Based Card Review (2026)

The Based Card earns 0-4% $BASED cashback on a Visa debit card with a $0 (card requires a $BASED lockup) fee, available in Global excl. US, Canada, Australia, Singapore + ~90 more.

Reviewed by Card Pilled Editorial · Last verified 2026-10-18

Key Facts

Cashback
0-4% $BASED
Annual Fee
$0 (card requires a $BASED lockup)
Region
Global excl. US, Canada, Australia, Singapore + ~90 more
Type
Debit
Network
Visa
KYC
unknown

Overview

BasedApp is a self-custodial spending app whose card runs on Xfers Pte. Ltd, the Singapore entity behind the StraitsX stablecoin issuer (XSGD, XUSD). Rewards are paid in the app's own $BASED token and the reward tier is set by how much $BASED the cardholder stakes.

The Based Card is a crypto debit card offered by BasedApp (Xfers Pte. Ltd), available in Global excl. US, Canada, Australia, Singapore + ~90 more. It offers 0-4% $BASED cashback across 3 reward tiers, giving users the ability to earn higher rates as they increase their commitment. There is no annual fee to hold this card.

It is a strong fit for privacy-conscious users who want to keep custody of their keys while spending. It runs on the Visa network.

Cashback Tiers

Based Card cashback tiers and requirements
TierRateRequirement
Orange0%Not yet available (release date TBA). No $BASED lockup, 2.5% FX markup, no cashback
HYPE2%10,000 $BASED staked (locked for 21 days on card redemption; rewards stop once unstaking starts). $20/mo cashback cap. Cuts the FX fee to 1.5%
Gold4%100,000 $BASED staked (locked for 21 days on card redemption; rewards stop once unstaking starts). $100/mo cashback cap. Cuts the FX fee to 0%

Pros

Cons

Fees & Costs

FX Fee
2.5% Orange / 1.5% HYPE / 0% Gold
Top-Up Fee
0% on USDT, USDC and XSGD
Inactivity Fee
$5/month after 6 months without use, until the balance reaches $0 and the card is terminated

Limits & Top-Up

Top-Up Assets
USDT, USDC, XSGD
Top-Up Methods
Stablecoin deposit into the self-custodial wallet
Virtual Card Fee
$0
Physical Card Fee
$0 (replacement $100)

Who's behind this card

Issuing bank
Xfers Pte. Ltd

Cost & Returns

On $500/mo spend, the estimated monthly cost breakdown for Based Card is: gas $0.00, conversion spread $2.50, flat transaction fees $0.00, and amortised card/tier fee $0.00, for a total drag of 0.5% of spend. After $0.00/mo cashback that is still a net cost of about $2.50/mo ($30.00/yr). Based Card tops up from a centralized balance, so there is no on-chain gas cost regardless of how often you reload. This card bills in USD. Spending in another currency adds a 2.5% FX fee; these figures do not include it. Figures are conservative estimates and vary with conditions.

Note: Self-custodial Visa card funded with USDT, USDC or XSGD, with free top-ups and gasless deposits via Gelato Relay. The tier ladder is a staking ladder rather than a spending ladder: staking $BASED both raises the cashback rate and cuts the FX fee, and Gold is free of FX cost. BasedApp's docs now say a card can only be obtained by staking $BASED (HYPE 10,000, Gold 100,000, with part of the stake locked for 21 days on redemption), that tiers no longer carry signup or annual fees, and that the no-lockup Orange tier is not yet available. Cashback is paid in $BASED, so its value moves with the token, not with the dollar. GAPS: BasedApp does not state a KYC level anywhere (it says only that a credit check is not required, which is not the same thing). Its Card Types page now publishes the restricted-country list (about 95 countries, effective 1 August 2026), which replaces the 74-country count previously cited from opencryptocards. Network confirmed as Visa from BasedApp's own docs ('Based Visa Card'); the marketing card page never names it. The marketing card page (based.one/cards, read 2026-10-04) labels the two live tiers Premium and Gold rather than HYPE and Gold, with the same 2%/4% cashback and 1.5%/0% FX, and lists subscription rebates the docs do not: up to $10/mo (Premium) or $100/mo (Gold) back on ChatGPT, Claude and Grok, and up to $20/mo on Netflix, Spotify and YouTube from Gold.

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FAQ

What is the Based Card?

The Based Card is a crypto debit card offered by BasedApp (Xfers Pte. Ltd). It is available in Global excl. US, Canada, Australia, Singapore + ~90 more and allows users to spend cryptocurrency at merchants worldwide.

How much cashback does the Based Card offer?

The Based Card offers 0-4% $BASED cashback. There are 3 tiers: Orange (0%), HYPE (2%), Gold (4%).

What are the fees for the Based Card?

The Based Card has an annual fee of $0 (card requires a $BASED lockup). Additional fees: FX fee: 2.5% Orange / 1.5% HYPE / 0% Gold; Top-up: 0% on USDT, USDC and XSGD; Inactivity: $5/month after 6 months without use, until the balance reaches $0 and the card is terminated.

How do you top up the Based Card?

Supported assets include USDT, USDC, XSGD; top-up methods include Stablecoin deposit into the self-custodial wallet.

Which countries is the Based Card available in?

The Based Card is available in Global excl. US, Canada, Australia, Singapore + ~90 more. It is NOT available in the United States.

Is the Based Card a credit or debit card?

The Based Card is a debit card. You need to load cryptocurrency onto the card before making purchases.

Is the Based Card a non-custodial card?

Yes, the Based Card is a non-custodial (self-custody) card. This means you retain control of your private keys and your crypto is not held by a third party. Funds are only converted at the point of sale, reducing counterparty risk compared to custodial alternatives.

Who issues the Based Card?

The Based Card is issued by Xfers Pte. Ltd.

Visit BasedApp (Xfers Pte. Ltd)

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