Yearly cost at three spending levels
| Monthly spend | Krak | Uphold |
|---|---|---|
| $500 | ≤ -$12 Starter | ≤ -$18 Essential |
| $2,000 | ≤ -$48 Starter | ≤ -$72 Essential |
| $5,000 | ≤ -$120 Starter | ≤ -$180 Essential |
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
| Line | Krak Starter | Uphold Essential |
|---|---|---|
| Top-up and conversion fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Spending fees | $0 | $0 |
| Foreign exchange markup | -$48 | -$72 |
| ATM fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Annual, monthly and subscription fees | $0 | $0 |
| Cashback | $0 | Not disclosed |
| Net per year | -$48 | -$72 |
Fees
Krak charges Not disclosed to convert or top up and 1% on spending in a foreign currency. Uphold charges Not disclosed and 1.5%.
ATM withdrawals: Krak no card fee; Uphold $2.95.
A virtual card costs nothing with Krak and nothing with Uphold. A physical card costs nothing and $4.99. Neither card has an annual fee on its base tier.
Cashback and rewards
Krak cashback: 0% to 2%. Uphold cashback: Variable, not published.
Krak tiers: Starter: 0%; Lite: 0.5%; Pro: 1%; Elite: 1.5%; Max: 2%.
Uphold tiers: Essential: rate not published; Elite ($99.99 a year): rate not published.
Krak: The cashback rate depends on your 30-day average assets held with Krak, Kraken and Kraken Pro.
Uphold: For the first 3 months after activation, the Essential card pays 2% in XRP (up to $120) and the Elite card pays 4% on crypto and metals and 3% on fiat and stablecoins (up to $300). Uphold does not publish the rate after that period. The Elite card also removes the FX and ATM fees.
Availability and KYC
Krak is offered in one country, including United States. Available in all US states except New York, Maine, Massachusetts and Indiana. Krak publishes separate EEA and UK cards with different fees.
Uphold is offered in one country, including United States. Available to US residents in US states and Washington D.C. Not available in Louisiana, New York or US territories.
Krak needs full KYC and Uphold needs full KYC.
The card finder checks both cards against your country, KYC level and must-have features.
Limits, wallets and card types
Krak does not publish fixed spending or ATM limits.
Uphold does not publish fixed spending or ATM limits.
Krak works with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and Uphold works with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Krak issues a virtual card you can use straight away.
Custody and safety
Krak scores 71/100. Licensing: issued by a bank or e-money institution regulated in a tier-one jurisdiction. The card is issued through Lead Bank. 2024-12-12: An Australian court ordered Bit Trade Pty Ltd, Kraken's Australian operator, to pay AUD 8 million after an ASIC action over a margin product offered without a target market determination. Krak says account balances are not a deposit account and are not FDIC- or SIPC-insured. Kraken, Krak's parent, publishes a proof of reserves; the latest is dated 30 June 2026.
Uphold scores 64/100. Licensing: holds a licence or registration outside the tier-one list (Uphold HQ Inc. is a licensed money transmitter (NMLS ID 1269875)). No incidents or enforcement actions found in the last 36 months. Uphold publishes its assets and liabilities in real time on its transparency page. Funds in the USD account are held at Cross River Bank, Member FDIC, with pass-through insurance up to $250,000 when certain conditions are met; crypto balances are not covered.
Full reports: Krak safety check and Uphold safety check.
About each card
Krak Card (US) is a custodial Visa card from Krak (Payward Interactive, Inc.). It tops up with USD, USDC, USDT, BTC and ETH.
Uphold Debit Card is a custodial Visa card from Uphold. It tops up with USD, USDC, USDT, BTC and XRP.
Which card fits you
Krak fits if
- You spend in foreign currencies often, since its FX markup is lower.
- You live in United States, the only market it serves.
- You want a higher cashback ceiling (up to 2%).
- You weigh licensing and fund segregation heavily, since it scores higher on our safety check.
Uphold fits if
- You live in United States, the only market it serves.
Read more: Krak fees and details · Uphold fees and details