The Uphold Card earns 1-4% XRP/GBP cashback on a Visa/Mastercard debit card with a $0-$99.99/yr fee, available in UK + US.
Uphold is a US-based multi-asset trading platform founded in 2013 by Halsey Minor (originally as Bitreserve, renamed in 2015) that lets users trade and hold cryptocurrencies alongside fiat currencies, precious metals, and equities. The platform serves customers across the US, UK, and other regions through regulated subsidiaries, including Uphold Europe Limited, which is registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority.
The Uphold Card is a crypto debit card offered by Uphold, available in UK + US. It offers 1-4% XRP/GBP cashback across 4 reward tiers, giving users the ability to earn higher rates as they increase their commitment. The annual fee starts at $0-$99.99/yr. It runs on the Visa/Mastercard network and requires standard identity verification.
New to crypto cards? Read our complete buyer's guide to understand fees, rewards, and how to choose. Concerned about privacy? See our KYC vs non-KYC comparison. Compare more options in our regional guides for the US and the UK. See where it ranks among the best crypto debit cards.
| Tier | Rate | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Promotional rate | 2% | Free tier, 2% XRP on all purchases, $120/mo cashback cap. Rewards run for 3 months from activation for cards activated from 2026-01-01 onward |
| Elite (Fiat/Stablecoin) Promotional rate | 3% | $99.99/yr, XRP cashback + no ATM/FX fees, metal card, $300/mo cashback cap. Rewards run for 3 months from activation for cards activated from 2026-01-01 onward |
| Elite (Crypto/Metals) Promotional rate | 4% | $99.99/yr, XRP cashback on crypto/metals-funded purchases, $300/mo cashback cap. Rewards run for 3 months from activation for cards activated from 2026-01-01 onward |
| UK Standard | 1% | Free, 1% cashback on card purchases at home or abroad funded from the cash balance, capped at £100/mo. Crypto-funded purchases are not eligible |
Some users are assigned a virtual IBAN on the Uphold e-money account; others deposit to a pooled account with a reference code. Whether the vIBAN is in the user's own name is not disclosed. Card is for UK residents only.
Compare IBAN and transfer capability across cards in our crypto cards with IBAN guide.
On $500/mo spend, the estimated monthly cost breakdown for Uphold Card is: gas $0.00, conversion spread $7.50, flat/FX fees $0.00, and amortised card/tier fee $0.00, for a total drag of 1.5% of spend. After $10.00/mo cashback that nets a gain of about $2.50/mo ($30.00/yr). Uphold Card tops up from a centralized balance, so there is no on-chain gas cost regardless of how often you reload. Figures are conservative estimates and vary with conditions.
Note: Relaunched Oct 2025 after SEC/Ripple settlement. Two tiers: Essential (free, 2% XRP, $120/mo cap) and Elite ($99.99/yr, 3-4% XRP, metal card, no ATM/FX fees, $300/mo cap). Elite: 4% on crypto/metals, 3% on fiat/stablecoins. Essential was 3-4% at launch but dropped to 2% flat for signups after Jan 1, 2026. UK: Mastercard, 1% cashback capped at £100/mo. CORRECTION (2026-09-25): uphold.com/en-gb/debit-card states "Earn 1% cashback on card purchases at home or abroad" and its FAQ adds "Simply spend from your cash balance to earn 1% back. Please note that purchases funded by crypto are not eligible for rewards", so the condition is a cash-funded purchase in any currency, not a GBP-funded one. The "GBP-funded purchases only" wording previously recorded here is wrong and is the change the 2026-08-27 changelog entry logged but never wrote into this file. US virtual card only (physical coming). Direct Deposit promo (additional 4% XRP) expired March 31, 2026. REWARDS ARE TIME-LIMITED (2026-09-25): uphold.com/en-us/debit-card states "Reward value available for 3 months after activating, if activated on or after January 1, 2026", so the US Essential and Elite rates are a three-month introductory period per cardholder rather than a standing rate, and Uphold publishes no rate for month four onward. The clause appears only on the US page; the UK 1% programme is a separate Mastercard product and is not marked promotional here.
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The Uphold Card is a crypto debit card offered by Uphold. It is available in UK + US and allows users to spend cryptocurrency at merchants worldwide.
The Uphold Card offers 1-4% XRP/GBP cashback. There are 4 tiers: Essential (2%), Elite (Fiat/Stablecoin) (3%), Elite (Crypto/Metals) (4%), UK Standard (1%).
The Uphold Card has an annual fee of $0-$99.99/yr. Additional fees: Conversion fee: ~1.5%.
The Uphold Card has the following limits: daily spending limit: GBP 10,000 (per transaction and per day); daily ATM withdrawal limit: GBP 1,000 (max 2 withdrawals/day, GBP 500/transaction). Limits can vary by account tier and verification level.
Yes. Uphold requires standard identity verification (KYC), typically a government-issued ID, during signup.
The Uphold Card is available in UK + US.
The Uphold Card is a debit card. You need to load cryptocurrency onto the card before making purchases.
Yes, the Uphold Card supports Apple Pay and Google Pay for contactless payments.
The Uphold Card is issued by Optimus Cards UK Limited. Licences: EMI (Financial Conduct Authority, UK).
E-money account funds are held in a designated safekeeping account with a regulated financial institution; not covered by the FSCS.
Want to see your annual earnings? Use the ROI Calculator to estimate net cashback at your spending level, or compare cards side by side.