Argent Card
The Argent Metal Card is a premium self-custodial Mastercard that enables spending cryptocurrency anywhere Mastercard is accepted without surrendering control of your assets. Your crypto stays in your self-custodial wallet until a payment is made, maintaining complete financial autonomy. The card serves as a bridge between the crypto ecosystem and traditional payment networks for everyday purchases.
- Type: Mastercard debit card linked to self-custodial crypto wallet
- Key Feature: True self-custody model where funds remain in your wallet until spent
- Availability: Currently limited to UK and European Economic Area residents
- Standout Benefit: Generous rewards including 10% cashback in STRK tokens for the first 30 days and 3% thereafter (up to $5,000 spent monthly)
- Biggest Downside: 120 USDC annual fee and currently only supports USDC for spending
Card Tiers
Detailed Summary
Argent Metal Mastercard Prepaid: Self-Custodial Crypto Card with Premium Rewards
Quick Summary
Key Features
- Self-custodial model - funds remain in user's wallet until spent
- 10% cashback first 30 days, then 3% ongoing (paid in STRK tokens)
- No foreign exchange fees or hidden conversion markups
- Premium 16g metal card in gold or platinum finish
- Direct integration with Argent mobile wallet
Main Advantages
- Complete control of crypto assets until moment of transaction
- Up to $1,800 in annual STRK rewards through cashback program
- Partner perks including free bridging and service discounts
- Accepted anywhere Mastercard is accepted worldwide
- No pre-loading or manual conversions required
Notable Limitations
- 120 USDC annual fee paid upfront
- Currently only supports USDC for spending
- Available only to UK and EEA residents
- Maximum monthly spending limit of $30,000
- Cashback rewards capped at $150/month
Table of Contents
Basic Information
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Card Name | Argent Metal Card |
| Card Network | Mastercard |
| Card Type | Prepaid Debit Card |
| Card Issuer | Kulipa (regulated card issuer) |
| Launch Date | Phased rollout in late 2024, public launch in March 2025 |
| Card Format | Physical metal card with in-app digital card details |
| Card Design | Minimalist design with Argent logo in gold or platinum finish |
The Argent Metal Card is a premium crypto-funded debit card that bridges the gap between cryptocurrency assets and everyday spending. What distinguishes this card from competitors is its self-custody model - users maintain complete control of their crypto assets until the moment of transaction, when USDC is converted to fiat currency at the point of purchase.
Rewards and Benefits
Cashback Program
The Argent Metal Card offers a tiered cashback program funded by the Starknet Foundation:
- 10% cashback in STRK during the first 30 days (on up to $1,500 spent)
- 3% cashback thereafter (on up to $5,000 spent each month)
- Maximum monthly rewards: $150 in STRK
- Maximum annual rewards: $1,800 in STRK
- Rewards distributed automatically on the 15th of each month
- No token staking or lockup required to earn rewards
Excluded transaction categories include gambling, ATM withdrawals, money transfers, and financial services.
Additional Perks
The card includes several additional benefits:
- Free Layerswap bridging fees (refunded weekly, up to $100/month)
- 30% discount on Ramp Network crypto on-ramp fees (except UK)
- Partner discounts including:
- Up to 25% off Nansen
- 20% off Koinly
- 15% off Airalo
- 70%+ off NordVPN
- Non-transferable NFT for early cardholders that unlocks future perks
Fees and Limits
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual membership | 120 USDC (paid upfront, no automatic renewal) |
| Monthly option | Planned for future (pricing not confirmed) |
| Crypto-to-fiat conversion | No fee |
| Foreign exchange (FX) | No fee |
| Transaction fees | No fee |
| ATM withdrawals | Free up to $800/month, 2% fee thereafter |
| Replacement fee | Not specified |
| Limit Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Maximum per transaction | $5,000 |
| Daily spending limit | $10,000 |
| Monthly spending limit | $30,000 |
| Cashback eligibility | Up to $5,000 spent monthly |
| Fee-free ATM withdrawals | Up to $800 monthly |
The card has no monthly maintenance fees, no inactivity penalties, and no overdraft fees. Transactions simply decline if there are insufficient funds.
Card Tiers and Options
| Specification | Argent Metal Card | Argent Lite Card |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Available | Coming Soon |
| Annual Fee | 120 USDC | Lower or no fee (not yet specified) |
| Card Material | Metal (steel), 16 grams | Likely plastic or virtual-only |
| Design Options | Gold or Platinum finish | Not specified |
| Cashback Rate | 10% first 30 days, then 3% | Not specified |
| Target Market | Premium users, frequent spenders | Users seeking more accessible entry point |
| Spending Limits | $30,000 monthly | Not specified |
| Special Features | Partner perks, early adopter NFT | Not specified |
Currently, only the premium Argent Metal Card is available. The Argent Lite Card has been announced as "coming soon" on Argent's roadmap, but no official launch date, pricing structure, or detailed specifications have been published yet.
Top-Up Methods
The Argent Metal Mastercard does not require pre-loading or traditional top-ups; instead, USDC is drawn automatically and in real time from the user's self-custodial Argent wallet at the moment of purchase. Only USDC is supported for spending (other cryptocurrencies require manual conversion to USDC before use), and users maintain full control of their funds until transactions occur, with no need to transfer assets to the card provider in advance. There are no top-up fees, conversion fees, or waiting periods—all conversions to local currency happen instantly at the point of sale using Mastercard's official rates. Card management and authorization are handled entirely within the Argent mobile app, and users can revoke the card’s spending permissions at any time. There are no minimum or maximum top-up amounts, but the monthly spending limit is $30,000, and custody only shifts from user wallet to provider for the exact purchase value when a transaction is made.
Self-Custody True Self-Custody
The Argent Metal Card employs a self-custody model where users maintain complete control of their crypto assets—held in their own Argent smart contract wallet—until the exact moment of transaction. Users authorize a session key permission to the regulated card issuer partner (Kulipa), enabling USDC payments directly from the user's wallet at point of sale without transferring funds to any custodial account. This maintains user sovereignty throughout the holding period. The custody transfers only at the moment the USDC is converted to fiat for payment during the transaction. Limitations include support for USDC only, an annual membership fee, and geographic restrictions to UK and EEA residents. Users must also complete KYC through the card issuer. If the card issuer ceases operations, users retain control of their funds in their wallets since funds are not held custodially by Argent or Kulipa.
Supported Currencies and Conversion
The Argent Metal Card currently supports only USD Coin (USDC) for funding transactions. Argent has indicated that "additional cryptocurrencies may be added in the future" but has not specified which ones or when.
For spending, the card supports all currencies accepted by Mastercard globally. Key conversion features include:
- USDC is treated as exactly $1.00 USD for spending purposes
- Automatic conversion to merchant's local currency at point of sale
- Uses Mastercard's official exchange rates with no additional markup
- No geographical restrictions on currency usage
- No pre-conversion or batch processing required - conversion happens at time of transaction
The transparent 1:1 conversion approach with no hidden fees distinguishes Argent from competitors that often incorporate hidden spreads into their exchange rates.
Geographic Availability
The Argent Metal Card is currently available to residents of:
- United Kingdom
- European Economic Area (EEA) countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden
The card is not available to residents outside these regions, including the US, Canada, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Argent has stated they are actively developing plans to expand to more regions in 2025 and beyond, though specific target markets have not been publicly disclosed.
While card issuance requires residency in a supported region, the card itself can be used globally for spending anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Compliance and Security
KYC Requirements
To receive the Argent Metal Card, users must complete a standard KYC process through Kulipa (Argent's regulated partner):
- Photo ID verification
- Proof of residency in a supported region
- One-time process required before card issuance
Argent does not process or store KYC data directly - this is handled by Kulipa, their regulated card issuer partner.
Security Features
The Argent Metal Card incorporates several security features:
- Self-custody model - Argent never holds or controls user funds
- Smart contract "session key" permissions enable card transactions while maintaining user control
- Instant card freeze/unfreeze via the Argent Mobile app
- PIN-protected transactions and biometric protection for viewing card details
- Delayed transaction settlement enhances privacy
- Transaction notifications and activity monitoring
Argent claims a "7 years, 0 hacks" record for their smart contracts and has pioneered security features such as social recovery without seed phrases.
Technical Details
Card Format
- Physical metal card weighing 16 grams
- Mechanically engraved design
- Available in gold or platinum finish options
- Apple Pay and Google Pay integration in development
Integration with Argent Ecosystem
The card is fully integrated with the broader Argent ecosystem:
- Ordered directly from the Argent Mobile app after completing ID verification
- One unified account for all activity—earn, spend, and manage crypto
- Clear transaction history available in the app
- DeFi integrations allow users to grow their crypto while using the card
- Connection to Starknet and Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solutions
- Built on a foundation of smart contract technology integrated with traditional payment rails
The card uses a technical architecture based on account abstraction features in Argent's smart contract wallet. When a user activates the card, they authorize a session key through their wallet's smart contract, allowing Kulipa to initiate USDC payments within set parameters while maintaining user sovereignty.
User Experience
The Argent Metal Card experience is centered around the Argent mobile app (iOS/Android), which provides:
- Card management integrated directly in the app
- Real-time transaction history and notifications
- Balance and reward tracking
- One-tap card freeze/unfreeze functionality
- Secure display of card details with biometric authentication
- PIN retrieval/management
- Direct access to partner perks and discounts
Limited public user feedback is available due to the card's recent launch, but early reports indicate positive reception for the seamless spending experience and self-custody model. Users particularly appreciate the premium feel of the physical metal card. The main complaints noted relate to regional availability limitations and the annual fee.
Some users may experience a learning curve if they're new to self-custody wallets, and the USDC-only spending model requires users to manually convert other cryptocurrencies to USDC.
Best Suited For
- Crypto natives who value self-custody while wanting everyday spending capabilities
- Regular spenders who can maximize the cashback benefits to offset the annual fee
- International travelers who benefit from zero foreign exchange fees and global acceptance
- Starknet ecosystem participants who want to earn STRK rewards through everyday spending
- Privacy-conscious users who prefer the self-custody model and delayed settlement for enhanced privacy
Pros and Cons
Pros
- True self-custody model maintains crypto ownership principles
- Generous cashback program with no staking requirements
- No hidden fees or exchange rate markups
- Premium metal card with elegant design
- Seamless integration with Argent wallet ecosystem
- Global acceptance through Mastercard network
Cons
- 120 USDC annual fee may deter casual users
- Currently only supports USDC for spending
- Geographic availability limited to UK and EEA
- Cashback rewards capped at $150 monthly
- Requires use of Argent's specific wallet ecosystem
Conclusion
The Argent Metal Card represents a significant evolution in crypto payment cards by offering a self-custodial solution that doesn't compromise on user experience or benefits. It successfully bridges the gap between cryptocurrency ownership and real-world spending utility, allowing users to maintain control of their assets until the moment of transaction.
The card's 3% cashback program (with 10% introductory rate) funded by the Starknet Foundation provides substantial value that can easily offset the annual fee for regular users. At maximum utilization, users can earn up to $1,800 annually in STRK tokens, making it one of the more rewarding crypto cards available. When combined with partner perks and the absence of conversion fees, the value proposition is compelling for active cryptocurrency users.
Where Argent truly differentiates itself is in its philosophical approach - rather than asking users to surrender their assets to a custodian, it leverages smart contract technology to maintain self-custody while enabling seamless spending. This aligns with cryptocurrency's core values of financial sovereignty and decentralization.
The primary limitations are the restricted geographic availability (currently UK/EEA only), the USDC-only funding model, and the upfront annual fee. These factors make it less accessible to global users or those seeking a no-fee entry point to crypto spending.
For crypto-native individuals in supported regions who make regular purchases and value maintaining control of their assets, the Argent Metal Card delivers on its promise of bridging decentralized finance with everyday spending in a secure, rewarding way.
Additional Information
Technical Architecture
The Argent Card relies on Argent's smart contract wallet infrastructure, particularly leveraging "account abstraction" features that enable the card's self-custody model. When a user activates the card, they authorize a session key for Kulipa (Argent's card partner) through their wallet's smart contract. This session key allows Kulipa to initiate USDC payments from the wallet on behalf of the user, but only within set parameters and limitations.
This approach differs significantly from other crypto cards that require moving funds to custodial accounts. Instead, the session key concept allows for programmatic permissions that maintain user sovereignty while enabling automatic transactions when the card is used. Users can revoke this permission at any time through the app, instantly cutting off the card's ability to draw from their wallet.
Comparison with Competitors
While many crypto cards exist, Argent's offering has several distinguishing factors:
- Self-Custody: Unlike exchange cards from Coinbase, Binance, or Crypto.com, Argent never takes custody of user funds
- No Staking Requirements: Many competitors require staking their native token to unlock rewards (e.g., Crypto.com requires CRO staking for higher tiers)
- Reward Structure: 3% flat cashback with no staking is among the highest uncomplicated rewards in the market
- Fee Transparency: Absence of FX fees, conversion fees, and hidden charges contrasts with some competitors who profit from these margins
The annual fee positions it as a premium product, but the value proposition is strong for users who would spend enough to earn substantial cashback.
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