Crypto card glossary

18 terms

Access & verification

KYC, residence, availability and the evidence states used when a fact is incomplete.

Topic definitions

Definitions in this topic

18

App/account required

Also seen as app required · eligible account · account-gated · provider account required

App/account required means the card depends on a specified application, wallet or provider account and sometimes a particular account status. Country access and completed KYC may still be insufficient without it.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

The extra dependency can affect onboarding, custody, device access and service continuity. A card-network logo does not show which account must remain active behind the card.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide states the approved application or account requirement and its role in the card flow. It does not infer card access from the existence of another account product under the same brand.

Do not confuse with

CEX dependencyApplicant eligibilityKYC

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Spending setupProvider roleAvailabilityBrowse reviewed cardsCompare cardsHow crypto cards work

Applicant eligibility

Also seen as eligibility · signup requirements · card access · applicant qualification

Applicant eligibility means whether a particular person meets the provider's rules for applying for or receiving the card, such as age, residence, account status or completed identity checks.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

A product can operate in your country while you remain ineligible because of personal, account or programme requirements. Meeting the listed rules still does not guarantee provider approval.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide uses applicant eligibility only for approved provider access rules. Internal score, recommendation and top-list gates are not applicant eligibility and should not appear under this public term.

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AvailabilityResidence / residencyNot ranked

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KYCAvailabilityResidence / residencyBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodologyTerms of use

Availability

Also seen as available · likely available · limited · not available · availability unknown

Availability describes whether a card, feature or access route is offered in a stated place and status. cryptocard.guide qualifies the dimension—residence, issuance, delivery, feature or roadmap—rather than treating availability as one blanket yes/no.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

A card can be available to residents of a country while a physical card, particular feature or immediate signup remains limited. Availability also does not guarantee that an individual application will be approved.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide preserves the exact approved availability dimension and state. Likely or limited availability stays qualified; only confirmed negatives or exclusion from a complete country allowlist can trigger the corresponding country rule.

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Applicant eligibilityCountry contextUnsupported / confirmed negative

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Residence / residencyApplicant eligibilityCountry contextBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Availability states

Also seen as availability evidence band · qualified availability state · access evidence state

Availability states express the strength and direction of current access evidence: available, likely available, limited, unknown or not available. Each state carries a different level of certainty and scope.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Collapsing likely or limited access into “available” overstates what the evidence proves. Collapsing an explicit negative into unknown can keep an unusable card in a required result set.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide preserves the approved state and qualifying conditions on every public surface. Only exact available becomes unqualified availability; confirmed negatives and evidence gaps retain their distinct treatment.

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Region-dependentUnsupported / confirmed negativeApplicant eligibility

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AvailabilityCountry contextSupported-country listBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodologyCompare cards

Citizenship / passport-origin restriction

Also seen as citizenship restriction · passport origin · nationality restriction · hard nationality restriction

A citizenship or passport-origin restriction limits access based on nationality or the issuing country of an identity document. It is separate from where the applicant currently lives.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

A resident of an otherwise supported country can still face a documented nationality restriction. Conversely, citizenship in a supported country does not establish residence or applicant eligibility.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide applies this restriction only when approved evidence states it explicitly and keeps it separate from residence availability. Missing nationality language is not interpreted as either permission or prohibition.

Do not confuse with

Residence / residencyCountry contextApplicant eligibility

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KYCProof of addressAvailabilityBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Country context

Also seen as selected country · country filter · soft country context · region context

Country context is cryptocard.guide's conservative use of a selected country when showing and ordering cards. It removes a card only for an explicit restriction or exclusion from a complete supported-country list; missing or ambiguous evidence stays visible.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Selecting a country should improve relevance without pretending cryptocard.guide has complete access evidence for every card. A visible card is not a promise that a particular applicant can obtain it.

How we treat it

Country context can adjust Availability & eligibility and narrowly exclude confirmed country negatives. It does not blanket-hide cards with missing or uncertain country evidence, and it does not replace provider eligibility checks.

Do not confuse with

Filter / hard filterAvailabilityApplicant eligibility

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AvailabilityApplicant eligibilityResidence / residencyBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Explicit country restriction

Also seen as hard country restriction · unsupported territory · country not available · country denylist

An explicit country restriction is approved evidence directly stating that a card or programme is unavailable to a defined country, territory or resident group. It is stronger than silence or omission from a partial list.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Direct negative geography evidence can legitimately remove a card from country-specific results. Confusing it with missing information either exposes an ineligible option or hides an uncertain one.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide applies the restriction only to its documented residence, citizenship or territory scope. It can trigger the country exclusion rule but is never generalized to unrelated programmes or features.

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Supported-country listCountry contextUnknown

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Unsupported / confirmed negativeAvailabilityResidence / residencyBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Invite-only access

Also seen as Invite required · invite code · access-only code · invitation required

Invite-only access means a user needs an invitation or credential to begin signup or an application. The invite does not guarantee eligibility, approval or a monetary referral benefit.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

An invite can be essential for signup even when country and identity requirements are satisfied. Mixing it with a referral offer can misrepresent both access and compensation.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide labels an invitation as an access condition and keeps any verified user bonus or partner compensation separate. An invite code is never described as a reward without approved offer evidence.

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Waitlist / private beta / sold outApp/account requiredApplicant eligibility

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KYCAvailabilityApp/account requiredBrowse reviewed cardsAffiliate disclosureRead the methodology

Jurisdiction

Also seen as company country · legal jurisdiction · governing jurisdiction · regulatory location

Jurisdiction is the legal system or territory governing an entity, agreement or programme. It can differ from the cardholder's residence, the issuer's location and the countries where the product is offered.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Jurisdiction shapes contracts, protections and dispute routes but does not prove that residents there can obtain the card. Multiple entities in one product can also operate under different regimes.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide displays jurisdiction as a scoped legal fact tied to an approved entity or document. It is never used alone to infer user availability, licensing quality or product safety.

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Residence / residencyAvailabilityLegal entity

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Provider roleRegion-dependentDeposit insuranceBrowse reviewed cardsAbout cryptocard.guideRead the methodology

KYB

Also seen as Know Your Business · business verification · organisation verification · company verification

Know Your Business (KYB) is the verification process used for a company or other legal organisation. It can examine registration records, ownership, controllers, business activity and authorized representatives.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Business card access may require documents and checks that individual KYC does not cover. Passing personal identity verification alone may therefore be insufficient for an organisation account.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide labels business verification separately from personal KYC and publishes only approved programme requirements. It does not assume that a consumer card supports organisations because the provider serves businesses elsewhere.

Do not confuse with

KYCLegal entityProvider role

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Proof of addressLegal entityJurisdictionBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

KYC

Also seen as Know Your Customer · identity verification · KYC required · KYC not required · No KYC

Know Your Customer (KYC) is the identity-check process a card or account provider uses before granting access. It can require personal details, documents, address evidence or other verification steps.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

KYC can affect whether you can open the required account, apply for the card and use particular features. A self-custody setup does not by itself remove identity checks.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide shows the approved KYC requirement as an applicant-access fact. It may support an explicit KYC filter, but cryptocard.guide never infers KYC status from custody type or wallet control.

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Applicant eligibilitySource confidenceSelf-custody

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Applicant eligibilityResidence / residencyCustodyBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Also seen as provider entity · issuer legal entity · registered company · contracting entity

A legal entity is the registered organisation responsible for a defined contractual or operational role. The consumer brand, application name and card programme can involve different entities.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Knowing the entity helps identify applicable terms, jurisdiction and responsibility when several partners share the card stack. A familiar brand name alone may not identify the user's counterparty.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide names an entity only where approved evidence links it to the relevant programme and role. Entity presence is not converted into automatic trust points or country availability.

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Provider roleJurisdictionOfficial source

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Region-dependentProvider roleJurisdictionBrowse reviewed cardsAbout cryptocard.guideRead the methodology

Proof of address

Also seen as address proof · residency document · address verification · residence document

Proof of address is a document or verified record used to demonstrate where an applicant lives. Accepted document types, issue dates, names and address formats depend on the provider's rules.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

A person may live in an eligible country yet lack an accepted document, or present a document without satisfying all residence conditions. Evidence of address is not the same as approval.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide reports a proof requirement only when approved public evidence identifies it. The site does not prescribe documents beyond the provider's published rules or treat proof as guaranteed eligibility.

Do not confuse with

Residence / residencyApplicant eligibilityKYC

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KYCResidence / residencyCountry contextBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Provider role

Also seen as issuer · programme operator · processor · custodian · verification provider · banking provider

A provider role describes the specific responsibility an organisation performs in the card stack, such as issuing, programme operation, payment processing, custody, identity verification or banking services.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Several companies can support one card, and one company name does not prove responsibility for every function. Correct role mapping helps users understand account, fund and dispute boundaries.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide records only approved applicable roles and avoids awarding trust for generic partner lists. Named organisations must be tied to the programme, responsibility and evidence supporting the public statement.

Do not confuse with

Legal entityJurisdictionCustody

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Centralized exchange (CEX)Deposit insuranceOfficial sourceBrowse reviewed cardsAbout cryptocard.guideRead the methodology

Region-dependent

Also seen as regional · country-dependent · programme-dependent · regional terms

Region-dependent means that fees, features, rewards, legal entities or access rules vary between geographic programmes. A statement from one programme may not describe another programme carrying the same brand.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Using one region's terms globally can create false fee, reward or eligibility claims. Product names and shared websites do not prove that every programme follows identical rules.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide keeps approved regional programmes and their facts separate. Broad marketing language does not override a scoped legal, fee or availability record, and “global-ish” is not used as a public state.

Do not confuse with

AvailabilityJurisdictionLegal entity

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Provider roleSupported-country listAvailability statesBrowse reviewed cardsCompare cardsRead the methodology

Residence / residency

Also seen as residence · residency · eligible residence · country of residence

Residence is where a person lives for a card programme's geographic rules; residency is the status of living there. Neither term automatically means citizenship, passport origin, tax residence or physical presence.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

Providers often define card access by residence rather than nationality. Using the wrong concept can lead someone to assume access or exclusion that the published programme rules do not establish.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide uses approved residence rules as geographic access evidence. It keeps citizenship, passport-origin, tax-residence and physical-presence conditions separate whenever those conditions are actually documented.

Do not confuse with

Citizenship / passport-origin restrictionAvailabilityApplicant eligibility

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AvailabilityApplicant eligibilityCountry contextBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Supported-country list

Also seen as country allowlist · eligible-country list · complete supported-country list · supported regions

A supported-country list names places where a provider says a product or programme is offered. Its usefulness for exclusion depends on whether the list is confirmed to be complete for the relevant scope.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

An incomplete marketing list may highlight examples rather than define every eligible country. Treating omission as a prohibition can hide cards that simply lack complete public geography evidence.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide excludes an omitted selected country only when approved evidence establishes a complete applicable allowlist. Partial or illustrative lists remain context and never create an unsupported negative.

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Explicit country restrictionCountry contextAvailability

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Availability statesResidence / residencyApplicant eligibilityBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology

Waitlist / private beta / sold out

Also seen as waitlist · private beta · temporarily paused · sold out · access paused

Waitlist, private beta and sold out are access-status labels describing different temporary constraints. A waitlist queues interest, a private beta limits participation, and sold out indicates current supply or enrolment is unavailable.

Practical explanation

Why it matters

These states do not necessarily mean a product is permanently unavailable, but they also do not support an immediate-access claim. Timing and admission conditions can matter more than country support.

How we treat it

cryptocard.guide preserves the exact approved access state and check date. Temporary restrictions remain visible and are not simplified into either generally available or permanently unsupported.

Do not confuse with

AvailabilityInvite-only accessUnsupported / confirmed negative

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App/account requiredAvailability statesLast checked / last reviewedBrowse reviewed cardsRead the methodology