Another card for cryptocurrency spending becomes available to Ukrainians

Ukrainians who earn income in USDC or keep part of their funds in cryptocurrency now have another option for everyday spending. Ukraine is explicitly listed among the supported countries for the Utorg Card.

The virtual card can be added to Apple Pay and Google Pay, and it can be topped up with USDC. Utorg itself is built around a non-custodial wallet: the keys to the main crypto wallet remain with the user.

This distinguishes Utorg from WhiteBIT Nóva, where funds for spending are held on the exchange's main balance and automatically converted upon purchase. Another option familiar to Ukrainians — Trustee Plus — uses a separate card balance. We compare these and other options in detail in our rating of crypto cards for Ukrainians.

Utorg's scheme is somewhat different. The main amount can be kept in your own wallet, and only the necessary part can be allocated for card spending. The card infrastructure for the service is provided by Wirex, whose new system supports non-custodial smart wallets and automatic debiting of funds when paying with the card.

At the same time, one should not assume that Visa Utorg simply debits USDC directly from the user's main wallet. In Utorg's interface and documentation, the term Top Up is used, meaning that for card spending, a certain amount apparently needs to be allocated first. After that, there is no need to transfer money separately before each purchase.

The practical benefit of this scheme is primarily for those who regularly earn income in cryptocurrency. For example, you can keep the main amount in self-custody, transfer a few hundred USDC for spending, and then use them through a regular Visa.

Currently, Utorg states zero fee for card issuance and maintenance, as well as zero commissions for payments and conversion between fiat currencies. However, some of the zero tariffs are marked as a temporary offer. KYC is required to issue the card.

Thus, WhiteBIT Nóva still looks simpler for everyday use: funds are debited directly from the exchange balance and there is no need to top up the card separately. Utorg is more interesting for a different model — the ability not to keep the main amount of cryptocurrency income on an exchange and to transfer only the money intended for current expenses into the card circuit.