Pintopay Card

Pintopay Mastercard Prepaid Review: Fees, Rewards & Availability

Basic Information

Pintopay Card is a fintech platform founded in 2023 that bridges cryptocurrency with everyday spending through its Mastercard-branded card. The platform enables users to convert their crypto assets into spendable fiat currency for real-world purchases without requiring traditional banking infrastructure.

What distinguishes Pintopay in the market is its minimal-friction approach with streamlined verification requirements for basic card issuance and instant virtual card delivery. The service operates through a licensed Hong Kong-based partner and issues corporate cards that work globally on the Mastercard network.

Beyond card spending, Pintopay offers a broader service suite including custodial wallet functionality, virtual account deposits and withdrawals, fiat transfers between users, and swap transactions. Users can manage their cards and accounts through either a dedicated mobile app (branded as "AWallet finance" on app stores) or a Telegram bot interface, with Apple Pay integration available for contactless payments.

Important Note on Product Classification: Official Pintopay sources contain conflicting descriptions of the card network (Mastercard vs Visa) and product type (prepaid vs crypto-secured credit). The Terms of Service define the product as a "crypto credit card" with credit secured by deposited virtual assets, while marketing materials and the App Store listing describe "prepaid payment cards." This review reflects the most commonly cited specifications (Mastercard prepaid) but users should verify current product details directly with Pintopay.

Rewards and Benefits

Pintopay Card does not offer traditional percentage-based cashback on spending. Instead, its rewards program centers on referrals and affiliate earnings:

Referral Program

Pintopay offers a referral program that rewards users for bringing new customers to the platform. The official card page advertises "up to 40% affiliate program rewards," though detailed tier breakdowns are not currently published on the main site. Based on available information, the program structure includes:

• Card-issuance Bounty: Commission on each referred user's card issuance
• Transaction Commission: Percentage of each referred user's lifetime spending
• Tiered Bonuses: Progressive rewards based on referral volume
• Maximum potential earnings: Up to 40% through combined commissions
• All referral earnings paid in USDT directly to card balance

Additional Benefits:

• Occasional $10 welcome bonus for new users
• Social media giveaways and promotions
• No staking requirements for any features
• Future loyalty program and staking options planned (per roadmap)
• "PINS" feature planned to locate and spend crypto at favorite places

Fees and Limits

Pintopay Card fees are structured around a simple model with flat transaction fees and percentage-based top-up charges:

Conversion Process:

• Crypto deposits are converted to USD card balance
• Top-ups can take up to 12 hours to reflect on card
• Card top-ups currently support USDT only (per FAQ)
• Wallet withdrawals subject to tiered fees based on rolling 30-day volume
• No transaction frequency limits stated

Card Tiers and Options

Pintopay does not offer traditional tiered card plans with varying benefits. Instead, all users access the same features, limits, and fee structure. The platform offers two card format options:

Both card options share the same fee structure, cryptocurrency support, and overall account limits. The main difference is the physical card's ability to be used for ATM withdrawals and direct in-store payments without requiring a mobile wallet.

Note on Physical Card Availability: While the official site markets "Order your virtual or physical card now," the FAQ indicates that physical cards are expected in general availability in 2025. This suggests a limited preorder or early-access rollout is currently underway, with broader availability coming later.

Top-Up Methods

Users top up their Pintopay card by transferring supported cryptocurrencies (primarily USDT, BTC, ETH, BNB, TRX, and others across multiple networks) from an external wallet to their Pintopay account via the mobile app or Telegram bot. All crypto deposits are converted one-way to USD at the time of top-up, with a 2.5% fee for amounts $100+ or a $2 minimum fee for smaller amounts, and the resulting USD balance is loaded onto the prepaid card. The process requires moving funds from the user's self-custody wallet to Pintopay's custodial wallet, meaning users relinquish control of their assets during conversion. Top-ups can take up to 12 hours to become available, and the minimum top-up amount is approximately $14 (for USDT TRC-20); there is currently no option to withdraw card funds back to crypto. All card spending is in USD, with additional Mastercard FX rates applied at the point of sale for non-USD transactions.

Self-Custody Custodial

Pintopay uses a custodial model, meaning users must transfer their crypto assets to the platform, which then holds and manages these funds on their behalf. After depositing crypto, it is converted to USD and loaded onto a prepaid Mastercard balance, with users only able to spend from this custodial fiat balance. Users do not control the private keys to their crypto or card funds at any stage, and cannot independently access or withdraw their assets once deposited. If Pintopay or its partners ceased operations, users would not have independent access to their funds, which is a key risk of this setup. This approach offers convenience, high spending limits, and minimal KYC requirements, but comes at the cost of self-sovereign control and carries risks associated with relying on the platform’s security and solvency. While Pintopay plans to introduce self-custody features in the future, the current model prioritizes ease of use over user-controlled asset security.

Supported Currencies and Conversion

Supported Cryptocurrencies

Pintopay's cryptocurrency support varies between card top-ups and wallet functionality:

Card Top-Ups (Direct to Card Balance):

• Supported Asset: USDT (Tether) only, per official FAQ
• Networks: Tron (TRC-20), Ethereum (ERC-20), Binance Smart Chain (BEP-20)

Wallet/Acceptable Tokens (Custodial Wallet):
According to the Terms of Service, the following assets are supported in the custodial wallet:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Ethereum (ETH)
• Tether (USDT)
• USD Coin (USDC) - also supported for smart-contract vault use cases

Additional Wallet Features:

• USDT can be transferred to external wallets/exchanges (wallet-level withdrawals)
• Card-to-wallet transfers are planned but currently unavailable
• Swap transactions supported within the platform

Supported Fiat Currencies

• Settlement Currency: USD only
• Card Denomination: USD only (no EUR or other fiat options currently available)

Conversion Capabilities

• Crypto → USD (Card): One-way conversion for USDT top-ups (cannot convert card balance back to crypto)
• Wallet Withdrawals: USDT withdrawals to external wallets supported (subject to tiered withdrawal fees)
• USD → Local Currency: Automatic conversion at point of sale using Mastercard exchange rates
• Future Plans: Local currency top-ups (e.g., Russian ruble)

Important Distinction: While marketing materials may reference "40+ cryptocurrencies" or "any crypto" top-up options, the official FAQ clarifies that card top-ups are limited to USDT only. The broader asset support (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC) applies to the custodial wallet functionality, which offers additional features like external withdrawals and swaps beyond direct card spending.

Geographic Availability

Pintopay Card is available in over 100 countries worldwide (some marketing claims 180+ countries), with confirmed successful usage across multiple continents. The card works globally wherever Mastercard is accepted, with some notable regional exceptions and limitations.

Supported Regions:

Europe: Successfully used across Western Europe with high acceptance rates. Confirmed usage in Turkey.

Americas: Available in the United States and Brazil, though some U.S.-only services may reject the Hong Kong-issued card (e.g., OpenAI/ChatGPT Plus). Certain Brazilian merchants may require local BINs.

Asia: Strong performance reported in countries like Israel, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Russia has specific restrictions (see below).

Middle East & North Africa (MENA): Confirmed usage in Israel and Turkey.

Restricted Countries:

• Sanctioned Countries: North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba
• Russia: App access blocked (requires VPN); card cannot be used for in-store (offline) purchases in Russia, though some online transactions may work

Regional Variations

• United States: Some U.S.-only services may reject the Hong Kong-issued card (e.g., OpenAI/ChatGPT Plus)
• Brazil: Certain local merchants may require local BINs
• Europe/UK: Generally seamless experience with high acceptance rates
• Asia (Non-Russia): Strong performance reported in countries like Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan

Pintopay maintains the right to restrict service in regions as required by banking partners or the card network.

Compliance and Security

Identity Verification

Pintopay employs a streamlined verification approach, though the extent of requirements may vary based on usage patterns:

• Basic Onboarding: Minimal information required (email/Telegram account)
• Document Collection: Terms of Service explicitly allow Pintopay to request documents and personal information
• Identity & Funding Checks: Platform reserves the right to perform identity verification and funding-source checks
• Conditional Verification: Additional KYC may be requested for suspicious activity, high-value transactions, or AML/risk management purposes
• Data Collection: Privacy Policy lists broad personal data collection practices for compliance and risk assessment

Important Note: While Pintopay markets a "no KYC" or minimal-verification approach, the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy grant the platform extensive rights to collect information and perform identity checks. Users should be prepared for potential verification requests, particularly for higher-value activity.

Security Features

• Transaction Security: 3D Secure (3DS) for online transaction verification
• Card Details: Secure storage in app
• Wallet Integration: Verification process for adding card to Apple Pay/Google Pay
• Custody Model: Currently custodial (user funds held by Pintopay and partners via Cactus Custody/Matrix Trust Company Limited)
• Future Plans: Self-custody wallet and "smart contract vault" planned for Q1 2025
• Insurance: No explicit insurance mentioned for crypto deposits

User Controls

• PIN Management: Limited (preset PIN provided, cannot be customized yet)
• Transaction Monitoring: Available via app/Telegram
• Card Freezing: Available through app/Telegram interface

Regulatory Structure and Licensing

Pintopay operates through a multi-entity structure spanning several jurisdictions:

Card Issuer:

• Entity: Sunrate Solutions Limited (Hong Kong)
• License: Money Service Operator (MSO) license no. 16-11-02003
• Role: Issues prepaid Mastercard cards

Card Program Operations:

• Entity: UANT Inc. (trading as Pintopay)
• Jurisdictions: Hong Kong, Delaware (USA), Dubai (UAE)
• Role: Manages card program and platform operations

Crypto Services:

• Entity: Coincierge Holdings UAB (Lithuania)
• Registration: Registered Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP)