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Quick summary
Brand and trust
Ready Card is built by the pioneers formerly known as Argent. Operating since 2018 with zero hacks, it offers a level of proven smart-wallet security and reliability that is highly respected in the crypto space.
Custody and control
Coinbase Card is linked to your Coinbase exchange account, which means Coinbase holds your funds — not you. Ready Card is fully self-custodial: your money stays in your own wallet until the moment you spend it. With Ready, you always hold the keys.
Fees and travel
Coinbase Card charges a 2.49% conversion fee whenever you spend crypto, plus a 3% foreign transaction fee for EU/UK users spending abroad. Ready Card gives you 0% foreign exchange fees, zero conversion fees, and generous free ATM limits right out of the box.
Safe and separate spending
With Coinbase Card, your spending is tied to a centralised exchange — if Coinbase freezes your account or experiences downtime, you lose access to your funds. Ready Card keeps things secure and separate: it only touches your "digital cash" (USDC) in your self-custody wallet, so your wider crypto portfolio is always fully protected.
Ready Card & Coinbase Card compared
| Ready Metal | Ready Lite | Coinbase Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashback | 3% | 0.5% | Up to 4% |
| Cashback requirements | None | None | None |
| Upfront cost | $120 / year | Free | Free |
| Card type | Metal + Virtual | Plastic + Virtual | Plastic + Virtual |
| Fully self-custodial | Yes  | Yes | No  |
| Free ATM withdrawals* | $800 / month | $200 / month | $200 / month (US only) |
| Fee-free foreign exchange | Yes | Yes | No (3% fee) |
| Perks | Yes | Yes | No |
| Brand history & security | Since 2018 (Zero hacks) | Since 2018 (Zero hacks) | Exchange since 2012 |
| Availability | EEA + UK | EEA + UK | US only |
*Free withdrawals means that the card provider (e.g. Ready) does not charge any fees up to the limit. But the ATM provider may still charge a fee.
Ready Card vs Coinbase Card: Self-custody vs the exchange giant
Coinbase is one of the most recognised names in crypto, and its card lets you spend directly from your Coinbase balance. But there is a critical difference: when you use a Coinbase Card, your funds are held by Coinbase — a centralised exchange. Ready Card takes a fundamentally different approach, letting you spend directly from your own self-custody wallet. Here is how the two compare in practice.
The good about Coinbase Card
Coinbase is a publicly-listed exchange that has been operating since 2012, giving it considerable brand recognition and regulatory standing. The Coinbase Card is easy to set up if you already use Coinbase, and it offers up to 4% cashback in crypto on eligible purchases — a genuinely attractive reward rate. For someone who keeps their crypto on Coinbase anyway and wants a simple way to spend it, the card is a convenient option.
The Ready Card advantage: True ownership without the fees
The Coinbase Card comes with a significant hidden cost: a 2.49% crypto conversion fee every time you spend. For EU and UK users, there is also a 3% foreign transaction fee on top. This means that a simple coffee abroad could cost you over 5% in fees before you even account for exchange rates. And because your funds sit in a Coinbase custodial account, you are always one account freeze, hack, or platform outage away from losing access to your money.
Ready Card was built to eliminate these problems. Built by the trusted team formerly known as Argent, Ready lets you spend your "digital cash" (USDC) directly from your self-custody wallet. There are zero conversion fees, 0% foreign exchange fees, and generous free ATM limits — all on the free Ready Lite tier.
The clincher: Your keys, your money, zero hacks
When your everyday spending is connected to your crypto, security matters enormously. Ready has been operating since 2018 with zero hacks, building an elite reputation in the smart-wallet space. Coinbase, while a reputable exchange, has experienced security incidents over the years and — as a centralised custodian — represents a single point of failure for your funds.
Where Ready Card truly stands apart is in how it isolates your spending from your savings. Ready Card is granted permission to touch only your "digital cash" (USDC). The rest of your crypto portfolio remains securely walled off. If you lose your card, you simply tap a button to cut off access instantly, for free. No phone calls, no waiting, no exposure.
It delivers the ultimate combination: the proven security track record of a Web3 pioneer, the freedom of true self-custody, and zero hidden fees quietly eroding your wealth.
