat Currencies

Card spending currency: USD (primary settlement currency)

Foreign exchange: When spending in foreign currencies, Decaf uses Visa's exchange rate with no fee added by Decaf.

Broader wallet fiat rails: USD, EUR, MXN virtual bank accounts for receiving traditional bank transfers (1% fee, 2-3 business days processing), though these are wallet deposit features rather than card spending currencies.

Geographic Availability

Decaf Card is marketed as available in "150+ countries" where Visa is accepted, but user eligibility is governed by an exclusion-based framework. Decaf does not publish a positive list of eligible countries but instead provides lists of countries and US states where users cannot apply.

Restricted Countries and Regions

Countries where users cannot apply:
Belarus, China, North Korea (DPRK), India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Cuba, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Nigeria

US states where users cannot apply:
Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin

Important Note - Hong Kong/China Distinction:
Hong Kong (HK) and Macau (MO) are not explicitly listed in Decaf's exclusion list. Decaf's restriction applies to "China," which typically refers to Mainland China only. Hong Kong may remain eligible for Decaf Card applications unless otherwise stated in in-app eligibility checks.

Supported Regions (Inferred by Exclusion)

Europe:
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City

Americas:
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay

Asia:
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Georgia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen

Oceania:
Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Africa:
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Republic of the), Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, State of Palestine, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Compliance and Security

Identity Verification Requirements

Decaf's card landing page explicitly includes "Verify your identity" as a required step in the card onboarding flow before receiving a virtual or physical card. Users should expect to provide government-issued ID and potentially proof of address during the in-app activation flow.

Regulatory Framework

Corporate Structure: Decaf, Inc. is a Delaware-registered financial technology company that explicitly states it is not a bank, exchange, or asset custodian.

Card Program Licensing: Decaf states that payment services and card products are provided in partnership with licensed institutions in their respective jurisdictions, though the specific issuing bank and BIN sponsor are not publicly disclosed.

Infrastructure Partner: Independent sources indicate the card infrastructure is provided through Rain, a Visa Principal Member offering compliance and settlement services for stablecoin-linked Visa programs.

Custody Model

Wallet Custody: Decaf Wallet is non-custodial, meaning users control their private keys and Decaf does not hold or store user funds. The wallet includes a multi-key recovery system with device keys and recovery keys for account restoration.

Insurance Coverage: Decaf explicitly states it does not facilitate FDIC insurance, and no additional insurance coverage for card balances or wallet funds is described in official materials.

Security Features

• User-configurable spending limits via in-app controls
• Mobile wallet integration (Apple Pay/Google Pay) with verification
• Virtual card option for online-only use
• Non-custodial architecture with user-controlled private keys
• Multi-key recovery system for account restoration

User Experience

Mobile App Features

Decaf Wallet is available on iOS and Android platforms, offering both wallet functionality and card management features. The app includes non-custodial wallet capabilities for Stellar and Solana networks, cryptocurrency swaps via Jupiter DEX integration, and virtual bank account functionality for receiving USD/EUR/MXN transfers.

Core card features in-app:

• Virtual and physical Visa card issuance and management
• User-configurable spending limits
• Card funding with USDC on Solana
• Manual mobile wallet integration setup for Apple Pay and Google Pay

Support Channels

• Help Center with self-service knowledge base and FAQ articles
• Email support (contact details provided in Terms of Service)
• Response times not disclosed in official materials

Language Support

Decaf's Help Center and card landing page are available in English and Spanish, suggesting minimum support for these languages.

Best Suited For

• Crypto-native users who already hold USDC on Solana and want straightforward stablecoin spending at traditional merchants
• International travelers who value global Visa acceptance and want to avoid traditional foreign exchange markups
• Privacy-conscious users who prefer non-custodial wallet architecture and accept self-custody responsibilities
• Users in eligible jurisdictions who are not affected by Decaf's extensive geographic exclusion list

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No monthly, annual, foreign exchange, or ATM withdrawal fees from Decaf
• Non-custodial wallet integration with user-controlled private keys
• Global Visa acceptance at 150+ million merchants worldwide
• User-configurable spending limits and instant virtual card issuance
• Apple Pay and Google Pay integration support

Cons

• High $90 physical card activation fee outside the US
• Exclusively funded with USDC on Solana network only
• No cashback, rewards, or referral programs offered
• Extensive geographic restrictions including major markets
• Card-issuing bank and safeguarding arrangements not publicly disclosed

Conclusion

Decaf Card stands out as a fee-competitive option for spending USDC on Solana via Visa rails, with its non-custodial wallet integration and absence of ongoing fees being key differentiators. The card's no-fee structure for monthly, annual, foreign exchange, and ATM withdrawals compares favorably to many crypto cards that add various markups and subscription costs.

However, the card's limitations are significant. The $90 physical card activation fee outside the US is materially high compared to competing fintech cards, and the exclusive reliance on USDC on Solana creates friction for users holding stablecoins on other networks. The complete absence of rewards programs means the value proposition is purely functional rather than offering earn-back incentives.

The extensive geographic restrictions, including complete exclusions in major markets like China, Russia, India, and Turkey, plus 12 US states, significantly limit the addressable user base. Additionally, Decaf's decision not to publicly disclose the card-issuing bank or detailed safeguarding arrangements may concern users who prefer transparency in financial service providers before onboarding.

Decaf Card is most suitable for crypto-native users who already hold USDC on Solana, travel internationally, and prioritize non-custodial architecture over rewards programs, provided they are in eligible jurisdictions and can justify the upfront activation costs through expected usage patterns.

Additional Information

Decaf Wallet Ecosystem Context

The Decaf Card is embedded within the broader Decaf Wallet ecosystem, which offers MoneyGram cash pickup as an off-ramp option, virtual bank accounts for USD/EUR/MXN deposits (1% fee, 2-3 business days), and multi-network support for Stellar and Solana. The wallet also includes DeFi integrations like Jupiter DEX for in-app swaps and tokenized investment products.

Rain Infrastructure Partnership

Independent sources indicate Decaf's Visa card infrastructure is provided through Rain, a Visa Principal Member. Rain's role as a Visa Principal Member suggests adherence to Visa's global network rules and security standards, though Decaf does not formally disclose this relationship in public-facing documentation.

Key Recovery Architecture

Decaf's non-custodial wallet includes a multi-key recovery system with device keys stored locally and recovery keys associated with Decaf and a third-party service provider. This design enables account recovery while maintaining user control over funds, though users bear responsibility for key security and third-party risks.