Gemini Card vs CL Card

Gemini Card costs less across the spending levels we test. The full fee, reward, availability and safety comparison is below.

Verdict

  • Gemini Card leaves more money in your pocket at all three spending levels we test: $10.15 a year more at $500 a month, $370.15 a year more at $2,000 a month, $1,090 a year more at $5,000 a month.
  • Gemini Card is a custodial card, so the provider holds your balance. CL Card is custodial as well.
  • On our safety check, Gemini Card scores 64/100 (Good) and CL Card scores 64/100 (Good).
  • Overall, CL Card rates 43/100 against 38/100 for Gemini Card, helped by its reach: it is offered in 37 countries and territories against 1 for Gemini Card.
  • Among the 25 countries we track, both cards are offered in 1: United States.

Net value per year at $2,000 a month (20% foreign spend, one $200 ATM withdrawal a month)

  • Gemini Card · Base rate≤ +$48
  • CL Card · Standard-$322.15

≤ one fee is not published and counts as zero.

Crypto card comparison
FeatureGemini CardCL Card
Countries offeredUnited States only37 countries (better)
Card networkMastercardVisa
CustodyCustodialCustodial
KYCFullFull
Top-up assetsBTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC, XRP, SOL
Top-up or conversion feeNot disclosed2%
FX markup0%0%
ATM fee3% + $10€2.50
Annual fee (base tier)FreeFree
Card issuanceVirtual Free · Physical FreeVirtual Free · Physical Not disclosed
Cashback1%1% to 2%
Apple Pay / Google PayApple Pay, Google PayApple Pay, Google Pay
Safety score64/10064/100
Overall rating38/10043/100 (better)
Get the cardGet Gemini CardGet CL Card

Yearly cost at three spending levels

Monthly spendGemini CardCL Card
$500≤ -$132
Base rate
-$142.15
Standard
$2,000≤ +$48
Base rate
-$322.15
Standard
$5,000≤ +$408
Base rate
-$682.15
Standard

Net value per year: cashback minus conversion, FX, ATM and fixed fees. US dollars, 20% foreign spending, one $200 ATM withdrawal a month. The card cost calculator runs the same comparison with your own habits.

Where the money goes at $2,000 a month

LineGemini Card
Base rate
CL Card
Standard
Top-up and conversion feesNot disclosed-$528
Spending fees$0$0
Foreign exchange markup$0$0
ATM fees-$192-$34.15
Annual, monthly and subscription fees$0$0
Cashback+$240+$240
Net per year+$48-$322.15

Fees

Gemini Card charges Not disclosed to convert or top up and 0% on spending in a foreign currency. CL Card charges 2% and 0%.

ATM withdrawals: Gemini Card 3% + $10; CL Card €2.50.

A virtual card costs nothing with Gemini Card and nothing with CL Card. A physical card costs nothing and an undisclosed fee. Neither card has an annual fee on its base tier.

Cashback and rewards

Gemini Card cashback: 1%. CL Card cashback: 1% to 2%.

Gemini Card tiers: Base rate: 1%.

CL Card tiers: Standard: 1%; BXX rewards: 2%.

Gemini Card: 1% back on all other purchases. Higher rates apply by category - 4% on gas, EV charging, transit, taxis and rideshare (on up to $300 of spend a month, then 1%), 3% on dining and 2% on groceries (Costco, Sam's Club and Walmart are excluded). Rewards arrive instantly in bitcoin by default, or in one of 50+ other cryptos on Gemini. Some merchants pay 10% back through Gemini's merchant offers. The card carries variable APRs - purchases 16.74% to 34.74%, cash advances 29.74%, penalty APR 33.74%, based on a 7.00% prime rate on 25 September 2026.

CL Card: Ledger's page says "1% cashback in BTC, USDC, or USDT" (BTC or USDC in the US, BTC or USDT elsewhere), claimed from the Loyalty program page. CL's own FAQ also offers 2% if you take the reward in Baanx's BXX token. Spending funded by the Cryptodraft credit line earns nothing. No spend or reward cap is published.

Availability and KYC

Gemini Card is offered in one country, including United States. Gemini says residents of all 50 US states can apply. You must live in the US when you apply and for as long as the account stays open. Credit approval and a hard credit inquiry are required.

CL Card is offered in 37 countries, including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and Canada. Ledger says "The CL Card is currently available in the EEA, the UK, the US, Canada, Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil." This file uses the EU fee schedule. You do not need a Ledger device to get the card.

Gemini Card needs full KYC and CL Card needs full KYC.

The card finder checks both cards against your country, KYC level and must-have features.

Limits, wallets and card types

Gemini Card does not publish fixed spending or ATM limits.

CL Card does not publish fixed spending or ATM limits.

Gemini Card works with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and CL Card works with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Gemini Card and CL Card issue a virtual card you can use straight away.

Custody and safety

Gemini Card scores 64/100. Licensing: issued by a bank or e-money institution regulated in a tier-one jurisdiction. The card is issued through WebBank. 2024-02-28: NYDFS fined Gemini Trust Company $37 million over the Gemini Earn program and unsafe practices. Gemini also committed $40 million toward Earn customers' recovery in the Genesis bankruptcy. 2024-06-14: The New York Attorney General settled with Gemini over Gemini Earn. Gemini returned about $50 million in digital assets to more than 230,000 Earn investors. 2025-01-13: A federal court entered a CFTC consent order against Gemini Trust over misleading 2017 statements to the CFTC about a bitcoin futures contract. Gemini paid a $5 million civil penalty. 2026-01-23: The SEC dismissed with prejudice its January 2023 case against Gemini over Gemini Earn. It cited the 100% in-kind return of Earn investors' crypto. The card is issued by WebBank and serviced by Gemini Constellation, LLC. Rewards sit in a custodial Gemini account held by Gemini Trust Company (New York and Idaho customers) or Gemini Moonbase, LLC, which is licensed as a money transmitter and registered with FinCEN as a money services business. No proof-of-reserves report was found. In 2026 Gemini closed its UK, EEA and Australian accounts; the US card is not affected.

CL Card scores 64/100. Licensing: issued by a bank or e-money institution regulated in a tier-one jurisdiction. The card is issued through UAB Monavate. No incidents or enforcement actions found in the last 36 months. Only money loaded to the card as e-money is safeguarded under e-money rules. Crypto deposited to the CL platform becomes Baanx's property, and Baanx's terms warn that "in the event that any of Us becomes insolvent ... You may not be able to have the full value of Your deposits restored". Baanx describes its crypto services as "not regulated financial services". We could not find a published proof-of-reserves report. We found no official enforcement actions against the card providers. Ledger's own past security incidents are not listed, because Ledger does not provide or hold funds for the card.

Full reports: Gemini Card safety check and CL Card safety check.

About each card

Gemini Credit Card is a custodial Mastercard from Gemini.

Ledger CL Card (Europe) is a custodial Visa card from Baanx (CL Card), card account by UAB Monavate. It tops up with BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC, XRP and SOL and its balance is held in EUR.

Which card fits you

Gemini Card fits if

  • You live in United States, the only market it serves.

CL Card fits if

  • Most of your spending is in your home currency, where its lower conversion fee counts most.
  • You want a higher cashback ceiling (up to 2%).

Read more: Gemini Card fees and details · CL Card fees and details

Gemini Card vs CL Card: questions

Which is cheaper, Gemini Card or CL Card?
At $2,000 a month with 20% foreign spending and one $200 ATM withdrawal, Gemini Card leaves $370.15 more per year. The result can change with your spending, so the comparison above lets you enter your own amount.
Can I use Gemini Card and CL Card in the same country?
Yes, in 1 of the 25 countries we track, including United States.
Is Gemini Card or CL Card safer?
Gemini Card scores higher on our safety check (64/100 against 64/100). The score looks at licensing, custody, fund segregation, proof of reserves and incident history.
Which card has better cashback, Gemini Card or CL Card?
Gemini Card pays 1% and CL Card pays 1% to 2%. Caps, tier rules and fees decide what you keep, which is why the yearly figures above include both.

Sources

  1. Gemini Credit Card: fees · checked September 28, 2026
  2. Gemini Credit Card: availability · checked September 28, 2026
  3. Gemini Credit Card: cashback · checked September 28, 2026
  4. Gemini Credit Card: safety · checked September 28, 2026
  5. Ledger CL Card (Europe): fees · checked September 28, 2026
  6. Ledger CL Card (Europe): availability · checked September 28, 2026
  7. Ledger CL Card (Europe): cashback · checked September 28, 2026
  8. Ledger CL Card (Europe): safety · checked September 28, 2026