Side-by-side card comparison

Phantom vs Uphold US: overall score versus use-case fit

Uphold Card US has the higher Overall Score by 11 points (70 vs 59). Phantom Card looks stronger for Funds control and Transfers, while Uphold Card US comes out ahead for Cashback, Travel, and Lowest fees.

Information checked Oct 14, 202627 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

Uphold Card US is the better all-round starting point

Uphold Card US 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.

OverallPhantom59Uphold US70Higher score
CashbackPhantom14Uphold US75Higher score
TravelPhantom25Uphold US71Higher score
Funds controlPhantom89Uphold US44Higher score
Lowest feesPhantom44Uphold US56Higher score
TransfersPhantom88Uphold US65Higher 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 Uphold Card US if cashback and travel matter most

Uphold Card US 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.

  • Essential has no annual fee
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Elite raises spending limits

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
Uphold US70

Uphold Card US has the higher Overall Score by 11 points.

Entry cost & FX
PhantomNot verified plan · May apply; shown before confirmation FX
Uphold US$0 plan · 0–1.5% 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
Phantom0% cashback
Uphold US2% base · up to 4%

Uphold Card US has the higher published base cashback rate (2% vs 0%).

Funds control
PhantomSelf-controlled wallet
Uphold USCustodial balance

Phantom Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while Uphold Card US uses a custodial balance setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

Everyday access
PhantomVirtual · Apple Pay, Google Pay
Uphold USVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay

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

Money movement
Phantom5 stablecoins · Stablecoin transfers; Standard ACH bank payout, Fast ACH bank payout
Uphold US0 stablecoins · US bank withdrawal

Phantom Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (8 vs 2).

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
2%-4%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
0–1.5%
ATM fee
Essential: $2.95; Elite: $0
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
0 crypto · 3 fiat
Payout methods
0 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
Phantom CardOverall59
Uphold Card USOverall70
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
Phantom Card
59
Uphold Card US
70
Cashback score
Phantom Card
14
Uphold Card US
75
Travel score
Phantom Card
25
Uphold Card US
71
Funds control score
Phantom Card
89
Uphold Card US
44
Lowest fees score
Phantom Card
44
Uphold Card US
56
Transfers score
Phantom Card
88
Uphold Card US
65
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
Phantom Card
Self-custody until settlement, Apple Pay and Google Pay
Uphold Card US
Essential has no annual fee, Apple Pay and Google Pay
Trade-offs
Phantom Card
US-only and virtual-only, No ATM; international fee unclear
Uphold Card US
Asset sales can reduce rewards, Rewards have a disputed time window
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
$0
FX fee
Phantom Card
May apply; shown before confirmation
Uphold Card US
0–1.5%
Top-up fee
Phantom Card
0.3–3.5%
Uphold Card US
ACH: no deposit fee; external card: 3.99%
Card spending fee
Phantom Card
0%
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
ATM fee
Phantom Card
Not available
Uphold Card US
Essential: $2.95; Elite: $0
Virtual card
Phantom Card
Free virtual card
Uphold Card US
Free on both plans
Physical card
Phantom Card
Not available
Uphold Card US
Essential: $4.99 plastic; Elite: metal included in $99.99 annual plan
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
2 plans: Essential, Elite
Top cashback plan
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
Elite: 3%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
Phantom Card
Visa
Uphold Card US
Visa
Card formats
Phantom Card
Virtual
Uphold Card US
Virtual, Physical
ATM withdrawals
Phantom Card
Not available
Uphold Card US
Available
Mobile wallets
Phantom Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Uphold Card US
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
Phantom Card
iOS, Android
Uphold Card US
iOS, Android
Daily spending limit
Phantom Card
$2,000 standard daily limit; eligibility for up to $5,000/day is assessed automatically after 30 days and transaction history
Uphold Card US
Essential: $2,500/day; Elite: $25,000/day
Monthly spending limit
Phantom Card
Monthly card-spend limit not published
Uphold Card US
Essential: $10,000/month; Elite: $100,000/month
ATM limit
Phantom Card
Not available
Uphold Card US
Essential: $500/day, $2,000/month; Elite: $2,000/day, $10,000/month
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
Phantom Card
Solana
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
Crypto deposits
Phantom Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT, USDG, PYUSD
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
Fiat deposits
Phantom Card
Stripe card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or linked-bank deposit, ACH transfer or domestic wire
Uphold Card US
Linked US bank account, USD bank transfer, External card deposit
Transfers
Phantom Card
Stablecoin transfers; Standard ACH bank payout, Fast ACH bank payout
Uphold Card US
US bank withdrawal
Payout currencies
Phantom Card
USD
Uphold Card US
USD
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
Phantom Card
0%
Uphold Card US
2%
Max cashback
Phantom Card
0%
Uphold Card US
4%
Reward currency
Phantom Card
Not applicable
Uphold Card US
XRP
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
Not offered
How it works
Phantom Card
Optional earn vault
Uphold Card US
Not offered
Separate deposit
Phantom Card
Yes
Uphold Card US
Not offered
Use balance for spending
Phantom Card
No
Uphold Card US
Not offered
Lock-up
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
Not offered
09

Trust & availability

7 fields
Custody
Phantom Card
Self-custody
Uphold Card US
Custodial
Control until payment
Phantom Card
You keep control
Uphold Card US
Provider controls funds
Card issuer
Phantom Card
Lead Bank
Uphold Card US
Cross River Bank
Card processing
Phantom Card
Bridge Ventures LLC, Galileo, Stripe
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
Custody / key management
Phantom Card
Not disclosed
Uphold Card US
Uphold HQ Inc.
Deposits & withdrawals
Phantom Card
Stripe
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
Identity verification
Phantom Card
Link
Uphold Card US
Not disclosed
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
Phantom Card
14
Uphold Card US
13
Last reviewed
Phantom Card
Oct 14, 2026
Uphold Card US
Oct 14, 2026

04 · The trade-off

Uphold Card US is the stronger all-round choice

Uphold Card US finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 70 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. Uphold Card US has the higher published base cashback rate (2% 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 Uphold Card US uses a custodial balance 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 2). 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 Uphold Card US reviews first.

05 · Common questions

Phantom vs Uphold US FAQ

Is Phantom or Uphold US better overall?

Uphold Card US has the higher Overall Score (70 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 Uphold US?

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 Uphold US?

Uphold Card US has the higher published base cashback rate (2% 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 Uphold US differ on custody?

Phantom Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while Uphold Card US uses a custodial balance setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

How current is this Phantom vs Uphold US comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was October 14, 2026, using 27 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