Side-by-side card comparison

ARQ vs ZEN: overall score versus use-case fit

ZEN Card has the higher Overall Score by 13 points (77 vs 64). ARQ Card looks stronger for Cashback, while ZEN Card comes out ahead for Travel, Funds control, Lowest fees, and Transfers.

Information checked Aug 23, 202679 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

ZEN Card is the better all-round starting point

ZEN 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.

OverallARQ64ZEN77Higher score
CashbackARQ41ZEN39Higher score
TravelARQ62ZEN96Higher score
Funds controlARQ52ZEN65Higher score
Lowest feesARQ52ZEN80Higher score
TransfersARQ75ZEN98Higher 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 ZEN Card if travel and funds control matter most

ZEN 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.

  • Free plan with 0.5% weekday FX margin
  • Physical, virtual and phone-wallet access
  • Four current crypto-route assets

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
ZEN77

ZEN Card has the higher Overall Score by 13 points.

Entry cost & FX
ARQ$0 plan · Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply FX
ZEN$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%
ZEN0% base

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

Funds control
ARQCustodial balance
ZENCustodial balance

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

Everyday access
ARQVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay
ZENVirtual + 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
ZEN2 stablecoins · Stablecoin transfers; Card-to-card transfer; SEPA transfers

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 5).

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% base
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
0–0.5%
ATM fee
0–1.5%
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
4 crypto · 2 fiat
Payout methods
4 crypto · 1 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
ZEN CardOverall77
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
ARQ Card
64
ZEN Card
77
Cashback score
ARQ Card
41
ZEN Card
39
Travel score
ARQ Card
62
ZEN Card
96
Funds control score
ARQ Card
52
ZEN Card
65
Lowest fees score
ARQ Card
52
ZEN Card
80
Transfers score
ARQ Card
75
ZEN Card
98
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
ARQ Card
Clear four-country residence coverage, Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
ZEN Card
Free plan with 0.5% weekday FX margin, Physical, virtual and phone-wallet access
Trade-offs
ARQ Card
Provider FX spread remains unclear, Headline cashback requires membership
ZEN Card
Free-plan ATM withdrawals cost 1.5%, No universal public cashback rate
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
ARQ Card
$0
ZEN Card
$0
FX fee
ARQ Card
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
ZEN Card
0–0.5%
Top-up fee
ARQ Card
Standard receive: 3 USDc for USD/crypto and 3 EURc for EUR
ZEN Card
0–3%
Card spending fee
ARQ Card
0%
ZEN Card
0%
ATM fee
ARQ Card
1–3%
ZEN Card
0–1.5%
Virtual card
ARQ Card
Free
ZEN Card
Free/Gold: 1 included; Platinum/Pro: 3 included; next card €5
Physical card
ARQ Card
$4.99 Standard; $0 Premium
ZEN Card
Free first card €10; Gold 1 included; Platinum/Pro 2 included; next card €10
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
ARQ Card
3 plans: Standard, Premium, Prestige
ZEN Card
4 plans: Free, Gold, Platinum, Pro
Top cashback plan
ARQ Card
Prestige: 2%
ZEN Card
Free: 0%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
ARQ Card
Mastercard
ZEN Card
Mastercard/Visa
Card formats
ARQ Card
Virtual, Physical
ZEN Card
Virtual, Physical
ATM withdrawals
ARQ Card
Available
ZEN Card
Available
Mobile wallets
ARQ Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
ZEN Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
ARQ Card
iOS, Android
ZEN Card
iOS, Android, Web
Daily spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ZEN Card
Standard €10,000/day; maximum €30,000/day (currency equivalents also published)
Monthly spending limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ZEN Card
Not publicly confirmed
ATM limit
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ZEN Card
Standard €2,000/day; maximum €30,000/day (currency equivalents also published)
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
ARQ Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Tron
ZEN Card
Not disclosed
Crypto deposits
ARQ Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT
ZEN Card
Stablecoins: USDT, USDC; Other crypto: BTC, ETH
Fiat deposits
ARQ Card
USD receive, EUR receive
ZEN Card
SEPA bank transfer, Payment-card top-up
Transfers
ARQ Card
ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
ZEN Card
Stablecoin transfers; Card-to-card transfer; SEPA transfers
Payout currencies
ARQ Card
USD
ZEN Card
EUR
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
ARQ Card
0%
ZEN Card
0%
Max cashback
ARQ Card
2%
ZEN Card
Not disclosed
Reward currency
ARQ Card
USDc cashback
ZEN Card
Transaction currency
08

Earn

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

Trust & availability

4 fields
Custody
ARQ Card
Custodial
ZEN Card
Custodial
Control until payment
ARQ Card
Provider controls funds
ZEN Card
Provider controls funds
Card issuer
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ZEN Card
UAB ZEN.COM
Deposits & withdrawals
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ZEN Card
Triple A Technologies Pte Ltd, Coreline Solutions LLC
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
ARQ Card
36
ZEN Card
43
Last reviewed
ARQ Card
Aug 5, 2026
ZEN Card
Aug 23, 2026

04 · The trade-off

ZEN Card is the stronger all-round choice

ZEN Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 77 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 ZEN Card use the same custodial balance setup.

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 5). 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 ZEN Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

ARQ vs ZEN FAQ

Is ARQ or ZEN better overall?

ZEN Card has the higher Overall Score (77 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 ZEN?

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 ZEN?

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 ZEN differ on custody?

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

How current is this ARQ vs ZEN comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was August 23, 2026, using 79 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