Ready Card vs Bleap Card (2026): Self-Custody Crypto Cards Compared

Bleap vs Ready Card vs Bleap: Which Self-Custody Crypto Card Wins in 2026?

You want to spend crypto with a card that does not hand your funds to a custodian. Two names keep coming up: Bleap and Ready (formerly Argent). Both are self-custodial Mastercards. Both work across Europe. Both promise low or zero fees. But the details, the costs, and the trade-offs between them could not be more different.

This guide compares Bleap and Ready Card side by side, and adds Bleap's specific advantages into every section so you can see exactly where each option stands on fees, cashback, FX costs, savings, and control. Most crypto cards charge subscription fees, force you into tiered plans, or pay rewards in volatile tokens. Bleap does none of that, charging 0% FX fees, no monthly subscription, and offering up to 20% cashback.

Whether you spend €500 a month on groceries or €3,000 across 5 countries, this comparison will help you pick the right card for how you actually live.

Tired of paying annual fees just to spend your own crypto? Bleap gives you a self-custodial Mastercard with 0% FX fees and up to 20% cashback, with no subscription and no hidden charges. Get the Bleap card →

At a Glance: Bleap vs Ready Card

Before diving into the details, here is what each card offers at the highest level.

Ready Card: Two Tiers, Two Price Points

Ready Card is a Mastercard debit card linked to a self-custodial crypto wallet, available in the UK and EEA, and usable globally wherever Mastercard is accepted. The product comes in 2 tiers. Ready Metal costs 120 USDC/year (paid upfront), offers 3% cashback in STRK on up to $5,000 spend per month, and includes $800/month in fee-free ATM withdrawals. Ready Lite is free, though you pay a $6.99 shipping fee for the physical card. Ready Metal has 0% FX fees, while Ready Lite has a 1% FX fee on card transactions.

Argent rebranded to Ready in late 2025, but the wallet, card, and all features remain the same under the new brand.

Bleap: The Self-Custodial Spending Card

Bleap is a self-custodial Mastercard with a flat structure. There is no tiered plan, no annual fee, and no monthly subscription. You get 0% FX fees on every transaction, up to 20% cashback on gaming, streaming, and everyday spending, and fee-free crypto trading with no gas costs. The card works anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Bleap also offers USD savings vaults (Steady at 3.65% AER, Dynamic at 3.83% AER) with a $1 minimum deposit and 0% withdrawal fees.

Verdict: Ready splits its value across 2 tiers, with the strongest features reserved for the paid Metal plan. Bleap bundles everything into 1 free product with no annual fee and no tier pressure.

Plans and Pricing

Ready Card: Free Entry, Premium Upgrade

Ready offers 2 cards. Ready Metal costs 120 USDC for the first year, paid upfront. It will not automatically renew after 1 year, and Ready will notify you before renewal so you can choose whether to continue. Ready Lite is free, with a standard shipping fee of $6.99.

Ready Card fees are structured around a transparent, no-hidden-fee model. Both cards have no monthly maintenance fees, no inactivity penalties, and no overdraft fees. Transactions simply decline if there are insufficient funds.

The question is whether the 120 USDC annual fee for Metal is worth it. The annual fee is $120, meaning if you spend roughly $333/month on the Metal card, you have already covered the fee through cashback alone. Below that threshold, Lite is cheaper but delivers far less.

Bleap: No Subscription, No Compromise

Bleap charges €0 for the card. There is no annual fee, no monthly subscription, and no shipping cost surprises. Every user gets the full feature set from day 1: 0% FX fees, up to 20% cashback, fee-free crypto trading, and access to savings vaults. There is no "free tier with caveats" vs "paid tier with real benefits." You get everything, no conditions.

Verdict: Ready Metal makes financial sense for spenders above ~€300/month who can maximize cashback. Ready Lite is functionally limited for European users because its 1% FX fee exceeds the 0.5% cashback. Bleap offers the full package with no fee barrier.

Foreign Exchange Fees

FX fees are the single biggest cost for anyone spending abroad or in a currency different from USD. This is where the Ready Metal vs Lite decision becomes especially important.

Ready Card: Split by Tier

Ready Metal has 0% FX fees. Ready Lite has a 1% FX fee on card transactions. Ready uses the official Mastercard exchange rate without markups. There are no crypto-to-fiat conversion fees and no top-up fees.

For a European user spending in euros, the 1% FX fee on Ready Lite adds up fast. The 1% FX fee always exceeds the 0.5% cashback for non-USD spending, meaning the net return is -0.5% on every international/cross-currency transaction with Lite. That means Lite users in the EEA are paying to spend, not earning.

Bleap: 0% FX Fees, No Caps, No Weekend Markups

Bleap charges 0% FX fees on every transaction, regardless of the currency, the day of the week, or how much you spend. There is no cap, no weekend markup, and no hidden spread. This applies to every Bleap user, not just those on a premium plan.

On a €2,000 monthly spend in a non-USD currency, a Ready Lite user loses approximately €10/month in net FX costs (1% FX minus 0.5% cashback). A Bleap user loses €0 and earns cashback on top.

Verdict: Ready Metal matches Bleap on FX at 0%, but you pay 120 USDC/year for the privilege. Ready Lite charges 1%, which is a net negative for most European users. Bleap gives 0% FX to everyone, free.

Cashback and Rewards

Cashback is where these cards diverge most sharply, not just in rates but in how rewards are structured, capped, and paid.

Ready Card: STRK Rewards with Caps and Conditions

The Ready Metal Card offers 3% cashback in STRK on up to $5,000 spent each month. The Ready Lite Card offers 0.5% cashback in STRK on up to $5,000 spent each month. New Metal cardholders earn 10% cashback on up to $1,500 spent in the first 30 days, up to $150 in STRK, effectively covering the entire annual fee in the first month. After 30 days, the standard 3% rate applies.

There are important caveats. Both tiers earn cashback in STRK, not stablecoins or exchange tokens. The cashback program is funded by the Starknet Foundation and reviewed quarterly. Unlike exchange-funded cashback, Ready's cashback depends on the Starknet Foundation's continued allocation, which could theoretically be reduced or discontinued after a quarterly review.

Excluded transaction categories include gambling, ATM withdrawals, money transfers, and financial services.

Bleap: Up to 20% Cashback, No Paid Plan

Bleap offers up to 20% cashback on gaming, streaming, and everyday spending. The cashback is not contingent on a paid subscription, not paid in a volatile third-party token, and not subject to quarterly review by a foundation. You can use your card on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox with up to 20% cashback. The debit card works anywhere Mastercard is accepted, with no category exclusions that reduce your earning potential across normal spending.

Verdict: Ready Metal's 3% flat rate on general spending is competitive, but it is paid in STRK (price-volatile), capped at $5,000/month, and funded by an external foundation. Bleap's up to 20% cashback requires no annual fee and no token management.

Why pay 120 USDC/year for cashback in a volatile token? Bleap gives you up to 20% cashback with no annual fee, no spending caps on rewards, and no subscription. Self-custodial Mastercard, 0% FX fees. Get the Bleap card →

ATM Withdrawals

Ready Card: Generous on Metal, Limited on Lite

ATM withdrawals are allowed wherever Mastercard is accepted. Up to $800/month is fee-free for Ready Metal members and up to $200/month is fee-free for Ready Lite members. A 2% fee applies to ATM withdrawals beyond this limit.

Spending and ATM limits are the same for both plans: single transaction maximum $5,000, daily spending limit $10,000, rolling 30-day limit $30,000, and ATM daily cap of $500.

Ready Lite charges a 2% fee on all ATM withdrawals. This is a meaningful distinction. Lite does not have a free ATM tier. Every withdrawal costs money.

Bleap: Built for Card Spending

Bleap is designed primarily for card-based spending rather than cash extraction. The product is optimized for contactless payments, online purchases, and subscription services. For users whose spending is predominantly digital, the card delivers maximum value through 0% FX fees and cashback on every swipe, without requiring an ATM strategy.

Verdict: If regular cash withdrawals are central to your spending, Ready Metal's $800/month free allowance is strong. Ready Lite's 2% fee on all ATM withdrawals makes it expensive for cash. Bleap is the better fit if your spending is card-first, which is increasingly how most people in Europe pay.

Crypto Support and Trading

Ready Card: USDC Only

The Ready Card only supports USDC for loading and spending. One important limitation: Ready currently supports USDC only. No ETH, BTC, or other cryptocurrencies can be spent directly. This keeps the fee structure clean, but if your crypto is on other chains you need to bridge USDC to Starknet first.

Ready does offer a BTC loan product that enables Bitcoin holders to spend without liquidating their cryptocurrency positions. The borrowed USDC can be used immediately with either the Metal or Lite card.

Bleap: Fee-Free Trading, Self-Custodial

Bleap lets you buy and sell crypto with no trading fees, no gas costs, and no spread markup. Gasless trading works across supported networks including Solana and Arbitrum. The self-custodial model means your funds stay under your control from purchase through spending. Unlike Ready, Bleap is not limited to a single stablecoin on a single chain.

Verdict: Ready is tightly focused on USDC spending on Starknet, which is clean but narrow. Bleap supports fee-free trading and multi-chain access with no gas costs, making it more versatile for users who want to buy, hold, and spend crypto from 1 place.

Savings and Passive Returns

Ready Card: No Built-In Savings Product

Ready does not currently offer a savings vault, interest-bearing account, or staking product within the card experience. Your USDC sits in your Starknet wallet and does not earn a return unless you actively deploy it through external DeFi protocols. This is an area where Ready's product scope is intentionally narrow.

Bleap Savings Vaults: 3.65% / 3.83% AER

Bleap offers 2 USD savings vaults directly within the app. The Steady vault pays 3.65% AER (lowest risk), and the Dynamic vault pays 3.83% AER (low risk). The minimum deposit is $1 USD, there are no lock-ins, and the withdrawal fee is 0%. EUR savings are coming soon. This means your idle funds can work for you between spending sessions, without leaving the Bleap ecosystem.

Verdict: Ready has no passive income feature built in. Bleap gives you 2 savings vaults earning up to 3.83% AER with $1 minimum and no penalties, a significant advantage for users who want their money to grow when they are not spending it.

Security and Custody

Ready Card: Smart Contract Self-Custody on Starknet

Unlike most other crypto cards, Ready never holds or controls your funds. Your crypto stays in your self-custodial wallet until you make a payment. The card simply facilitates spending while you remain in full control of your assets.

Kulipa, the regulated card issuer behind Ready, handles KYC and card issuance. Ready has had zero security breaches across 9 years of continuous wallet operation.

Bleap: Self-Custodial Security

Bleap is a self-custodial Mastercard where you retain full control of your funds at all times. The architecture ensures no single party can move your assets without your authorization. You do not need to trust a third-party custodian with your crypto. This is the same core principle as Ready, with different underlying infrastructure.

Verdict: Both Bleap and Ready are genuinely self-custodial. Ready uses smart contract wallets on Starknet. Bleap uses multi-party computation to protect your keys. Both are meaningful improvements over custodial cards. The right choice depends on which infrastructure you trust more.

App Experience and Mobile Payments

Ready Card: Clean App, Google Pay Only

Google Pay is fully supported. You can add your card in the app and use it for contactless payments at any Google Pay-enabled terminal. Apple Pay is not yet available. Ready has confirmed it is in development and will announce a launch date when ready. Do not rely on Apple Pay being available in the near term.

Ready Card is a standard Mastercard at the point of sale. Merchants see a contactless payment, with nothing crypto-specific about the transaction experience from their side.

Bleap: Simple, Focused

Bleap's app is built around simplicity. You can manage your card, savings vaults, and crypto trading from 1 interface. The focus is on removing friction, not adding features for their own sake. The card works as a debit card you can use anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Verdict: Ready's app is polished with strong wallet integration on Starknet, but the lack of Apple Pay is a real limitation for iPhone users. Bleap prioritizes a streamlined experience with fewer barriers to getting started.

Availability

Ready Card: UK and EEA

Ready Card is currently available for application to residents of the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area. The EEA covers all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Ready has stated it plans to expand to more countries from 2025 onwards, but as of April 2026 no specific timeline for additional markets has been confirmed.

Bleap: EEA and Expanding

Bleap is available in the EEA, with expansion across Latin America underway and global rollout planned. For European users, both cards are accessible today. Bleap's Latin American expansion gives it a slight edge for users who travel or send money across regions.

Verdict: Both cards serve UK and EEA residents. Bleap's expanding footprint across Latin America makes it more versatile for users with cross-border needs.

Full Comparison Table

Note: As of April 2026, Ready Lite charges 2% on all ATM withdrawals with a $200/month fee-free allowance, per updated Ready documentation. Bleap savings rates are in USD. EUR savings coming soon.

Earning cashback while saving at 3.83% AER, all with no fees? Bleap combines a self-custodial Mastercard (0% FX, up to 20% cashback) with USD savings vaults starting at $1, 0% withdrawal fees. No subscription required. Open a Bleap account →

Ready Metal vs Ready Lite: Which Tier Is Worth It?

If you are specifically deciding between Ready's 2 tiers, the math is straightforward.

The Ready Metal Card (120 USDC/year) upgrades cashback from 0.5% to 3%, FX from 1% to 0%, and ATM from $200/month to $800/month free. The Metal break-even vs Lite is at $333/month spending.

Below €300/month in spending, Lite saves you the annual fee but costs you in FX and delivers negligible cashback. The 1% FX fee always exceeds the 0.5% cashback for non-USD spending. Lite is a sovereignty tool: a free self-custodial card for testing on-chain spending before upgrading to Metal.

Above €300/month, Metal pays for itself through 3% cashback and 0% FX savings, assuming STRK holds its value.

The elephant in the room: Ready's cashback depends on the Starknet Foundation's continued allocation, which could theoretically be reduced or discontinued after a quarterly review. Metal's value proposition is strong today, but it rests on an external funding source.

Choose Ready Lite if...

• You want to test self-custodial spending on Starknet with zero financial commitment
• Your monthly card spend is under €300 and you do not need FX-fee-free transactions
• You already hold USDC on Starknet and want a simple way to spend it directly
• You are comfortable with a net negative return on non-USD transactions (1% FX minus 0.5% cashback)

Choose Ready Metal if...

• You spend more than €300/month consistently and can use the full $5,000 monthly cashback cap
• You travel frequently and need 0% FX fees plus $800/month in fee-free ATM access
• You are comfortable earning cashback in STRK and managing token-to-fiat conversion
• You want access to partner perks (Layerswap, Koinly, Airalo, NordVPN)
• You can fully leverage the 10% first-month cashback window to offset the annual fee

Choose Bleap if...

• You want 0% FX fees on every transaction without paying an annual fee
• You value up to 20% cashback on gaming, streaming, and everyday spending, with no subscription
• You want fee-free crypto trading with no gas costs and full self-custody from day 1
• You want built-in USD savings vaults at 3.65% AER (Steady) or 3.83% AER (Dynamic), starting from $1
• You prefer a single, simple product over managing tiers, caps, and token rewards
• You need a card that works across the EEA now and Latin America soon

Final Verdict

Both Bleap and Ready are serious, well-built self-custodial crypto cards. Ready Metal is a strong product for heavy spenders who want 3% cashback, are comfortable with STRK exposure, and do not mind the 120 USDC annual commitment. Ready Lite works as a low-stakes trial but is difficult to recommend as a primary card for European users due to the net-negative FX economics.

Bleap takes a different approach: give everything to everyone, charge nothing. 0% FX fees, up to 20% cashback, fee-free crypto trading, savings vaults up to 3.83% AER, and a self-custodial Mastercard, all without a subscription. For most users who want simplicity, transparency, and strong value without managing tiers or token portfolios, Bleap is the cleaner choice.

If you came here to choose between 2 options, consider all 3. Get the Bleap card and start spending with 0% FX fees and up to 20% cashback, no annual commitment required.

Open a Bleap account →

FAQ

Is Ready Card the same as Argent?

Yes. Argent rebranded to Ready in late 2025. The wallet, card, and all features remain the same under the new brand.

Does Ready Card charge FX fees?

Ready Metal has 0% FX fees. Ready Lite has a 1% FX fee on card transactions. Bleap charges 0% FX fees on all transactions regardless of plan, because there is only 1 plan and it is free.

What crypto can I spend with Ready Card?

The Ready Card only supports USDC for loading and spending. Bleap supports fee-free trading across multiple chains and assets.

Does Ready Card support Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is not yet available. Ready has confirmed it is in development and will announce a launch date when ready. Google Pay is fully supported.

Is the Ready Card cashback guaranteed?

Both tiers earn cashback in STRK. The cashback program is funded by the Starknet Foundation and reviewed quarterly. This means it is not a permanent guarantee. The rate and availability could change at any quarterly review.

Does Bleap have savings accounts?

Yes. Bleap offers 2 USD savings vaults: Steady at 3.65% AER (lowest risk) and Dynamic at 3.83% AER (low risk). The minimum deposit is $1 USD, the withdrawal fee is 0%, and there are no lock-ins. EUR savings are coming soon.

Which card is better for traveling in Europe?

For travel spending, both Bleap and Ready Metal offer 0% FX fees. The difference is that Bleap includes this for free while Ready Metal costs 120 USDC/year. Ready Lite's 1% FX fee makes it an expensive travel card. If you want the lowest total cost of ownership for European travel, Bleap is the stronger option, pairing 0% FX with up to 20% cashback and no annual fee.

Can I use both Bleap and Ready at the same time?

Yes. Both are self-custodial Mastercards. Some users carry both and use each for different purposes. But for most people, the simplicity of a single card with 0% FX fees, up to 20% cashback, and built-in savings makes Bleap the more practical daily driver.