Ready Card vs Gnosis Pay: The ultimate self-custodial crypto card comparison
A comprehensive comparison between Ready Card and Gnosis Pay. Both offer self-custodial crypto debit cards with fee-free foreign exchange, but they differ significantly in wallet architecture, cashback requirements, and security models. Learn why Ready Card’s use of revocable session keys and direct main-wallet integration provides a more seamless and secure user experience.
Quick summary
Cashback
Ready Card offers cashback with zero staking requirements, whereas Gnosis Pay requires users to stake GNO.
Wallet Integration
Ready Card connects directly to your main Ready Wallet using session keys. Gnosis Pay requires you to manage and fund a separate smart contract wallet on the Gnosis Chain.
Security & Access
Ready Card securely sandboxes your funds; the card can only access your USDC, and you can instantly revoke its access at any time without moving your assets.
Card Tiers
Ready offers a premium Metal tier alongside its free Lite tier, whereas Gnosis Pay currently offers a standard plastic card with a $30 upfront cost.
| Ready Metal | Ready Lite | Gnosis Pay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashback | 3% | 0.5% | 0% to 4% |
| Cashback requirements | None | None | Hold & Stake GNO token |
| Upfront cost | $120 / year | Free | $30 / €30 |
| Card type | Metal + Virtual | Plastic + Virtual | Plastic + Virtual |
| Fully self-custodial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free ATM withdrawals | $800 / month | $200 / month | 5 withdrawals OR €200 / month |
| Fee-free foreign exchange | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Perks | Yes | Yes | |
| Free ATM withdrawals | EEA + UK | EEA + UK | EEA, UK, LATAM |
Ready Card vs Gnosis Pay: The rise of true self-custody
The era of having to choose between the convenience of a debit card and the security of holding your own crypto is over. Both Ready Card and Gnosis Pay represent the cutting edge of Web3 finance, offering self-custodial cards that let you spend your crypto in the real world without handing over your private keys to a centralized exchange.
The good about Gnosis Pay
Gnosis Pay has been a strong pioneer in the decentralized payment space. Built on the Gnosis Chain, it offers a robust solution for Web3 natives. One of its standout features is its broad availability—currently supporting the EEA, UK, and the US—making it highly accessible. Furthermore, like Ready Card, it offers fee-free foreign exchange, which is excellent for travelers.
The Ready Card advantage: Seamless everyday usability
While both cards are excellent tools, Ready Card is designed to remove the friction traditionally associated with crypto spending. First, Ready makes everyday rewards highly accessible. While Gnosis Pay requires you to stake GNO tokens to unlock cashback, Ready Card offers cashback out of the box with zero staking requirements. Furthermore, Ready gives users a choice of aesthetics and perks, offering a premium Metal card alongside a free Lite option, whereas Gnosis Pay requires a flat $30 fee for its standard plastic card.
Why Ready Card's self-custody takes the lead
Where Ready Card vs Gnosis Pay truly differs—and where Ready distances itself from the broader market—is in the nature of its self-custody.
With Gnosis Pay, users are essentially required to create and fund a separate wallet specifically for their card. You have to bridge assets to the Gnosis Chain and manage a separate balance.
Ready Card eliminates this fragmented experience. Your card connects directly to your main Ready Wallet. There is no need to bridge funds to a separate "card wallet" or juggle multiple seed phrases. To ensure your funds remain absolutely safe, Ready Card utilizes advanced revocable session keys. This means the card only has permission to access your USDC—leaving the rest of your crypto portfolio entirely untouched and invisible to the payment network. If your card is ever lost, or if you simply want to pause spending, you can revoke the session key instantly. Your money never moves, and your broader portfolio remains locked down.
It is the perfect balance: the convenience of a unified wallet with the airtight security of a sandboxed spending limit.