How to Spend USDT and USDC on Everyday Purchases — How Crypto Cards Work

Holding USDT or USDC doesn't mean you can hand them to a store checkout or an online shop. Merchants settle in fiat currency — not in tokens on a blockchain.

The bridge between the two is a crypto card. This article explains how that bridge works and walks through the steps to start using one.

Why you can't spend crypto at a store directly

Store checkouts and payment systems connect to card networks such as Visa and Mastercard. These networks move fiat currency; they have no mechanism for accepting USDT or USDC straight from a blockchain.

So to spend crypto, it first has to be converted into a form the card network understands.

How a crypto card bridges the gap

A crypto card combines two things in a single card:

1. A deposit endpoint for crypto (it accepts transfers from a blockchain)
2. A balance the card network can spend (a form merchants can accept)

From your side it feels like "top up with crypto, pay with the card." Under the hood, your crypto is converted into card balance when you deposit, and payments are processed through the card network.

Getting started with RAYS CARD

With RAYS CARD, it takes four steps.

1. Purchase a card

Buy a card in the app. You can pay with crypto (USDT, USDC, and others) or with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, and others).

See Buy and pay for a card for the detailed steps.

2. Activate the card when it arrives

When the physical card arrives, activate it in the app. You'll need the last 4 digits of the card number and the reference number printed in your card kit.

See Activate your card for the detailed steps.

3. Top up with crypto

From the deposit screen in the app, top up with USDT or USDC. Supported networks are BSC, ERC, and TRC.

Send to the deposit address shown in the app; once the transfer is confirmed on the network, it is reflected in your balance.

See Deposit with crypto for the detailed steps.

4. Spend

Once the balance is in, it works like any other card — at stores, online shops, and ATMs wherever the card network is accepted.

Supported currencies and networks

RAYS CARD crypto top-ups support:

• Currencies: USDT, USDC
• Networks: BSC, ERC, TRC

Because multiple networks are supported, you can pick whichever suits your wallet or exchange. Transfer fees and confirmation speed differ per network, so using the one you already know tends to be the smoothest.

How long until a top-up is reflected

A top-up is credited once the transfer is confirmed on the blockchain. That means speed depends on how congested your chosen network is; during busy periods it can take longer than usual.

You can check the status in View your deposit history.

Things to watch out for

Always match the currency and the network

This is the single most important rule. If the network you send on doesn't match the network you selected, you can lose your funds.

For example, selecting USDT (TRC) on the deposit screen but sending over ERC from your wallet. Always double-check both sides before sending.

Know the fees

Fees apply to card usage and issuance, and an exchange fee applies to transactions in a different currency.

For current amounts, see About fees and the Terms of Service.

Summary

• Crypto can't be spent at stores as-is — it needs converting into a form card networks accept
• A crypto card combines a "crypto deposit endpoint" and a "spendable card balance" in one card
• With RAYS CARD: purchase → activate → top up with USDT/USDC → spend, in four steps
• Supported networks are BSC, ERC, and TRC. Matching currency and network is the golden rule

If you're just getting started, the Help Center has step-by-step guides for each stage.