Side-by-side card comparison

Phantom vs Ethena Pay: overall score versus use-case fit

Ethena Pay Card has the higher Overall Score by 27 points (86 vs 59). Phantom Card looks stronger for Funds control and Transfers, while Ethena Pay Card comes out ahead for Cashback, Travel, and Lowest fees.

Information checked Sep 1, 202626 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

Ethena Pay Card is the better all-round starting point

Ethena Pay Card has the higher Overall Score in this comparison. Phantom Card may be the better fit for Funds control 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.

OverallPhantom59Ethena Pay86Higher score
CashbackPhantom14Ethena Pay89Higher score
TravelPhantom25Ethena Pay64Higher score
Funds controlPhantom89Ethena Pay86Higher score
Lowest feesPhantom44Ethena Pay87Higher score
TransfersPhantom88Ethena Pay82Higher score

Choose Phantom Card if funds control and transfers matter most

Phantom Card comes out ahead for Funds control and Transfers in this comparison. It is worth a closer look if those are the parts of a card you expect to use most.

  • Self-custody until settlement
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • No US purchase fee

Choose Ethena Pay Card if cashback and travel matter most

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

  • Strong Standard cashback bands
  • No Standard monthly fee or FX markup
  • Collateral stays in linked wallets

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
Phantom59
Ethena Pay86

Ethena Pay Card has the higher Overall Score by 27 points.

Entry cost & FX
PhantomNot verified plan · May apply; shown before confirmation FX
Ethena Pay$0 plan · 0% Ethena Pay markup; Visa rate applies 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
Phantom0% cashback
Ethena Pay4% base · up to 5%

Ethena Pay Card has the higher published base cashback rate (4% vs 0%).

Funds control
PhantomSelf-controlled wallet
Ethena PayHybrid custody

Phantom Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while Ethena Pay Card uses a hybrid custody setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

Everyday access
PhantomVirtual · Apple Pay, Google Pay
Ethena PayVirtual · Apple Pay

Phantom Card lists more card formats and phone-wallet options (3 vs 2).

Money movement
Phantom5 stablecoins · Stablecoin transfers; Standard ACH bank payout, Fast ACH bank payout
Ethena Pay1 stablecoin · Stablecoin transfers; Ethena Pay user transfer; Bank withdrawal

Phantom Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (8 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%
Plan cost
Not disclosed
FX fee
May apply; shown before confirmation
ATM fee
Not available
Card formats
Virtual
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
4 crypto · 2 fiat
Payout methods
1 crypto · 1 fiat
Cashback
4%-5%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
0% Ethena Pay markup; Visa rate applies
ATM fee
Not available
Card formats
Virtual
Wallet payments
Apple Pay
Receive methods
0 crypto · 0 fiat
Payout methods
1 crypto · 0 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
Phantom CardOverall59
Ethena Pay CardOverall86
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
Phantom Card
59
Ethena Pay Card
86
Cashback score
Phantom Card
14
Ethena Pay Card
89
Travel score
Phantom Card
25
Ethena Pay Card
64
Funds control score
Phantom Card
89
Ethena Pay Card
86
Lowest fees score
Phantom Card
44
Ethena Pay Card
87
Transfers score
Phantom Card
88
Ethena Pay Card
82
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
Phantom Card
Self-custody until settlement, Apple Pay and Google Pay
Ethena Pay Card
Strong Standard cashback bands, No Standard monthly fee or FX markup
Trade-offs
Phantom Card
US-only and virtual-only, No ATM; international fee unclear
Ethena Pay Card
Card access is still application-gated, One-day payment grace adds liquidation risk
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Ethena Pay Card
$0
FX fee
Phantom Card
May apply; shown before confirmation
Ethena Pay Card
0% Ethena Pay markup; Visa rate applies
Top-up fee
Phantom Card
0.3–3.5%
Ethena Pay Card
Provider collateral-funding fee unknown; external network gas is separate
Card spending fee
Phantom Card
0%
Ethena Pay Card
0%
ATM fee
Phantom Card
Not available
Ethena Pay Card
Not available
Virtual card
Phantom Card
Free virtual card
Ethena Pay Card
USD 0
Physical card
Phantom Card
Not available
Ethena Pay Card
Not disclosed
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Ethena Pay Card
3 plans: Standard, Pro, VIP
Top cashback plan
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Ethena Pay Card
VIP: 5%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
Phantom Card
Visa
Ethena Pay Card
Visa
Card formats
Phantom Card
Virtual
Ethena Pay Card
Virtual
ATM withdrawals
Phantom Card
Not available
Ethena Pay Card
Not available
Mobile wallets
Phantom Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Ethena Pay Card
Apple Pay
Apps
Phantom Card
iOS, Android
Ethena Pay Card
iOS, Web
Daily spending limit
Phantom Card
$2,000 default daily and per transaction; up to $5,000/day by support request
Ethena Pay Card
Dynamic, based on collateral market value
Monthly spending limit
Phantom Card
Monthly card-spend limit not published
Ethena Pay Card
Dynamic, based on collateral market value
ATM limit
Phantom Card
Not available
Ethena Pay Card
Not available
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
Phantom Card
Solana
Ethena Pay Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum
Crypto deposits
Phantom Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT, USDG, PYUSD
Ethena Pay Card
Not disclosed
Fiat deposits
Phantom Card
Stripe card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or linked-bank deposit, ACH transfer or domestic wire
Ethena Pay Card
Not disclosed
Transfers
Phantom Card
Stablecoin transfers; Standard ACH bank payout, Fast ACH bank payout
Ethena Pay Card
Stablecoin transfers; Ethena Pay user transfer; Bank withdrawal
Payout currencies
Phantom Card
USD
Ethena Pay Card
Not disclosed
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
Phantom Card
0%
Ethena Pay Card
4%
Max cashback
Phantom Card
0%
Ethena Pay Card
5%
Reward currency
Phantom Card
Not applicable
Ethena Pay Card
AVAX
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Ethena Pay Card
Up to 6% APY
How it works
Phantom Card
Optional earn vault
Ethena Pay Card
Earn on spending balance
Separate deposit
Phantom Card
Yes
Ethena Pay Card
No
Use balance for spending
Phantom Card
No
Ethena Pay Card
Yes
Lock-up
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Ethena Pay Card
No
09

Trust & availability

6 fields
Custody
Phantom Card
Self-custody
Ethena Pay Card
Hybrid custody
Control until payment
Phantom Card
You keep control
Ethena Pay Card
You keep control
Card issuer
Phantom Card
Lead Bank
Ethena Pay Card
Third National
Card processing
Phantom Card
Bridge Ventures LLC, Galileo
Ethena Pay Card
Signify Holdings, Inc. d/b/a Rain
Deposits & withdrawals
Phantom Card
Stripe
Ethena Pay Card
Not disclosed
Identity verification
Phantom Card
Link
Ethena Pay Card
Sumsub
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
Phantom Card
14
Ethena Pay Card
12
Last reviewed
Phantom Card
Aug 5, 2026
Ethena Pay Card
Sep 1, 2026

04 · The trade-off

Ethena Pay Card is the stronger all-round choice

Ethena Pay Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 86 versus 59 for Phantom Card. The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. Ethena Pay Card has the higher published base cashback rate (4% vs 0%).

Phantom Card still comes out ahead for Funds control and Transfers, which may matter more than the overall result if that is how you plan to use the card. Phantom Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while Ethena Pay Card uses a hybrid custody setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

Phantom Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (8 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 Phantom Card and Ethena Pay Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

Phantom vs Ethena Pay FAQ

Is Phantom or Ethena Pay better overall?

Ethena Pay Card has the higher Overall Score (86 vs 59). 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, Phantom or Ethena Pay?

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, Phantom or Ethena Pay?

Ethena Pay Card has the higher published base cashback rate (4% vs 0%). Maximum rates may depend on tiers, caps, categories or other conditions, so the entry rate and reward asset matter too.

How do Phantom and Ethena Pay differ on custody?

Phantom Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while Ethena Pay Card uses a hybrid custody setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

How current is this Phantom vs Ethena Pay comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was September 1, 2026, using 26 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