Side-by-side card comparison

ARQ vs Pionex: overall score versus use-case fit

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score by 7 points (64 vs 57). ARQ Card looks stronger for Travel and Funds control, while Pionex Card comes out ahead for Cashback, Lowest fees, and Transfers.

Information checked Aug 14, 202695 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

ARQ Card is the better all-round starting point

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score in this comparison. Pionex Card may be the better fit for Cashback, Lowest fees, and Transfers. 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.

OverallARQ64Pionex57Higher score
CashbackARQ41Pionex52Higher score
TravelARQ62Pionex29Higher score
Funds controlARQ52Pionex43Higher score
Lowest feesARQ52Pionex58Higher score
TransfersARQ75Pionex79Higher score

Choose ARQ Card if travel and funds control matter most

ARQ Card comes out ahead for Travel and Funds control 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 Pionex Card if cashback and lowest fees matter most

Pionex Card comes out ahead for Cashback, 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.

  • Visa and Mastercard options
  • 0.1%-1% cashback in USDT
  • Pionex account funding and payouts

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
Pionex57

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score by 7 points.

Entry cost & FX
ARQ$0 plan · Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply FX
Pionex$0 plan · Not disclosed 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%
Pionex0.1% base · up to 1%

Pionex Card has the higher published base cashback rate (0.1% vs 0%).

Funds control
ARQCustodial balance
PionexCustodial balance

ARQ Card and Pionex Card use the same custodial balance setup.

Everyday access
ARQVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay
PionexVirtual · Apple Pay, Google Pay

ARQ Card lists more card formats and phone-wallet options (4 vs 3).

Money movement
ARQ4 stablecoins · ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
Pionex1 stablecoin · Stablecoin transfers; Pionex Primary ↔ Card account transfer, Pionex Primary → Mastercard account transfer; Pionex account cash-out

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
0.1%-1%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
Not disclosed
ATM fee
Not available
Card formats
Virtual
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
1 crypto · 0 fiat
Payout methods
1 crypto · 0 fiat

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

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
Pionex CardOverall57
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
ARQ Card
64
Pionex Card
57
Cashback score
ARQ Card
41
Pionex Card
52
Travel score
ARQ Card
62
Pionex Card
29
Funds control score
ARQ Card
52
Pionex Card
43
Lowest fees score
ARQ Card
52
Pionex Card
58
Transfers score
ARQ Card
75
Pionex Card
79
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
ARQ Card
Clear four-country residence coverage, Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
Pionex Card
Visa and Mastercard options, 0.1%-1% cashback in USDT
Trade-offs
ARQ Card
Provider FX spread remains unclear, Headline cashback requires membership
Pionex Card
Mastercard can cost up to 3.5%, General access is virtual-only
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
ARQ Card
$0
Pionex Card
$0
FX fee
ARQ Card
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
Top-up fee
ARQ Card
Standard receive: 3 USDc for USD/crypto and 3 EURc for EUR
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
Card spending fee
ARQ Card
0%
Pionex Card
3.5%
ATM fee
ARQ Card
1–3%
Pionex Card
Not available
Virtual card
ARQ Card
Free
Pionex Card
Available
Physical card
ARQ Card
$4.99 Standard; $0 Premium
Pionex Card
Not available
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
ARQ Card
3 plans: Standard, Premium, Prestige
Pionex Card
2 plans: Mastercard, Visa
Top cashback plan
ARQ Card
Prestige: 2%
Pionex Card
Visa: 1%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
ARQ Card
Mastercard
Pionex Card
Visa/Mastercard
Card formats
ARQ Card
Virtual, Physical
Pionex Card
Virtual
ATM withdrawals
ARQ Card
Available
Pionex Card
Not available
Mobile wallets
ARQ Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Pionex Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
ARQ Card
iOS, Android
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
Daily spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Pionex Card
$10,000-$20,000/day; $10,000-$20,000/transaction depending on network
Monthly spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Pionex Card
$50,000-$100,000/month depending on network
ATM limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Pionex Card
Not available
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
ARQ Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Tron
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
Crypto deposits
ARQ Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT
Pionex Card
Other crypto: Supported crypto
Fiat deposits
ARQ Card
USD receive, EUR receive
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
Transfers
ARQ Card
ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
Pionex Card
Stablecoin transfers; Pionex Primary ↔ Card account transfer, Pionex Primary → Mastercard account transfer; Pionex account cash-out
Payout currencies
ARQ Card
USD
Pionex Card
Not disclosed
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
ARQ Card
0%
Pionex Card
0.1%
Max cashback
ARQ Card
2%
Pionex Card
1%
Reward currency
ARQ Card
USDc cashback
Pionex Card
USDT
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
ARQ Card
Up to 4.5% APY
Pionex Card
Up to 5% APY
How it works
ARQ Card
Earn on spending balance, Optional earn vault
Pionex Card
Earn on spending balance
Separate deposit
ARQ Card
Yes
Pionex Card
No
Use balance for spending
ARQ Card
No
Pionex Card
Yes
Lock-up
ARQ Card
No
Pionex Card
No
09

Trust & availability

2 fields
Custody
ARQ Card
Custodial
Pionex Card
Custodial
Control until payment
ARQ Card
Provider controls funds
Pionex Card
Provider controls funds
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
ARQ Card
36
Pionex Card
59
Last reviewed
ARQ Card
Aug 5, 2026
Pionex Card
Aug 14, 2026

04 · The trade-off

ARQ Card is the stronger all-round choice

ARQ Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 64 versus 57 for Pionex Card. The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. Pionex Card has the higher published base cashback rate (0.1% vs 0%).

Pionex Card still comes out ahead for Cashback, Lowest fees, and Transfers, which may matter more than the overall result if that is how you plan to use the card. ARQ Card and Pionex 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 Pionex Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

ARQ vs Pionex FAQ

Is ARQ or Pionex better overall?

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score (64 vs 57). 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 Pionex?

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 Pionex?

Pionex Card has the higher published base cashback rate (0.1% 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 Pionex differ on custody?

ARQ Card and Pionex Card use the same custodial balance setup.

How current is this ARQ vs Pionex comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was August 14, 2026, using 95 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