Before travelling with a crypto card, check its foreign-currency fee, its ATM allowance and fees, and whether your phone wallet works with it. When a terminal offers to charge you in Canadian dollars, choosing the local currency usually avoids an extra conversion markup. Keep a backup card from a different network.
Figures as of October 31, 2026.
| Card | Foreign-currency fee | ATM | Apple Pay | Google Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakepay Card | 3% (Base), 1.5% (Bright), 0% (Blue) | No Shakepay ATM fee listed; ATM operators may charge. Limits: $500 per withdrawal, $1,000 a day; physical card only; no rewards on ATM withdrawals | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto.com Visa | Midnight 2%; Ruby free on the first CA$700 a month then 2%; Jade/Indigo free on the first CA$1,400 then 2%; higher tiers no fee | No Crypto.com ATM fee listed in the Canadian fees article; ATM bank fees may apply. Withdrawal limits: C$700/day and C$7,000/month (Midnight), C$1,500/day (Ruby), C$2,500/day (higher tiers), C$15,000/month above Midnight | Yes | Yes |
| ether.fi Cash | FX margin on top of the base rate for non-USD/EUR purchases, including CAD: Core 0.5%, Luxe 0.25%, Pinnacle and VIP none | No ATM fee listed; up to US$5,000 per withdrawal and US$25,000 a rolling 24 hours; no cashback on ATM withdrawals | Not stated | Yes |
| MetaMask Card | 1% cross-border fee when the merchant is outside your country (free tier) | Not available in Canada: the free tier is a digital card with no physical card here (the table lists 2% for physical-card ATM use) | Yes | Yes |
Before you go
- Turn on foreign transactions in the app if the card lets you switch them off.
- Top up CAD before you leave if the card spends a CAD balance; topping up abroad may depend on your bank.
- Carry a second card on a different network in case one is declined or frozen.
- Know how to freeze the card from the app.
At the terminal
Some terminals and ATMs abroad offer to convert the charge to Canadian dollars on the spot. That conversion is set by the terminal operator, not your card, and is often marked up. Choosing to pay in the local currency lets your card’s own rate and fee apply.
What does a $3,000 trip cost on each card?
| Card / tier | Rewards on the trip | FX and conversion fees | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakepay Card — Base | $30 | −$90 | −$60 |
| Shakepay Card — Bright (status needed) | $30 | −$45 | −$15 |
| Shakepay Card — Blue (status needed) | $45 | $0 | $45 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Midnight Blue | $0 | −$60 | −$60 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Ruby Steel (annual subscription) | $16 | −$46 | −$30 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Ruby Steel (CRO stake) | $16 | −$46 | −$30 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Royal Indigo / Jade Green (annual subscription) | $52 | −$32 | $20 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Royal Indigo / Jade Green (CRO stake) | $52 | −$32 | $20 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Icy White / Rose Gold | $105 | $0 | $105 |
| Crypto.com Visa — Obsidian | $135 | $0 | $135 |
| ether.fi Cash — Core | $86 | −$15 | $71 |
| ether.fi Cash — Luxe | $90 | −$7 | $83 |
| ether.fi Cash — Pinnacle | $90 | $0 | $90 |
| MetaMask Card | $30 | −$45 | −$15 |
Read the status rows carefully. Shakepay’s 0% FX at Blue applies only in a month you qualify, and Bright’s 1.5% likewise; on Base you pay 3%. Crypto.com’s free tier charges 2%, and its paid tiers waive FX only up to CA$700 or CA$1,400 a month. ether.fi charges its FX margin on any non-USD purchase, so a US trip avoids it but a European one does not.
Which cards work at ATMs abroad?
Shakepay’s physical card works at ATMs showing the PLUS logo, up to $500 per withdrawal and $1,000 a day, with no Shakepay fee listed but operator fees possible. Crypto.com cards allow C$700 to C$2,500 a day by tier. ether.fi allows up to US$5,000 per withdrawal. MetaMask’s free card is digital-only in Canada, so there is no ATM access. No card pays rewards on cash withdrawals.
Should I pay in local currency or CAD?
Choose local currency. When a terminal offers to convert the bill to Canadian dollars, the rate is set by the terminal operator and often carries a markup. Paying in local currency lets your card’s own rate and stated fee apply, which the calculator models.
What should I pack besides the crypto card?
A second card on a different network, in case one is declined or frozen; the issuer’s support details saved offline; and enough CAD balance or loaded funds for the trip before you leave, since topping up from abroad can depend on your bank’s e-Transfer access.
| Foreign-currency spending on the trip | $2,500 |
|---|---|
| Shakepay Card (Base) | −$75.00 |
| Crypto.com Visa (Midnight Blue) | −$50.00 |
| ether.fi Cash (Core) | $0.00 |
| MetaMask Card (Free (digital)) | −$25.00 |
| Highest stated FX cost on the entry tier | $75.00 (Shakepay Card)Higher Shakepay statuses and Crypto.com tiers cut or remove the fee. |
Open the foreign-currency tool →Computed 2026-11-03.
What this means for you
If you travel often, the FX fee matters more than the reward rate. Shakepay Blue and Crypto.com’s staked top tiers remove it; check whether you will qualify that month.
Questions people ask
Which crypto card has no foreign-transaction fee?
Shakepay at Blue status (0%, in months you qualify), Crypto.com’s Icy White/Rose Gold and Obsidian tiers, and ether.fi’s Pinnacle level. Entry tiers all charge something.
Do crypto cards work abroad?
Yes, wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted, subject to the issuer’s limits and any regional restrictions.
Can I withdraw cash abroad with a crypto card?
Shakepay, Crypto.com and ether.fi cards can, within limits, with possible operator fees and no rewards. MetaMask’s free card has no ATM access in Canada.
Should I let the terminal convert to CAD?
No. Pay in the local currency so the card’s own rate and fee apply.
Sources
- Shakepay — Card — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — What are the Shakepay reward statuses? — page dated October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — Cashback rewards with the Shakepay Prepaid Visa Card — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — What are the fees and limits of the Shakepay Card? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — How do I order and use my physical Shakepay Card? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Help Centre — How does the Shakepay Card work? — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- Shakepay Visa Prepaid Card — Cardholder Agreement (Peoples Trust Company) — no date shown; read October 31, 2026
- CSA — Crypto platforms authorized to do business with Canadians — page dated September 18, 2026
- Crypto.com — Crypto.com Visa Card (Canada) — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Crypto.com Help Center — Prepaid Visa Card Fees and Limits (Canada) — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Crypto.com Help Center — Prepaid Card Rewards & Benefits — no date shown; read November 1, 2026
- Bank of Canada Valet — USD/CAD (FXUSDCAD) — page dated November 2, 2026
- ether.fi Help — In which countries is the Cash card available? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — What are the benefits of a personal Cash credit card? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — How does cashback work? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — What’s the foreign exchange (FX) rate used on Cash transactions? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — ATM withdrawal limits for personal Cash cards — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — Which transactions don’t earn cashback? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — Borrow Mode vs Direct Pay Mode — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- ether.fi Help — How do I add my card to Apple Wallet or Google Pay? — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
- MetaMask — MetaMask Card — no date shown; read November 3, 2026
- MetaMask Support — MetaMask Card limits and fees — no date shown; read November 4, 2026
Educational information, not financial, tax or legal advice. 5 min read. Reviewed October 31, 2026.