Card top-up
A card top-up is moving money onto a card balance: from a bank account, another card or, for crypto cards, a crypto wallet. The method decides the fees and the speed.
How it works
A regular or prepaid card is topped up by bank transfer, from another card or with cash. A crypto card is usually topped up with crypto: you send, say, USDT to a deposit address, and the issuer credits it to the card balance or converts it into the card currency.
When you top up with crypto, pick the same network that is shown on the deposit address. If you send a token over a different network, the money may not arrive and getting it back can be hard or impossible. Also check the minimum: a transfer below it is sometimes not credited.
The final card balance is what is left after several deductions: the network fee, the issuer's top-up fee and the conversion rate. Compare how much actually lands on the balance, not just the percentage in the ad.
You send 301 USDT, the network takes 1 USDT, and 300 USDT reaches the issuer. The issuer charges 1% for the top-up, which is $3, so $297 ends up on the card.
The costliest mistake is sending crypto on the wrong network or forgetting a memo when the address requires one. Before your first top-up, send a small test amount, check that the network matches the one on the deposit page, and only then send the main amount.
Questions and answers
What is a card top-up in simple terms?
It is putting money on your card balance so you can spend it. The source can be a bank, another card or a crypto wallet.
How long does a crypto card top-up take?
Usually from a few minutes to an hour: the blockchain needs confirmations and the issuer needs to process it. A bank transfer can take from minutes to a few business days.
What if my top-up has not arrived?
Check in a block explorer that the transaction is confirmed and went to the right address on the right network. If it did, contact the issuer's support with the transaction hash.
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Updated: 2026-10-19