Stella Card

Stella Visa Credit Card Review: Fees, Rewards & Availability

Basic Information

Stella Card is a crypto-backed Visa credit card that bridges traditional financial systems with blockchain technology. The card enables users to spend cryptocurrencies at Visa-accepting merchants without manually converting tokens first.

According to Stella's official FAQ, the Stella Card is explicitly a Visa credit card that starts with a credit limit of zero. Users build credit by using the card and by collateralizing cryptocurrency through top-ups. The card is denominated in a base currency chosen during application, with USD currently being the only supported option. All transactions and refunds are processed in this base currency regardless of the original cryptocurrency used for collateral.

Unlike many crypto cards with tier-based systems, Stella offers a standard card with a credit limit that increases as users deposit and exchange cryptocurrencies.

Rewards and Benefits

Stella Card does not offer an ongoing cashback or staking rewards program for the main card product. However, it provides several advantages for crypto users looking to spend their digital assets, and occasionally runs limited partner promotions that offer one-off token bonuses or fee offsets for specific cohorts.

Referral Program

Stella Card offers a generous referral program where users can:

• Earn up to 40% commission on card fees
• Earn up to 38% on top-up fees
• Potential to earn up to USD 100,000 per year through referrals

Additional Benefits

• Automatic crypto-to-USD conversion at point of sale
• Seamless fund transfers between virtual and physical cards
• Easy cashout and ATM withdrawal capabilities
• Free physical card after accumulating USD 20,000 in top-ups
• Refunds processed in base currency (USD), ensuring consistent value recovery

Fees and Limits

Stella Card has a competitive fee structure with no annual maintenance charges. However, specific fee amounts for ATM withdrawals, foreign exchange spreads, and top-up conversions are only disclosed within the Stella Pay app and are not publicly itemized on the company's website.

According to Stella's help center, when users deposit cryptocurrency into their account, Stella Pay does not charge any fees—users only pay blockchain network gas fees, and the full amount (minus gas) appears in their wallet. For withdrawals and fiat cash-outs, fees begin at 1 USD, though complete fee schedules are only visible within the app.

Stella's official documentation confirms that all fee and limit details—including ATM withdrawals, interbank exchange rates, and top-up spreads—are configurable and only exposed via the Stella Pay apps. The company uses "free ATM withdrawals" as an example of fee information that may be available in certain configurations but is not universally published.

Card Tiers and Options

Unlike many crypto cards, Stella offers a single standard card rather than a tier-based system. The card's functionality is consistent across all users, with spending power directly tied to the amount of cryptocurrency collateralized.

Top-Up Methods

To spend with the Stella Visa Credit Card, users deposit supported cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, USDT, or USDC) from their external wallets into the Stella app, moving funds from self-custody to Stella's custodial wallet. Once deposited, crypto assets can be spent directly—there is no requirement to manually pre-convert to USD, as Stella automatically handles crypto-to-USD conversion at the exact time of purchase. Some conversion and transaction fees do apply (amounts are dynamically displayed in-app and not fully disclosed publicly), and blockchain network gas fees are required for the initial deposit. Users can manage and top up their balance via mobile apps on iOS, Android, or Telegram. Your crypto moves out of your own custody and into the provider's control during this process, and only four cryptocurrencies are currently supported.

Self-Custody Custodial

The Stella Card operates on a custodial model, meaning all cryptocurrency assets deposited by users are held and managed by Stella Pay rather than by the individual user. While users can direct how their crypto funds are used for spending through the platform interface, they do not retain access to the underlying private keys at any stage. Stella handles the automatic conversion of supported cryptocurrencies to USD at the time of each purchase, and the resulting fiat balance is held within the card's custodial account for credit use. If Stella Pay ceased operations, users would not have independent means to access or withdraw their funds, as the assets remain within Stella's custody. This level of custody simplifies spending and offers broad integration with payment networks, but comes at the cost of relinquishing self-sovereign control and increased dependence on the platform's operational stability and security.

Supported Currencies and Conversion

Cryptocurrencies

Stella Card supports a focused selection of major cryptocurrencies for collateralization on the base card:

• BTC (Bitcoin)
• ETH (Ethereum)
• USDT (Tether)
• USDC (USD Coin)

According to Stella's FAQ, these four assets are currently the only supported collateral tokens for the standard card, with plans to support more in the future.

Certain co-branded programs (such as VeChain's VeBetterDAO partnership) enable spending additional tokens like B3TR, VET, and VTHO via the same Stella Pay Visa infrastructure, but these are restricted to that partner card flow and are not available for the general Stella Card.

Supported Networks

The card supports multiple blockchain networks for deposits, including:

• ERC-20
• TRON
• BNB Smart Chain
• Polygon
• Arbitrum One
• Optimism

Fiat Currencies

USD serves as the base currency for the card and is currently the only supported base currency. All transactions and refunds are processed in USD regardless of the original cryptocurrency used for collateral.

Conversion Process

When making a purchase, the Stella Card automatically converts crypto to USD at the point of sale using interbank exchange rates, providing a seamless spending experience without requiring users to manually convert funds beforehand. The exact conversion rate is displayed dynamically in the app at the time of transaction.

Geographic Availability

Stella Card is available globally wherever Visa is accepted, except for 49 restricted jurisdictions. The card can be used at over 40 million Visa-accepting merchants worldwide and supports global ATM access.

Restricted Regions

The card is unavailable in: Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

This restricted country list was last confirmed in Stella's official documentation dated September 6, 2024.

Compliance and Security

Verification Requirements

• Full e-KYC process required during sign-up
• Verification typically completed within 1-2 business days
• Many cases auto-approved within minutes

Security Features

• Advanced encryption for data protection
• Real-time transaction alerts
• Two-factor authentication (2FA)
• Ability to lock card immediately
• Customizable spending caps
• Continuous AML monitoring

Asset Custody

Stella uses a custodial model where user assets are held in Stella-managed wallets.

Technical Details

Application Platforms

• iOS app
• Android app
• Telegram Mini App

Integration Capabilities

• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Alipay
• WeChat Pay

Multi-Network Support

Stella's infrastructure supports direct crypto deposits and withdrawals across multiple blockchain networks (ERC-20, TRON, BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum One, Optimism), with withdrawals featuring fees as low as 1 USD.

Adoption Metrics

The Stella Card ecosystem is in active growth, with mobile apps available across major platforms. The App Store listing emphasizes approval at "40M+ merchants," global ATM access, and integration with major mobile payment platforms.

User Experience

Account Management

Users can manage their Stella Card through dedicated mobile apps available on iOS and Android, or through a Telegram Mini App. The interface allows for monitoring transactions, managing crypto deposits, and controlling card settings. The app also displays all fee information, conversion rates, and spending limits that are not publicly itemized on the website.

Customer Support

Support is available through Zendesk help-center tickets, though no live-chat support was reported in the source material.

User Feedback

• Positive reports: Fast and smooth transactions, including upgrading services like X Premium and multi-country usage; well-designed app; easy ID verification process
• Negative reports: Complaints about USD 30 virtual-card cost; limited cryptocurrency support; occasional failed transactions requiring support intervention; a recent App Store review complained about an account freeze and funds not being returned after providing transfer proof, highlighting potential account access risks

The mixed feedback suggests that while many users experience smooth operation, there are occasional issues with account management and fund access that may require support intervention.

White-Label and Partner Programs

Stella Pay demonstrates white-label and partner capabilities through strategic ecosystem integrations. A notable example is the VeChain / VeBetterDAO co-branded integration, which allows VeBetterDAO users to spend B3TR, VET, and VTHO tokens at Visa merchants worldwide.

VeBetterDAO Partnership Details

• Cryptocurrency converted at point of sale via Stella Pay's infrastructure
• One-time 30 USD activation fee paid in stablecoins for program access
• Limited-time promotion: first 5,000 users received 200 B3TR to offset the activation fee
• Program launched in April 2025

This partnership demonstrates Stella's ability to extend its Visa card infrastructure to support ecosystem-specific tokens beyond the base card's standard collateral options (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC). However, these partner tokens are only available within their respective co-branded programs and not on the general Stella Card.

Best Suited For

• Crypto enthusiasts who want to spend digital assets without manual conversion processes
• Frequent international travelers who benefit from worldwide Visa acceptance and mobile wallet integration
• High-volume cryptocurrency users who can meet the USD 20,000 top-up threshold for a free physical card
• Mobile payment adopters who value integration with multiple digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Referral program participants who can benefit from the generous commission structure
• Users comfortable with in-app fee disclosure who don't require publicly published fee schedules

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No annual fees or maintenance charges
• Free crypto deposits (Stella charges 0%; users only pay blockchain network gas fees)
• Seamless automatic conversion from crypto to USD at interbank exchange rates
• Wide acceptance through the Visa network (40M+ merchants)
• Comprehensive mobile wallet integration (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay)
• Multi-network blockchain support for deposits
• Low crypto withdrawal fees starting from 1 USD
• Refunds processed in base currency for consistent value recovery

Cons

• Limited cryptocurrency support compared to some competitors (only BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC for base card)
• ATM withdrawal fees and free-withdrawal allowances only disclosed in-app
• Lack of ongoing cashback or rewards program
• Most fees only disclosed after app registration
• Virtual card requires an upfront fee
• Occasional account access issues reported by some users
• Zero starting credit limit requires crypto collateralization to build spending power

Conclusion

Stella Card offers a straightforward solution for crypto holders seeking to integrate digital assets into everyday spending. Its strength lies in the automatic conversion feature that handles the crypto-to-USD exchange at the point of sale using interbank exchange rates, paired with broad acceptance through the Visa network and integration with popular mobile wallets.

The card's approach of offering a single product where spending power directly relates to deposited crypto creates a transparent relationship between holdings and spending limit. Starting with a zero credit limit, users build their spending capacity through cryptocurrency collateralization and card usage. This simplicity, combined with the absence of annual fees and deposit fees (users only pay blockchain gas), makes Stella Card particularly appealing for medium-to-high-balance crypto users who can meet the USD 20,000 top-up threshold for a free physical card.

While the lack of ongoing cashback rewards and limited cryptocurrency support are notable drawbacks, Stella Card's focus on simplicity and functionality provides a solid option for those prioritizing seamless crypto spending over rewards maximization. The card's white-label capabilities, demonstrated through partnerships like VeBetterDAO, also suggest potential for ecosystem-specific implementations beyond the base offering.

Prospective users should be aware that most fee details are only disclosed within the app rather than publicly, and occasional account access issues have been reported, though many users report smooth multi-country operation.

Additional Information

Platform Coverage

The Stella Card ecosystem spans iOS and Android platforms, with the additional option of a Telegram Mini App, providing flexibility in how users manage their card and cryptocurrency assets.

Fee Structure Approach

Stella's revenue model emphasizes transaction-based charges rather than maintenance fees, with no annual fee and free crypto deposits (beyond network gas fees). All configurable fees—including ATM withdrawals, FX spreads, and top-up conversions—are only exposed via the Stella Pay apps and are not publicly itemized on the website. The company mentions that free ATM withdrawals may be available in certain configurations, but these details are only visible in-app.

Practical Usage

The card functions as a traditional Visa credit card with special integration for cryptocurrency holdings, allowing spending at any Visa-accepting merchant worldwide without the merchant needing any cryptocurrency acceptance capabilities. All transactions are processed in USD (the current base currency), with automatic crypto-to-fiat conversion happening seamlessly at the point of sale.

Innovative Financial Products

According to the App Store listing, Stella Pay offers "innovative tokenized financial products" including USDC yield opportunities, suggesting the platform extends beyond simple card services into broader crypto-financial products.