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 security that newer platforms simply cannot match.
- Who holds your money: Kast requires you to transfer your crypto to their centralized account before you can spend it. With Ready Card, your money stays securely in your own wallet until the exact moment you make a purchase.
- Safe and separate spending: Ready Card's smart technology ensures the card can only ever touch your USDC. The rest of your crypto investments are isolated and protected.
- Fees and perks: Kast charges foreign exchange fees of up to 2%. Ready Card gives you fee-free foreign spending, with partner discounts.
Ready Card & Kast compared
| Ready Metal | Ready Lite | Kast Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashback | 3% | 0.5% | 0% - 5%** |
| Cashback requirements | None | None | None |
| Upfront cost | $120 / year | Free | Free to $5,000 / year |
| Card type | Metal + Virtual | Plastic + Virtual | Plastic or Metal + Virtual |
| Fully self-custodial | Yes  | Yes | Yes  |
| Free ATM withdrawals* | $800 / month | $200 / month | No. 5% - 10% fee |
| Fee-free foreign exchange | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Perks | Yes | Yes | No |
| Availability | EEA + UK | EEA + UK | Global |
*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.
**Kast points are not redeemable as of Feb 2026, so their advertised cashback is misleading
Ready Card vs Kast: The battle of custody
As stablecoins become a regular part of everyday finance, the way we spend them is splitting into two distinct philosophies: the traditional custodial route, and the true Web3 self-custodial route. Ready Card and Kast represent the best of these two different approaches.
The good about Kast
Kast is an ambitious product that has made spending stablecoins accessible on a global scale. By partnering with various regional providers, Kast is available in over 150 countries, offering a lifeline to users in markets that are often underserved. Like Ready, Kast supports deposits across multiple chains, allowing users to quickly move their USDT or USDC into a spendable fiat-equivalent balance. If you need broad global reach and don't mind centralized platforms, Kast is a good option.
The Ready Card advantage: No top-ups, no hidden fees, real rewards
While Kast effectively bridges crypto and fiat, it operates much like a traditional prepaid card. You have to actively move your crypto out of your own wallet, deposit it into Kast’s centralized custodial account, and pay various conversion or foreign exchange fees (which can reach up to 2%) when spending abroad. ATM withdrawals can cost up to 10%. Kast advertises cashback which they deliver in points, but at the time of writing, these points cannot be redeemed for anything, so the value is made up.
Ready Card strips away this friction and expense. With Ready, there are no top-up accounts. There are no foreign exchange fees. The free Ready Lite tier gives you instant access to fee-free global spending and generous ATM withdrawal limits, and cashback that has real world value. The Ready Metal tier also offers premium perks without demanding that you lock up or stake volatile ecosystem tokens.
The clincher: Why true self-custody matters
The most vital distinction between the two cards is who actually holds your money. Because Kast is a custodial product, you must trust them (and their banking partners) with your assets. Your funds are subject to third-party holds, platform limits, and centralized risk.
Ready Card completely flips this outdated model on its head by keeping your funds exactly where they belong: in your control. You never have to create a separate "card wallet" or give up custody of your stablecoins.
To make this possible without compromising your wider portfolio, Ready Card uses highly advanced revocable session keys. This technology sandboxes your card, explicitly granting it permission to access only your USDC. Your Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets remain untouchable by the payment network. If you ever misplace your card, or just want to take a break from spending, you simply revoke the session key in the app. Your money is protected, your portfolio is secure, and you remain the sole custodian of your wealth.