MetaMask Card only takes residents of a limited country list, and new sign-ups are paused in some countries, so for many readers KAST is the one they can actually get. Pick MetaMask Card if you want to spend from a wallet or vault you control instead of a balance held for you. Pick KAST if you live in Japan (KAST's help center names Japan; MetaMask Card does not accept Japan residents) and you prefer a simple app balance to managing your own wallet.
Key differences
- MetaMask Card is self-custodial (you spend from your own wallet or vault); KAST is custodial (the provider holds your balance).
- Who can apply differs. MetaMask Card: Residents of 45 countries on metamask.io/card (48 in the help center, adding the UK, Bahrain and Oman); US and UK sign-ups are temporarily closed. KAST: Only countries in the sign-up dropdown; KAST publishes no full country list.
- Entry-tier cashback: 1% in mUSD for MetaMask Card, 1.5% in USD for KAST.
- Paying in a non-USD currency costs 1–1.5% with MetaMask Card and 0.5–1.75% with KAST (FX plus any conversion fee).
The two cards
MetaMask Card vs KAST side by side
Entry-tier terms unless a row says otherwise. Where an issuer does not publish a figure, the cell says so instead of estimating.
| Check | MetaMask Card | KAST Card |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Mastercard debit card Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | Visa (Standard is Visa Platinum; Premium and Private are Visa Infinite) Source: KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Custody | Self-custodial: tokens stay in your MetaMask wallet until a purchase converts them at the point of sale Source: MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | Custodial account: your deposits sit in a KAST account balance shown in US dollars Source: KAST Crypto Cards, KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Issuer | Not published: not named on the MetaMask pages we checked Source: MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | KAST says it is not a bank and that licensed partners provide its cards; the issuer is named in your cardholder agreement Source: KAST Crypto Cards · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Who can apply | Residents of 45 countries on metamask.io/card (48 in the help center, adding the UK, Bahrain and Oman); US and UK sign-ups are temporarily closed Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | Only countries in the sign-up dropdown; KAST publishes no full country list Source: KAST: is the card available in my country? · checked 2026-10-10 |
| Japan | Japan is not on either official country list; waitlist only Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | No public card-country list, but Japan is on KAST's Apple Pay availability list, which is based on the country of residence registered with KAST (help article updated 2026-09-10) Source: KAST: Apple Pay availability by country · checked 2026-10-10 |
| Annual or membership fee | Virtual $0; Metal $199 a year, but Metal is closed to new users (orders paused since 2026-06-02) Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees, MetaMask: Metal card · checked 2026-10-01 | Standard $0; Premium $1,000 a year; Private $10,000 a year Source: KAST membership tiers · checked 2026-10-06 |
| Card fee | Virtual card free; no physical card for new users while Metal is paused Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees, MetaMask: Metal card · checked 2026-10-01 | Standard physical card free with $40 delivery; Premium and Private include a physical card Source: KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| FX and conversion | 1% cross-border fee when the merchant is outside your country; token fee: none for a stablecoin in your or the merchant's local currency, 0.5% for a stablecoin in a third currency, 0.875% for other crypto such as wETH Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees · checked 2026-10-01 | 0% on USD spend; 0.5–1.75% FX fee on other currencies, plus $0.10 on non-USD purchases under $25 Source: KAST: paying in different currencies, KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Funding | No separate top-up: supported tokens are spent straight from the wallet; network gas is small (MetaMask cites about $0.01 on Linea) Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01 | Supported stablecoins convert 1:1 at 0%; other tokens (BTC, ETH, SOL and others) auto-convert with a token-specific fee shown before you confirm Source: KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Cashback | 1% back in mUSD on the Virtual card (Metal advertises 3% on the first $10,000 a year but is closed to new users) Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: mUSD · checked 2026-10-01 | 1.5% USD cashback on the first $2,000 a month (Standard), 2% to $10,000 (Premium), 3% to $40,000 (Private); Premium and Private add KAST Points Source: KAST membership tiers, KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-06 |
| ATM | 2% on the Virtual card; $1,000 per transaction and $1,000 a day Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees · checked 2026-10-01 | $3 + 2% per withdrawal; up to $250 each and 3 withdrawals or $750 per rolling 24 hours; no cashback Source: KAST: spending and ATM limits, KAST: Fees and Conditions · checked 2026-10-01 |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Apple Pay and Google Pay on the Virtual card Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask Card limits and fees · checked 2026-10-01 | Apple Pay and Google Pay; Apple Pay depends on your registered country of residence Source: KAST: Apple Pay availability by country · checked 2026-10-10 |
Worked example: $1,000 a month in a non-USD currency
Same assumptions for both cards: entry tier, $1,000 of eligible card spending a month at a merchant charging in a currency other than US dollars, paid from a US-dollar stablecoin balance. The figures are our arithmetic from the rows above, not issuer quotes; reward tokens are valued at the moment they are paid.
| Per month | MetaMask Card | KAST |
|---|---|---|
| Entry tier | Virtual | Standard |
| Fixed cost, first year | $0 | $0 |
| FX and conversion on $1,000 | $10.00–$15.00 | $5.00–$17.50 |
| Cashback on $1,000 | $10.00 in mUSD | $15.00 in USD |
| Cashback minus FX | -$5.00 to $0.00 | -$2.50 to +$10.00 |
Who should pick which
- You want to spend from a wallet or vault you control instead of a balance held for you
- Residents of MetaMask's listed countries who want to spend straight from their own wallet Source: MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01
- Spending a stablecoin in your own currency at local merchants, where no token fee applies Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees · checked 2026-10-01
- Not open in Japan, the US or the UK for new sign-ups Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01
- Foreign merchants add a 1% cross-border fee, which can cancel the 1% mUSD back Source: MetaMask Card limits and fees · checked 2026-10-01
- You live in Japan (KAST's help center names Japan; MetaMask Card does not accept Japan residents)
- You live outside MetaMask Card's short list of supported countries
- You prefer a simple app balance to managing your own wallet
- You want the higher entry-tier cashback (1.5% vs 1%)
- Stablecoin holders who want a free entry tier with cashback paid in US dollars Source: KAST membership tiers · checked 2026-10-06
- Readers who spend mostly in USD, where KAST charges no card-spend fee Source: KAST: paying in different currencies · checked 2026-10-01
- Non-USD spending adds a 0.5–1.75% FX fee that depends on your residence and where you pay Source: KAST: paying in different currencies · checked 2026-10-01
- ATM withdrawals are capped at $250 each (fee included) and $750 per 24 hours Source: KAST: spending and ATM limits · checked 2026-10-01
Japan note
- MetaMask Card: Japan is not on either official country list; waitlist only Source: MetaMask Card official page, MetaMask: What is MetaMask Card? · checked 2026-10-01
- KAST: No public card-country list, but Japan is on KAST's Apple Pay availability list, which is based on the country of residence registered with KAST (help article updated 2026-09-10) Source: KAST: Apple Pay availability by country · checked 2026-10-10
Paying with a card in Japan is not the same as being able to open one as a Japan resident. Select your real country of residence in the app and stop if it is not offered.
Next step
Check the country screen, the fee preview and a small first payment in the app before moving a larger balance.
The MetaMask Card and KAST buttons are our referral links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you, and it does not change the facts on this page.FAQ
MetaMask Card or KAST: which should I choose?
Pick MetaMask Card if you want to spend from a wallet or vault you control instead of a balance held for you. Pick KAST if you live in Japan (KAST's help center names Japan; MetaMask Card does not accept Japan residents); or you live outside MetaMask Card's short list of supported countries; or you prefer a simple app balance to managing your own wallet; or you want the higher entry-tier cashback (1.5% vs 1%).
Can I get MetaMask Card or KAST in Japan?
MetaMask Card: Japan is not on either official country list; waitlist only (checked 2026-10-01). KAST: No public card-country list, but Japan is on KAST's Apple Pay availability list, which is based on the country of residence registered with KAST (help article updated 2026-09-10) (checked 2026-10-10). The issuer's app decides in the end, so check the country screen before you fund either card.
Which costs less, MetaMask Card or KAST?
MetaMask Card: Virtual $0; Metal $199 a year, but Metal is closed to new users (orders paused since 2026-06-02); Virtual card free; no physical card for new users while Metal is paused; FX: 1% cross-border fee when the merchant is outside your country; token fee: none for a stablecoin in your or the merchant's local currency, 0.5% for a stablecoin in a third currency, 0.875% for other crypto such as wETH. KAST: Standard $0; Premium $1,000 a year; Private $10,000 a year; Standard physical card free with $40 delivery; Premium and Private include a physical card; FX: 0% on USD spend; 0.5–1.75% FX fee on other currencies, plus $0.10 on non-USD purchases under $25.
How does MetaMask Card cashback compare with KAST?
MetaMask Card: 1% back in mUSD on the Virtual card (Metal advertises 3% on the first $10,000 a year but is closed to new users) (checked 2026-10-01). KAST: 1.5% USD cashback on the first $2,000 a month (Standard), 2% to $10,000 (Premium), 3% to $40,000 (Private); Premium and Private add KAST Points (checked 2026-10-06).
Is MetaMask Card or KAST self-custodial?
MetaMask Card: Self-custodial: tokens stay in your MetaMask wallet until a purchase converts them at the point of sale (checked 2026-10-01). KAST: Custodial account: your deposits sit in a KAST account balance shown in US dollars (checked 2026-10-01).
Official sources checked
Each table row shows its own source and check date; facts on this page were last checked on 2026-10-10. Terms change, so treat the issuer's app as the final word before applying or funding.