Nº 9 Free travel tier
Wirex One review
The oldest name in crypto cards, rebuilt from scratch in 2026 as a self-custodial stablecoin app. The free tier is a clean travel card — the high rates are a bet on the WPAY token.
Wirex launched one of the first crypto debit cards in 2015. In May 2026 it relaunched as Wirex One: a Visa card on a non-custodial Privy wallet, with multi-currency IBANs, stablecoin yield and no subscription. The legacy app's crypto services — including the old WXT Cryptoback — ended in the EEA on June 30, 2026.
Licensing: in the EEA the Wirex One Visa is issued by Transact Payments Malta Limited, an e-money institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority, with UAB Wirex in Lithuania running the card programme. The self-custodial wallet is, in Wirex's own terms, not a regulated service and sits outside compensation and ombudsman schemes. Wirex names no MiCA authorisation of its own for EEA crypto services; its Italian entity said it would apply for one by the end of 2025.
Everyone starts on the free Base tier at 0.5% cashback in USD with no FX markup from Wirex. Four higher tiers climb to 8%, but each requires both a minimum portfolio and a minimum share of it held in WPAY, Wirex's token — reporting puts the top tier at roughly 10% of a $50,000+ portfolio in WPAY.
What works
- Free Base tier: 0.5% in USD, 0% Wirex FX markup
- Self-custodial wallet, no subscription or lock-up
- Multi-currency IBANs and stablecoin yield in one app
- 50% rebates on AI and other subscriptions at higher tiers
What doesn't
- Anything above 0.5% requires holding WPAY
- Monthly reward redemption is capped by your WPAY holdings
- $50 minimum deposit to activate the card
- No MiCA licence of its own; the wallet side is unregulated
- Brand-new product — the legacy app was just shut down in the EEA
Who it's for: Frequent travellers who want a free, no-markup Visa with self-custody. Only go past Base if you actually want WPAY exposure.
Sources
Figures on this page come from the issuer’s own pages, checked on September 25, 2026:
- Wirex fees (Wirex help centre) help.wirexapp.com
- Wirex One terms (Wirex legal) wirexapp.com
- MiCAR application status in Italy (Wirex help centre) help.wirexapp.com