Side-by-side card comparison

ARQ vs ether.fi Cash: fees, rewards and account setup

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher Overall Score by 22 points (86 vs 64). ether.fi Cash Card also looks stronger for Cashback, Travel, Funds control, Lowest fees, and Transfers. The details below show where ARQ Card may still be the better personal fit.

Information checked Oct 11, 202673 official sources reviewed

01 · Make the first cut

ether.fi Cash Card is the better all-round starting point

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher Overall Score in this comparison. ARQ Card may still suit you better if its card format, way of holding funds or availability is the deciding factor. A score cannot tell you whether a provider will accept your application or whether every feature will be available where you live, so check the latest provider terms before signing up.

OverallARQ64ether.fi Cash86Higher score
CashbackARQ40ether.fi Cash84Higher score
TravelARQ62ether.fi Cash82Higher score
Funds controlARQ52ether.fi Cash96Higher score
Lowest feesARQ52ether.fi Cash65Higher score
TransfersARQ75ether.fi Cash100Higher score

Choose ARQ Card if its day-to-day setup suits you

ARQ Card does not lead one of the use-case scores here, but it can still be the right choice when its costs, rewards and day-to-day setup match how you plan to use it. The other card looks stronger for Cashback, Travel, Funds control, Lowest fees, and Transfers, so compare that advantage with the features you would actually use.

  • Clear four-country residence coverage
  • Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
  • Paid tiers add cashback and earnings

Choose ether.fi Cash Card if cashback and travel matter most

ether.fi Cash Card comes out ahead for Cashback, Travel, Funds control, Lowest fees, and Transfers in this comparison. It is worth a closer look if those are the parts of a card you expect to use most.

  • Card spend plus cash-account rails
  • Liquid USD can stay spendable
  • Tiers make perks easier to compare

The differences that could change the result

The overall score points one way, but a specific use case or product condition may point another.

Overall Score
ARQ64
ether.fi Cash86

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher Overall Score by 22 points.

Entry cost & FX
ARQ$0 plan · Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply FX
ether.fi Cash$0 plan · 0–0.5% FX

The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option.

Purchase rewards
ARQ0% base · up to 2%
ether.fi Cash3% base · up to 4%

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher published base cashback rate (3% vs 0%).

Funds control
ARQCustodial balance
ether.fi CashNon-custodial account

ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup, while ether.fi Cash Card uses a non-custodial account setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

Everyday access
ARQVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay
ether.fi CashVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay

Both cards list the same number of card formats and phone-wallet options.

Money movement
ARQ4 stablecoins · ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
ether.fi Cash5 stablecoins · Stablecoin transfers; USD ACH, USD Fedwire, EUR SEPA, USD SWIFT +2

ether.fi Cash Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (12 vs 6).

02 · Read the shortlist

A closer look at the two cards

These quick facts cover the costs, rewards and everyday features most likely to shape your choice. Use the full table below when you want the finer details.

2 cards compared
Cashback
0%-2%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
ATM fee
1–3%
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
2 crypto · 2 fiat
Payout methods
0 crypto · 1 fiat
Cashback
3%-4%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
0–0.5%
ATM fee
Not disclosed
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
18 crypto · 14 fiat
Payout methods
5 crypto · 30 fiat

Partner links may earn us a commission. Read our affiliate disclosure for how these links work.

03 · Compare the details

Compare the details side by side

We highlight a better number only when both cards publish values that can be compared fairly. Anything missing stays clearly marked.

Best known Not disclosed
Cards
ARQ CardOverall64
ether.fi Cash CardOverall86
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
ARQ Card
64
ether.fi Cash Card
86
Cashback score
ARQ Card
40
ether.fi Cash Card
84
Travel score
ARQ Card
62
ether.fi Cash Card
82
Funds control score
ARQ Card
52
ether.fi Cash Card
96
Lowest fees score
ARQ Card
52
ether.fi Cash Card
65
Transfers score
ARQ Card
75
ether.fi Cash Card
100
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
ARQ Card
Clear four-country residence coverage, Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
ether.fi Cash Card
Card spend plus cash-account rails, Liquid USD can stay spendable
Trade-offs
ARQ Card
Provider FX spread remains unclear, Headline cashback requires membership
ether.fi Cash Card
Vault returns depend on the selected strategy, Borrowing accrues interest immediately
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
ARQ Card
$0
ether.fi Cash Card
$0
FX fee
ARQ Card
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
ether.fi Cash Card
0–0.5%
Top-up fee
ARQ Card
Standard receive: 3 USDc for USD/crypto and 3 EURc for EUR
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
Card spending fee
ARQ Card
0%
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
ATM fee
ARQ Card
1–3%
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
Virtual card
ARQ Card
Free
ether.fi Cash Card
First virtual card normally $0; $10 for AR, AO, BD, BO, CO, EC, ID, MY, MX, NG, PE, PH, ZA and TH under the dedicated fee article. Check the displayed price before order.
Physical card
ARQ Card
Mexico: Standard shipping $4.99; first physical card free with Main Balance above $100 or Premium. Other countries must confirm local terms.
ether.fi Cash Card
Comparison page: Core $60 including shipping; one free physical card on higher tiers. Help pages describe additional-card fees and different included quantities. Confirm the order quote.
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
ARQ Card
3 plans: Standard, Premium, Prestige
ether.fi Cash Card
4 plans: Core, Luxe, Pinnacle, VIP
Top cashback plan
ARQ Card
Prestige: 2%
ether.fi Cash Card
VIP: 4%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
ARQ Card
Mastercard
ether.fi Cash Card
Visa
Card formats
ARQ Card
Virtual, Physical
ether.fi Cash Card
Virtual, Physical
ATM withdrawals
ARQ Card
Available
ether.fi Cash Card
Available
Mobile wallets
ARQ Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
ether.fi Cash Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
ARQ Card
iOS, Android
ether.fi Cash Card
iOS, Android, Web
Daily spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
Editable defaults: $5,000/day per card; Vault $10,000/day and $10,000/month. Current tier maximum is unconfirmed; the first applicable card, Vault or MCC limit applies.
Monthly spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
Monthly limit shown in app; cashback caps vary by plan
ATM limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
Core/Luxe/Pinnacle: $1,000 per withdrawal, up to 5 withdrawals and $5,000 per rolling 24 hours. VIP numeric ceiling is unconfirmed.
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
ARQ Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Tron
ether.fi Cash Card
Optimism, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, HyperEVM, BNB Smart Chain +10
Crypto deposits
ARQ Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT
ether.fi Cash Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT, EURC, frxUSD, LiquidUSD; Other crypto: beHYPE, eBTC, ETHFI, LiquidBTC, LiquidETH +8
Fiat deposits
ARQ Card
USD receive, EUR receive
ether.fi Cash Card
USD ACH, USD Fedwire, EUR SEPA, USD SWIFT +10
Transfers
ARQ Card
ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
ether.fi Cash Card
Stablecoin transfers; USD ACH, USD Fedwire, EUR SEPA, USD SWIFT +2
Payout currencies
ARQ Card
USD
ether.fi Cash Card
USD, EUR, GBP, AED, AUD, BRL, CAD, CHF +22
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
ARQ Card
0%
ether.fi Cash Card
3%
Max cashback
ARQ Card
2%
ether.fi Cash Card
4%
Reward currency
ARQ Card
USDc cashback
ether.fi Cash Card
ETHFI token cashback
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
ARQ Card
Up to 4.5% APY
ether.fi Cash Card
Up to 5.47% APY
How it works
ARQ Card
Earn on spending balance, Optional earn vault
ether.fi Cash Card
Earn on spending balance, Borrow against collateral, Optional earn vault
Separate deposit
ARQ Card
Yes
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
Use balance for spending
ARQ Card
No
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
Lock-up
ARQ Card
No
ether.fi Cash Card
Not disclosed
09

Trust & availability

5 fields
Custody
ARQ Card
Custodial
ether.fi Cash Card
Non-custodial
Control until payment
ARQ Card
Provider controls funds
ether.fi Cash Card
You keep control
Card issuer
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
Third National
Deposits & withdrawals
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
SEPA third-party provider
Programme operator
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ether.fi Cash Card
ether.fi, Ether.Fi SEZC
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
ARQ Card
36
ether.fi Cash Card
37
Last reviewed
ARQ Card
Oct 11, 2026
ether.fi Cash Card
Oct 6, 2026

04 · The takeaway

ether.fi Cash Card is the stronger all-round choice

ether.fi Cash Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 86 versus 64 for ARQ Card. The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. ether.fi Cash Card has the higher published base cashback rate (3% vs 0%).

ARQ Card can still be the more comfortable choice if its availability, card setup or way of holding funds suits you better. ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup, while ether.fi Cash Card uses a non-custodial account setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

ether.fi Cash Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (12 vs 6). Before applying, confirm availability in your country and recheck the provider's current fees and reward conditions.

If one card now looks like the better fit, you can check the latest application terms on the provider site or read our full ARQ Card and ether.fi Cash Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

ARQ vs ether.fi Cash FAQ

Is ARQ or ether.fi Cash better overall?

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher Overall Score (86 vs 64). That does not make it better for everyone: your preferred fees, rewards, way of holding funds and country availability can change the practical choice.

Which has lower fees, ARQ or ether.fi Cash?

The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. Compare plan, FX, card-spend, top-up and ATM charges separately because one fee does not represent the full cost.

Which has better cashback, ARQ or ether.fi Cash?

ether.fi Cash Card has the higher published base cashback rate (3% vs 0%). Maximum rates may depend on tiers, caps, categories or other conditions, so the entry rate and reward asset matter too.

How do ARQ and ether.fi Cash differ on custody?

ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup, while ether.fi Cash Card uses a non-custodial account setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

How current is this ARQ vs ether.fi Cash comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was October 11, 2026, using 73 official sources in total. Each full card review lists its own check date, sources and anything the provider has not clearly disclosed.

06 · Keep comparing

See how each card compares with other close alternatives, or choose a different pair yourself.

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