Uphold Card Review 2026
Reviewed by Mihail B. in · · how we verify
Algorithmic score, not user reviews: how it is calculated
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Fees and limits
| Issuance fee | Virtual free. US physical: metal card free on Elite, plastic card $4.99 on Essential. UK physical: £9.95 one-time shipping |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | Free (Essential); $99.99/year (Elite) |
| FX fee | 1.50% on the US Essential card; 0% on the US Elite card ($99.99/year) and on the UK card |
| ATM limit | US: $2.95 per withdrawal on Essential, free on Elite. UK: £2.50 per domestic withdrawal and £3.50 abroad. Daily ATM limits not published on the card pages |
| Spending limit | Based on verification |
Fees change; the current ones are in Uphold’s terms.
Features
- Welcome bonus: Up to 6% bonus
- Cashback: Up to 4%
The fine print
- US Elite ($99.99/year): 4% in XRP on purchases funded with crypto or metals, 3% in XRP when funded with fiat or stablecoins, up to $300 of rewards a month
- US Essential (free): 2% in XRP on any funding source, up to $120 a month
- UK: 1% cashback in GBP on purchases funded from a cash balance, up to £100 a month
- Crypto-funded purchases earn nothing
- Network: Visa / Mastercard
- KYC: Yes
- Card type: Virtual + Physical
- Top up with: 300+ assets: cryptocurrencies, precious metals (gold, silver), fiat currencies
- Available countries: United States and Washington D.C., except Louisiana and New York, with overseas territories excluded; United Kingdom
Who issues the Uphold Card
The Uphold Card is issued by Cross River Bank, USA (New Jersey state-chartered). The issuer is named in the source linked below. This covers the US card.
Primary source · All cards issued by Cross River Bank · Why the issuer matters
Supported cryptocurrencies
Pros and cons
Pros
- Spends from 300+ assets including crypto, metals and fiat
The fine print
- Up to 4% back in XRP on the Elite card with no staking
- No foreign transaction or ATM fee on Elite
- UK card pays 1% in GBP with no FX fee
- No annual maintenance fee
- Welcome bonus: Up to 6% bonus
- Banking rails: SEPA support
Cons
- US and UK only, and not Louisiana or New York
The fine print
- The free Essential card charges 1.50% FX and $2.95 per ATM withdrawal
- The best rate needs the $99.99 Elite plan
- Rewards are capped monthly ($300 Elite, $120 Essential, £100 UK)
- Fully custodial
Regional availability
Available in UK + USA
The Uphold Card is available in UK + USA: United States and Washington D.C., except Louisiana and New York, with overseas territories excluded.
Banking and fiat rails
Card overview
The Uphold Card is a live, custodial debit card, a Visa in the US and a Mastercard in the UK, and the headline 4% cashback is narrower than the marketing suggests. That 4% needs the paid Elite tier ($99.99/year), caps at $300 a month, and only covers purchases funded with crypto or metals. Fiat and stablecoin spend earns 3%. All US rewards pay out in XRP, so your cashback value rides on one volatile asset rather than the currency you spent.
It spends directly from your Uphold wallet balances, topped up by bank transfer, direct deposit, PayPal, or crypto deposits. USD balances sit at Cross River Bank with pass-through FDIC insurance up to $250,000, which covers dollars, not crypto. Free Essential pays a flat 2% (capped $120/month) but carries a 1.50% foreign-transaction fee, $2.95 ATM withdrawals, and $4.99 for a plastic card. Elite drops FX to 0%, waives ATM fees, and ships a metal card free.
Every crypto-funded purchase also carries a variable, unpublished conversion spread that erodes the reward. Fund from fiat or stablecoins to avoid it.
In the US it is available in the states and Washington D.C., but not Louisiana, New York, or US territories. The UK card is a different deal: 1% back in GBP on purchases funded from a cash balance, up to £100 a month, nothing on crypto-funded purchases, no FX fee, £9.95 to ship the physical card, and £2.50 per ATM withdrawal at home or £3.50 abroad.
- Best fit
- US Uphold users and XRP holders who spend enough to clear the Elite fee through its 0% FX and free ATM access
- Wrong card if
- you live in New York, Louisiana, a US territory or outside the US and UK, or you want rewards paid in the asset you spent
Common questions about the Uphold Card
We do not collect user reviews. Answers come from the card terms, the issuer disclosure and the regulator registers we could reach, rechecked on the Data verified date above.
