We compare Lava Card and Nexo Card side by side: fees, cashback, custody, KYC and country availability, with verified data.
LC Lava Card Official siteA secured Visa credit card backed by your bitcoin - spend dollars, keep the BTC, earn BTC back. | NC Nexo Card Official siteThe dual-mode card: spend borrowed funds against your crypto, or your own balance. | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | A-Tier - Strong picks | A-Tier - Strong picks |
| Type | Crypto card | Crypto card |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
| Custody | Self-custody | Custodial |
| KYC | Required | Required |
| Card forms | Virtual + Physical | Virtual + Physical |
| Fund with | Crypto, Stablecoins | Crypto, Stablecoins, Fiat |
| Monthly fee | No annual fee | $0 monthly, annual or inactivity fees |
| Issuance | Free | Virtual card free (physical card ordering has been paused since early 2025) |
| FX | No foreign transaction fee; no markup on the official Visa rate | FX free up to a monthly allowance by loyalty tier, then a small markup; weekend surcharge applies |
| ATM | Credit card - designed for purchases, not cash withdrawals | Free ATM allowance by tier, then a per-withdrawal fee |
| Cashback | 1% - 5% (BTC) | 0.5% - 2% (NEXO or BTC) |
| Regions | United States, Global | Europe |
| Availability | US-first (3% BTC rewards); international users earn 1%. Bitcoin-backed borrowing available in most jurisdictions. | EEA and UK residents only. |
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