Side-by-side card comparison

ARQ vs Fold Debit: overall score versus use-case fit

Fold Debit Card has the higher Overall Score by 8 points (72 vs 64). ARQ Card looks stronger for Cashback, while Fold Debit Card comes out ahead for Travel, Funds control, Lowest fees, and Transfers.

Information checked Aug 14, 202665 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

Fold Debit Card is the better all-round starting point

Fold Debit Card has the higher Overall Score in this comparison. ARQ Card may be the better fit for Cashback. 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.

OverallARQ64Fold Debit72Higher score
CashbackARQ41Fold Debit40Higher score
TravelARQ62Fold Debit78Higher score
Funds controlARQ52Fold Debit59Higher score
Lowest feesARQ52Fold Debit71Higher score
TransfersARQ75Fold Debit77Higher score

Choose ARQ Card if cashback matters most

ARQ Card comes out ahead for Cashback in this comparison. It is worth a closer look if those are the parts of a card you expect to use most.

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

Choose Fold Debit Card if travel and funds control matter most

Fold Debit Card comes out ahead for 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.

  • Several USD funding routes
  • Physical card and phone wallets
  • Fold+ bitcoin rewards

Where each card has the edge

The overall leader does not win every use case, so the reason you want the card matters here.

Overall Score
ARQ64
Fold Debit72

Fold Debit Card has the higher Overall Score by 8 points.

Entry cost & FX
ARQ$0 plan · Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply FX
Fold Debit$0 plan · $3 fixed provider fee per foreign transaction for Fold; $0 for Fold+; no percentage FX fee is inferred 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%
Fold Debit0% base · up to 15%

Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 0%.

Funds control
ARQCustodial balance
Fold DebitCustodial balance

ARQ Card and Fold Debit Card use the same custodial balance setup.

Everyday access
ARQVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay
Fold DebitVirtual + 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
Fold Debit0 stablecoins · ACH withdrawal, Instant debit-card withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, ACH bill pay

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 4).

02 · Read the shortlist

A closer look at the split decision

Start with the strengths that drive each use-case result, then test them against costs and access.

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
0%-15%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
$3 fixed provider fee per foreign transaction for Fold; $0 for Fold+; no percentage FX fee is inferred
ATM fee
$3.50 Fold provider fee for the free plan; $0 for Fold+; operator fees may apply
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
0 crypto · 3 fiat
Payout methods
0 crypto · 2 fiat

03 · Compare the details

See how the trade-offs line up

Comparable figures receive a marker; missing or unverified details stay visible instead of becoming an assumed advantage.

Best known Not disclosed
Cards
ARQ CardOverall64
Fold Debit CardOverall72
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
ARQ Card
64
Fold Debit Card
72
Cashback score
ARQ Card
41
Fold Debit Card
40
Travel score
ARQ Card
62
Fold Debit Card
78
Funds control score
ARQ Card
52
Fold Debit Card
59
Lowest fees score
ARQ Card
52
Fold Debit Card
71
Transfers score
ARQ Card
75
Fold Debit Card
77
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
ARQ Card
Clear four-country residence coverage, Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
Fold Debit Card
Several USD funding routes, Physical card and phone wallets
Trade-offs
ARQ Card
Provider FX spread remains unclear, Headline cashback requires membership
Fold Debit Card
U.S.-only applications, Free-plan ATM and foreign fees
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
ARQ Card
$0
Fold Debit Card
$0
FX fee
ARQ Card
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
Fold Debit Card
$3 fixed provider fee per foreign transaction for Fold; $0 for Fold+; no percentage FX fee is inferred
Top-up fee
ARQ Card
Standard receive: 3 USDc for USD/crypto and 3 EURc for EUR
Fold Debit Card
Instant debit funding costs 1.5%, capped at $25; ACH and direct-deposit routes are separate
Card spending fee
ARQ Card
0%
Fold Debit Card
0%
ATM fee
ARQ Card
1–3%
Fold Debit Card
$3.50 Fold provider fee for the free plan; $0 for Fold+; operator fees may apply
Virtual card
ARQ Card
Free
Fold Debit Card
Not disclosed
Physical card
ARQ Card
$4.99 Standard; $0 Premium
Fold Debit Card
$0 card purchase fee
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
ARQ Card
3 plans: Standard, Premium, Prestige
Fold Debit Card
2 plans: Fold, Fold+
Top cashback plan
ARQ Card
Prestige: 2%
Fold Debit Card
Fold+: 0.5%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
ARQ Card
Mastercard
Fold Debit Card
Visa
Card formats
ARQ Card
Virtual, Physical
Fold Debit Card
Virtual, Physical
ATM withdrawals
ARQ Card
Available
Fold Debit Card
Available
Mobile wallets
ARQ Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Fold Debit Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
ARQ Card
iOS, Android
Fold Debit Card
iOS, Android
Daily spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
$15,000 per transaction and per day
Monthly spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
$50,000 per month
ATM limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
$250 per withdrawal; $1,000 daily and monthly
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
ARQ Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Tron
Fold Debit Card
Not disclosed
Crypto deposits
ARQ Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT
Fold Debit Card
Not disclosed
Fiat deposits
ARQ Card
USD receive, EUR receive
Fold Debit Card
Linked-bank ACH, Direct deposit, Instant debit-card funding
Transfers
ARQ Card
ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
Fold Debit Card
ACH withdrawal, Instant debit-card withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, ACH bill pay
Payout currencies
ARQ Card
USD
Fold Debit Card
USD, USD cash equivalent
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
ARQ Card
0%
Fold Debit Card
0%
Max cashback
ARQ Card
2%
Fold Debit Card
15%
Reward currency
ARQ Card
USDc cashback
Fold Debit Card
Bitcoin
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
ARQ Card
Up to 4.5% APY
Fold Debit Card
Not offered
How it works
ARQ Card
Earn on spending balance, Optional earn vault
Fold Debit Card
Not offered
Separate deposit
ARQ Card
Yes
Fold Debit Card
Not offered
Use balance for spending
ARQ Card
No
Fold Debit Card
Not offered
Lock-up
ARQ Card
No
Fold Debit Card
Not offered
09

Trust & availability

6 fields
Custody
ARQ Card
Custodial
Fold Debit Card
Custodial
Control until payment
ARQ Card
Provider controls funds
Fold Debit Card
Provider controls funds
Card issuer
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
Sutton Bank
Card processing
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
Marqeta, Inc.
Custody / key management
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
BitGo Bank and Trust, N.A. / BitGo Prime LLC
Bank transfers
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Fold Debit Card
Plaid Inc., Astra, Inc.
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
ARQ Card
36
Fold Debit Card
29
Last reviewed
ARQ Card
Aug 5, 2026
Fold Debit Card
Aug 14, 2026

04 · The trade-off

Fold Debit Card is the stronger all-round choice

Fold Debit Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 72 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. Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 0%.

ARQ Card still comes out ahead for Cashback, which may matter more than the overall result if that is how you plan to use the card. ARQ Card and Fold Debit Card use the same custodial balance setup.

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 4). 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 Fold Debit Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

ARQ vs Fold Debit FAQ

Is ARQ or Fold Debit better overall?

Fold Debit Card has the higher Overall Score (72 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 Fold Debit?

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 Fold Debit?

Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 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 Fold Debit differ on custody?

ARQ Card and Fold Debit Card use the same custodial balance setup.

How current is this ARQ vs Fold Debit comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was August 14, 2026, using 65 official sources in total. Each full card review lists its own check date, sources and anything the provider has not clearly disclosed.

06 · Try another angle

Compare either card with a nearby alternative, or build a different pair in the comparison workspace.

Open the comparison workspace