How to withdraw from PayPal to Nigeria (5 ways compared)

Selling digital products to customers abroad is one of the most reliable ways to earn passively in foreign currency. Once you have built your digital product, it can be sold repeatedly without the worry of inventory, shipping, or location barriers. For freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs, selling internationally opens the door to stable, passive long-term income, especially when you do it right.

Also read: Best ways to receive payments from international clients

Why you should consider selling digital products to customers abroad

You can increase your earning potential by creating digital products and selling to international clients. Here are some reasons you should consider selling digital products to customers abroad.

• Wider reach: You gain access to millions of potential customers outside your home country, which significantly increases your sales potential.
• Income diversification: Selling digital products to customers abroad reduces your reliance on a single income stream or market. This provides a more stable income amid local economic challenges.
• Increased brand awareness: Having a global presence enhances your visibility and strengthens your international reputation.
• Round-the-clock sales: Your digital products are always available. This allows you to make sales across different time zones and make money without interruption, even in your sleep.
• Lower costs: Selling digital products bypasses physical shipping and logistics costs associated with physical goods.
• Faster growth: If you can tap into the global market, you can boost your business growth faster than if you remain local.

Digital products you can sell to international customers

Here are some of the best-performing digital products you can package and sell to international customers.

• Educational content: ebooks, online courses, workshops, webinars, travel guides.
• Productivity tools: Digital planners, Notion templates, spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets), resume templates, website themes.
• Creative products: Digital art, illustrations, photography, stock videos, music, sound effects, fonts, brand kits.
• Software and tools: Mobile apps, WordPress themes/plugins, AI tools, SaaS (Software as a Service).
• Entertainment: Games, podcasts, digital magazines.

How to sell digital products to customers abroad

Before you begin selling digital products internationally, here are some steps to take.

Choose a product with global relevance

The most successful digital products are built around problems that exist everywhere. Templates, courses, ebooks, design assets, software tools, Notion dashboards, and educational resources work well because they are not tied to local markets. Before building a digital product, confirm that the product is in demand. Look at what people are already paying for, read reviews, and identify gaps you can improve on. Global customers care less about where you are based and more about whether your product delivers value.

Price for an international audience

Pricing is critical when selling abroad. Most digital products are priced in USD because it is familiar and trusted globally. Pricing in a stable currency also protects your earnings from local currency fluctuations. Keep your pricing simple and transparent. Consider offering tiered pricing or bundles to accommodate different budgets without compromising on value.

Pick the right platform

Choosing platforms that handle hosting, delivery, and checkout simplifies your sales process. However, platform fees can eat into your earnings, and there might be limited payout methods. Some sellers eventually move to their own websites for better control over branding, pricing, and customer service. This can be more overwhelming for beginners. However, whichever option you choose, make sure it supports international payments and ensures smooth service delivery.

• Etsy: The go-to for creative products like planners, templates, and printables. While it has a massive audience, it charges listing fees ($0.20/item) and transaction fees (6.5%).
• Shopify: This is a top-tier choice for selling digital products, offering high profit margins (often around 90%) and extensive automation. While it was originally built for physical goods, it has become a leader for digital-only storefronts due to its stability and vast Shopify App Store ecosystem.
• Amazon KDP: The global leader for self-published ebooks and audiobooks, providing access to millions of Prime customers.
• Gumroad: Extremely easy to set up for independent creators. It supports "pay-what-you-want" pricing and has a flat 10% transaction fee model. The platform features basic email marketing (Workflows), license key generation for software, and recurring payments for subscriptions.
• Thinkific and Teachable: These are dedicated platforms for online courses with quizzes, student communities, and certifications.
• Lemon Squeezy: Popular with software developers and SaaS founders because it acts as a "Merchant of Record," handling global taxes and VAT compliance automatically.

Also read: How to pay for online courses and certifications with Grey

Handle payments and foreign currency smartly

Getting paid is as important as making the sale. International customers expect to pay by card or via local bank transfers in familiar currencies. Using a setup that allows you to receive and hold foreign currency helps you avoid unnecessary conversion losses. Instead of converting everything immediately to your local currency, you can manage your income more efficiently.

Multi-currency accounts make this easier by providing you with foreign bank details to manage payments in USD, EUR, and GBP at competitive exchange rates when withdrawing to your local bank account.

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Understand taxes and compliance

Digital product sales can involve tax considerations, especially when selling internationally. Some countries require VAT or digital services tax, depending on where your customers are located. While platforms may handle some of this automatically, it is important to understand your local tax obligations and keep proper records of sales and income. Consulting a tax professional early can save time and prevent issues later.

Market to a global audience

Selling abroad requires visibility. Content marketing, email lists, social media, SEO, and partnerships are effective ways to reach international audiences. Your message should clearly explain who the product is for and what problem it solves. Customer support also matters. Promptly responding to enquiries and clear documentation improve your reviews and increase repeat purchases.

Also read: How to plan your taxes across multiple income sources

Selling digital products internationally with Grey

Selling digital products to customers abroad requires having the right product, platform, pricing, payment setup, and marketing strategy. If you are worried about how to manage your international payments, Grey’s got your back. With USD, EUR, and GBP accounts from Grey, you can easily withdraw your earnings without any other third-party apps taking a cut. You can maximise your earnings by leveraging the platform’s low transaction fees and competitive exchange rate when withdrawing to your local bank. Here’s how to link Grey to your store.

• Sign up on Grey’s website or download the mobile app.
• Complete your KYC verification and request your banking details.
• Proceed to your desired marketplace and find the payment settings.
• Enter your Grey details to link your account, and you're home and dry.

Sign up on Grey’s website or download the mobile app to manage your international payments efficiently.

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Finding US and European clients is a familiar struggle for many remote workers and businesses, but getting paid efficiently is a whole different ball game. Importantly, how you manage your international payments determines how much of your income you actually keep. High fees, payment delays, and forced currency conversions can be frustrating and reduce your earnings if you don’t plan how to receive your payment efficiently.  Here are your top options for receiving payments from US and European clients.

Also read: Highest-paying remote jobs for professionals in Morocco

Why payments can be challenging from Morocco

One reason many US and European clients might be hesitant to work with Moroccans is payment challenges. It would be easier to pay via local bank transfers such as ACH (US) or SEPA (Europe). Unfortunately, Moroccan bank accounts don’t support these systems directly. Payments are usually routed through international wire transfers. And while this option can be reliable, international wire transfers are slow and expensive. Sometimes, intermediary banks also add their own charges. As soon as the money reaches your account, it is converted to MAD at an unfair exchange rate.

How to get paid by US and European clients while living in Morocco

Here are some of the most popular options for receiving international payments in Morocco, with their benefits and shortcomings.

Traditional bank transfers

Despite high fees, slow payment processing, and forced conversion at unfavourable exchange rates, SWIFT transfers to Moroccan banks remain very popular, especially for larger payments and regular salaries. It seems to be a ‘more official’ payment option for international clients.

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Digital payment platforms

The arrival of digital payment platforms like Payoneer and PayPal tilted the odds in favour of Moroccans working with US and European clients. These services simplify international transactions and are faster than bank transfers.

Unfortunately, they also have drawbacks. Between high platform fees, withdrawal charges, and markups on exchange rates, many users end up losing a huge fraction of their income. Digital platforms are also prone to restrictions and account suspensions.

Also read: Wise vs PayPal vs Payoneer: which works better for Moroccans?

Using multi-currency accounts

Multi-currency accounts are now becoming the mainstay of cross-border payments in Morocco. Various fintech platforms let you have bank details in USD, EUR or GBP, allowing clients to pay you as if you were based in the US or Europe. You can receive payments via ACH or SEPA, keep the money in foreign currency, and convert to dirhams whenever you wish. This option significantly reduces transaction fees, speeds up international payments, and gives you control over your earnings.

Also read: How freelancers in Morocco can receive payments from US, UK & EU clients

A smarter way to manage international income

If you are looking for the most efficient way to manage your international earnings, you should consider Grey. The payment solution is designed to help Moroccans swiftly receive payments in USD, GBP, and EUR at low costs. You can keep your income in foreign currency and withdraw to your local MAD bank at competitive exchange rates. Users can also access a virtual USD debit card for seamless online payments and automate their invoicing in various currencies.

Sign up on Grey’s website or download the mobile app to manage your international income efficiently.

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For too long, managing payments, compliance, and expenses has been complicated for global teams and businesses.  Paying contractors abroad ,  handling  multiple currencies, or even just tracking team expenses can quickly become overwhelming.

We set out to change this at Grey.

We’re excited to introduce Grey Business: an expanded suite of tools built to help you manage your company’s global finances with more control, clarity, and confidence.

Starting today, if your team in Indonesia needs to collect payments from clients in London, or your start-up in Nairobi needs to pay partners in New York, you can do it all seamlessly from your Grey Business dashboard.

Managing everything from multi-currency accounts and expenses to wage payouts and APIs is now simpler with Grey. All the tools you need to power your global operations  in one simple, easy-to-use  dashboard.

Here's a closer look at what Grey Business can help you achieve:

Foreign accounts for your business

With Grey Business, you can open and manage foreign bank accounts in USD, just like a local company would.

Each account comes with a unique IBAN, routing number, and SWIFT code, making it easier and faster to send and receive payments internationally.

No hidden charges. No long waiting times. No complicated paperwork.

All of this is built on a foundation of security and compliance. Every business account goes through  KYC/KYB checks, with fraud prevention and transaction monitoring built in to keep your funds safe.

Empower your team with smart virtual cards

Stop playing "pass the credit card" or waiting for OTPs just to pay for a software subscription. With Grey Business, you can issue unlimited virtual USD cards instantly. Whether you need to cover digital ad spend, manage SaaS subscriptions, or equip your team for operational expenses, you can create dedicated cards in seconds.

But such speed doesn’t mean you lose control. You can set custom spending limits for each card, assign them to specific team members, and freeze or delete them instantly if a project ends.

Individual and bulk payouts made easy

As your business scales, your administrative load shouldn't have to keep pace. We built our payout engine to handle volume without the friction.

• One-off payments: send money to partners or vendors instantly with just a few clicks.
• Bulk payouts: Use our "Bulk upload" feature to ingest a simple CSV file and process mass payments simultaneously.

Whether you’re paying one vendor or a hundred, Grey Business gives you the flexibility you need.

• Individual payouts: Send one-off payments to partners or contractors in over 100 countries. Get real-time foreign exchange rates before confirming and choose between bank transfers or mobile money.
• Bulk payouts: Need to send multiple payments at once? Upload a CSV file, review everything in one dashboard, and let Grey handle the rest. You can even track payment statuses and retry failed ones instantly.

Whether it’s fiat or crypto, individual or bulk, local or global, Grey brings you speed, visibility, and reliability in one place.

Native USDC Support for the modern business

We know that for many modern companies, Fiat is only half the story. With Grey Business, you can hold a dedicated USDC balance alongside your fiat currencies, giving you total control over how you store your capital.

Need to move funds fast? You can deposit or withdraw USDC via the BEP20 network and send funds to any compatible wallet in seconds. It is the stability of the dollar with the speed of the blockchain, fully integrated into your dashboard.

APIs that grow with your business

If your company handles high-volume or automated payments, our developer APIs give you more control than ever.

You can now initiate payouts automatically through the Grey API — perfect for platforms, marketplaces, and payment-driven businesses that need to pay users regularly .

By integrating Grey directly into your systems, you can trigger local and international transfers with just a few lines of code.

We’ve also built P2P GreyTag APIs that let you verify user identities and send peer-to-peer payments directly from your platform.

This means you can embed Grey’s payment capabilities right into your product, with the same reliability and compliance we’re known for.

A unified dashboard for your finances

No need to toggle between different banking apps and spreadsheets to piece together your financial health. We built the Grey Business dashboard to give you a single, holistic view of your operations.

From one screen, you can track inflows, manage your USD balance, and monitor the real-time status of every payout. And when tax season arrives, you can easily generate detailed statements instantly, giving your accounting team exactly what they need without the headache.

Why Grey Business matters

Grey Business started as a way to help businesses make seamless cross-border payments.

But as our users grew, so did their needs. They didn’t just need to send payments; they needed to manage everything that comes with it: teams, approvals, accounts, reporting, and compliance.

Grey is no longer just a payments platform; we’re becoming the financial command centre for modern global businesses.

Whether you’re a start-up expanding into new markets, a remote team paying global talent, or a platform handling thousands of transactions, Grey Business is built to help you operate confidently across borders.

Start your global journey with Grey Business

The future of global business banking is here: faster, simpler, and built for the way modern teams work.

Open your Grey Business account today and experience:

• Instant access to USD and USDC accounts
• Smarter controls for teams and treasury
• Virtual USD cards for teams
• Powerful automation with APIs
• A unified dashboard track all your balances

Get started at grey.co/business

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Everyone talks about ‘being your own boss’ without giving you enough heads up on how challenging that can be. The truth is, even if you are told how difficult it is to be a solo founder, you are still likely going to underestimate how challenging it really is. It is unlikely we can help you with client chasing, marketing, or recruitment. One thing we can show you, however, is how to better manage your foreign income. Foreign income is often the first real sign of traction as a startup. But without the right setup, cross-border payments can cause problems due to high fees, forced currency conversion, delayed access to funds, and messy records.

This guide explains how solo founders receive foreign income, the setups that work best, and what to consider when choosing a system that scales with your business.

Also read: Selling digital products to customers abroad

Why foreign income is tricky for solo founders

Unlike larger companies, solo founders usually don’t start with dedicated finance teams, complex legal structures, and multiple business bank accounts. That makes them more vulnerable to inefficiencies in cross-border payments. Heads up, the common problems you might encounter while  managing foreign income as a solo founder include

• Clients pay in USD, EUR, or GBP, while your expenses are local
• Forced conversion at unfavourable rates
• Delays caused by SWIFT transfers
• Mixing personal and business income
• Poor documentation for taxes, audits, or future fundraising

Common ways solo founders receive foreign income

If you are just starting off, it is better to begin with simple setups and refine them as revenue grows. Opt for the options that offer simplicity while maximising your income and reducing losses. Here are some options and how they compare:

Also read: How to pay for online courses and certifications with Grey

Direct client payments via international bank transfer

Some founders invoice clients and receive payments directly into local bank accounts.

Pros

• Simple to explain to clients
• Works for one-off or low-volume payments

Cons

• High fees and intermediary charges
• Slow settlement times
• Mandatory currency conversion at poor exchange rates

This method works early on but rarely scales well. Over time, your losses will pile up, and that might not be good in the long term.

Freelance and creator platforms

Some solo founders who sell services or digital products often earn through platforms like freelancing sites, digital marketplaces, and subscription or creator platforms.

Pros

• Built-in payment collection
• The platform handles invoicing and customer payments

Cons

• Platform fees
• Limited control over payout timing
• Restricted payout options in some countries

Founders using these platforms often look for ways to receive payouts more efficiently, such as linking to a digital payment platform that supports foreign currencies.

Also read: How to pay for ads easily with your Grey card

Using global digital banking platforms

For many solo founders, the most practical setup is separating foreign income collection from local spending using a global digital banking platform. These platforms allow founders to:

• Receive USD, EUR, or GBP like a local business based in other countries
• Hold foreign currency without immediate conversion
• Convert only when rates are favourable
• Withdraw to local bank accounts
• Keep clean transaction records

This setup offers flexibility without requiring a complex company structure. You can also easily track your income for tax purposes. Some of the top recommendations for solo founders include:

• Mercury:  Widely recommended for tech founders with a US entity. It offers 4–5% yield on idle cash and seamless integration with Shopify, Stripe, and Amazon.
• Wise Business: Ideal for founders who don't want a US entity. It provides local bank details in multiple currencies. Its Direct Debit feature is essential for paying global SaaS subscriptions without credit card limits.
• Elevate Pay: This is a favourite for founders in emerging markets (Egypt, Nigeria) to get an FDIC-insured US bank account without a US LLC, protecting company capital from local currency crashes.

Managing foreign income as a solo founder with Grey

Since launching Grey Business, startups and SMEs now have the unique opportunity of creating international accounts to manage their income with ease. The B2B cross-border payment platform enables businesses to receive payments in USD from their clients.

With Grey, solo founders can:

• Get corporate USD accounts to receive international payments.
• Manage personal finances with a personal Grey account to access USD, GBP, EUR.
• Accept payouts from clients, platforms, and marketplaces
• Hold multiple currencies and convert strategically
• Withdraw to local bank accounts when needed
• Manage USDC and USDT transactions, offering more flexibility
• Use virtual cards for software subscriptions and online tools

The benefits of using Grey Business include:

• Faster access to funds than traditional banks
• Transparent exchange rates and low conversion fees
• Clear separation between foreign income and personal spending
• Simple setup without forming a foreign company

Receiving foreign income as a solo founder doesn’t require complex structures. You can go a long way with clarity, control, and flexibility. By using the right tools, separating foreign earnings from local spending, and strategically converting currency, solo founders can protect their margins and simplify their operations.

When you’re building alone, your financial setup should work as hard as you do. Grey is built for this exact stage to help founders receive, manage, and grow international income without unnecessary headaches.

Get started with Grey and join other solo founders managing foreign income with ease.

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Budgeting used to be simple. You earned money, spent money, and tracked what was left. At that time, you had only one account with one currency, which required just one mental model.

Then remote work happened.

Now you might earn in EUR, pay for tools in USD, and travel in between. Discipline isn’t enough for budgeting anymore; you also need structure because, without proper structure, even the most careful spender can lose track of where their money is going.

Your Grey card is a practical budgeting tool for people who live, work, earn, and spend across borders. I’ll explain.

Why budgeting in multiple currencies breaks down so easily

Many people who overspend don't do so because they’re irresponsible. But because their money isn’t organised in a way that reflects how they live.

It’s pretty common to be juggling subscriptions in USD, running ads in EUR, buying coffee in GBP, and somehow all on the same card. Eventually, everything blurs together. You can no longer track your Netflix renewal, that Facebook ad campaign, the flight you booked last week, or the coworking space membership. Then one day you check your balance and think, “Where did all that money go?” You know you spent it. You just can’t figure out where, or why, it felt like so much more than you expected.

It’s not that you’re careless. It’s that your money isn’t organised in a way that matches how you actually live and work. And once things start blurring, it’s nearly impossible to untangle without spending an hour combing through statements, converting currencies in your head, and still not feeling certain you’ve caught everything.

At that point, your budget is broken.

Also read: How to use your Grey card to manage all your subscriptions

What should budgeting look like when you earn and spend globally?

Clarity, separation, and control are the most crucial factors when budgeting across multiple currencies. You should be able to:

• See exactly what each type of spending is costing you.
• Stop or pause spending instantly when needed.
• Protect one part of your budget from another.
• Make changes without disrupting everything else.

The Grey card is designed around solving these exact needs.

How does the Grey card help with budgeting?

Use multiple cards to separate your spending

One of the most effective budgeting habits is separation. Instead of using a single card for everything, you can create multiple cards with clear purposes. Your Grey virtual card helps you structure your spending as such.

For example, you can create:

• One card for subscriptions and recurring tools
• One card for ads and growth experiments
• One card for travel or everyday spending
• One card per client or project

Each card acts like its own budget lane, pulling from the same balance. You don’t need to guess where the money went because you already know.

This is especially useful if you freelance, manage ads, or run multiple income streams. When spending is separated, budgeting becomes more straightforward.

Also read: How to pay for ads easily with your Grey card

Freeze cards instantly when spending goes off-track

Budgets fail when you can’t act fast enough.

With the Grey card, you can instantly freeze or unfreeze any card in the app. If a digital ad campaign starts burning through too cash, freeze the card. If a subscription you forgot about renews unexpectedly, freeze the card. If you’re travelling and want to lock down non-essential spending, freeze the card.

Freezing a card doesn’t affect your other cards or balances. It simply stops that specific spending lane, which is precisely how budgeting should work.

Set limits that protect your budget

Budgets can fail when they’re too rigid. Grey’s spending limits work more like guardrails.

You can set daily or monthly limits per card, receive alerts when you’re approaching your limit, and still stay flexible. The goal isn’t to punish spending. I mean, who wants that? It’s to keep you aware before things drift too far.

For shared cards or subscriptions, limits are especially useful. You know exactly how much can be spent, and nothing sneaks past unnoticed.

Track spending clearly in one place

When you’re budgeting across currencies, visibility matters more than perfection. Every Grey card transaction appears clearly in your app, linked to the card you used. That means you’re not just seeing how much you spent, but why you spent it.

When budgeting time comes around, you’re not sitting there trying to remember what that mysterious €47 charge was three weeks ago or why your USD balance dropped. Everything’s already categorised. The structure did the work for you.

Spend confidently across borders

Trust helps with budgeting too. When you’re shopping internationally, paying for ads, or travelling, declined payments and unexpected charges can throw everything off. The Grey Card works across global merchants and even supports Apple Pay and Google Pay, so everyday spending feels normal, even when you’re far from home.

A quick note on protection when spending abroad

An often-overlooked aspect of budgeting is preparing for contingencies in case things go wrong.

When you pay with your Grey card, you have access to Visa benefits, including purchase protection, extended warranties, and price protection, depending on the transaction and your activation status. It’s not something you think about daily, but it adds a layer of reassurance when you’re buying electronics, booking travel, or shopping internationally.

It’s one less thing to worry about while managing money across borders.

Also read: How to claim your Visa card benefits

What budgeting in foreign currencies is like with the Grey card

When your card and your accounts are aligned, budgeting stops being guesswork. You know what you’re spending, which currency your spend is coming from and more importantly, when something changes.

Instead of constantly reacting to your balance, you’re now making decisions with clarity. And that’s what good budgeting should be like, whether you’re at home, travelling, or working remotely.

If you’re ready to make your budget work wherever you are, create or update your Grey card today and start spending and budgeting in the ways that matter to you.

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Different virtual cards work differently depending on how you spend, where you shop, and which currencies you use. Some excel at simple travel spending, others at multi-currency holding. Some support crypto, others don’t. Understanding the real differences helps you pick which one works for you.

Today, I’m comparing the Grey card with six other well-known virtual card options, just so you know which one works best for you.

1. Wise multi-currency card

If you’ve ever needed a card that is like a multi-currency wallet first and a spending card, Wise probably fits that bill. Wise is widely used as a borderless account with a card that lets you tap into more than 50 currencies and spend internationally at transparent exchange rates.

For many global workers and travellers, such simplicity is appealing. You get the real exchange rate plus a small, clear fee. There are generally no hidden surprises, and you can hold currencies like USD, EUR, or GBP in one place.

Wise also doesn’t support crypto balances, so if you’re someone who keeps part of your funds in digital assets and wants to spend crypto, your Wise card won’t help.

People who want to hold and spend multiple currencies with clear exchange pricing, especially for everyday purchases and travel, will love the Wise card.

Also read: How to shop in the US or Europe with your Grey card

2. Revolut card

Revolut is one of the most talked-about fintech platforms in the world, and its card ecosystem reflects that breadth. You can have both virtual and physical cards, generate disposable virtual cards for added security, and even manage budgeting, investments, and crypto trading all in one app.

It ticks many boxes: multi-currency support, budgeting tools, and virtual card creation. However, the complexity of features can become a hurdle, especially when key perks are tucked behind paid tiers.

Revolut is strong as part of a broader lifestyle finance app, especially for travellers and users who want added perks like travel insurance, purchase protection, and trip disruption coverage, which are included in higher-tier plans such as Premium, Metal, or Ultra. However, these benefits depend on subscription level and eligibility requirements, and coverage is provided through third-party insurers rather than built directly into the card experience.

Its virtual cards can still face issues on international platforms, and the way it converts currencies, including weekend markups, adds a layer of unpredictability for some users.

3. Payoneer card

Payoneer is a name many freelancers, online sellers, and international businesses know quite well. Its card, especially the virtual prepaid card, is excellent for receiving payments from global marketplaces, handling international transfers, and covering business expenses in multiple currencies.

However, many users report sudden card blocks, limited personal support, and slow resolution times, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to pay for everyday subscriptions or online purchases.

In many regions, Payoneer is ideal for business payouts and marketplace earnings; however, it may not be the best option if you require a card for personal multi-currency spending or flexible international use.

Freelancers and businesses requiring comprehensive currency support with global payouts, especially via marketplaces, will appreciate the Payoneer card.

Also read: How to pay online and in stores worldwide with your phone

4. N26 Card

N26 operates as a digital bank primarily across the EU and EEA. Its cards, both physical and virtual, are built around simplicity, with no foreign transaction fees for many currencies and straightforward Mastercard exchange rates.

It works well for everyday spending both within and outside the Eurozone, and virtual cards can be issued quickly as part of the account opening process.

The big limitation, a practical one, is its availability. N26’s services were pulled back from the U.S. and some other markets in recent years, and it remains focused on European customers.

So if you travel frequently within Europe or spend in EUR, N26 cards can be a solid choice. But outside that context, it’s less flexible, especially for global needs.

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5. Crypto-linked cards

Crypto cards deserve their own mention. Cards like the Coinbase Card and Crypto.com Visa Card allow you to spend cryptocurrency by instantly converting it to fiat at the point of sale. These are especially interesting for people who live or earn in digital assets and want to use them without extra conversion steps.

For example, Binance’s card (in regions where it is still supported) offers significant cashback rewards in BNB, and Coinbase lets you spend multiple crypto assets directly, with rewards in crypto.

The downside is that these cards often tie you into a specific exchange ecosystem, may carry higher fees for some transactions, and their rewards are typically token-based — valuable if you’re bullish on crypto, less so if you’re not.

I’ll recommend these cards for crypto holders who want to spend digital assets with conversion at checkout and enjoy token rewards.

6. Traditional bank virtual cards

There’s a whole category of virtual cards issued by traditional or app-based banks, like Monzo (UK), Starling (UK), or wallet-front cards like Curve.

These are solid for everyday use, especially in their home markets, and often integrate well with Apple Pay/Google Pay. However, international currency support varies widely; some have foreign transaction fees, others rely on slower underlying banking rails, and they’re sometimes limited in where they’ll work for recurring payments or certain ad platforms.

For many users, these cards are excellent backups or complementary payment methods. But if your life or work relies on consistent, global spending, their limitations become noticeable.

7. Grey card offers a more flexible virtual global spending experience

By now, it should be clear: not all virtual cards are the same. Some are designed for holding money, others for daily banking, and others still for specific ecosystems.

Grey’s approach sits in a different space from the others above. Your card works across fiat (USD, EUR, GBP, local currency) and stablecoins (USDC), eliminating the need to get an extra crypto card. Your Grey card automatically pulls funds from your available balances in the following order: USD, USDC, and then the next highest available balance.

You can also create multiple cards for different purposes, such as travel, subscriptions, personal, and business. Still, each card will work seamlessly without requiring you to select which balance to spend from. We built the Grey virtual card for people who:

• Spend in multiple currencies regularly
• Want predictable outcomes at checkout
• Value clear messaging and control
• Need support for both fiat and crypto balances

Instead of requiring top-ups or rigid currency conversion steps, your Grey card automatically draws from your available balances, making spending across fiat and stablecoin currencies effortless.

Many of the other options we’ve discussed above are great in their contexts. However, each has trade-offs that make it difficult to be everything to everyone.

Also read: How to budget in foreign currencies using the Grey card

So, which card is right for you?

There’s no single answer, but here’s a quick way to think about it:

• If you want clear, no-nonsense multi-currency holding and spending, Wise or N26 are strong choices.
• If you’re looking for a financial super app with perks, Revolut is a great fit.
• If you earn or spend in crypto and enjoy token rewards, crypto cards like Coinbase or Crypto.com are worth exploring.
• If you want a card that automatically draws from different balances, supports multiple cards, and makes international or multi-currency spending predictable globally, we built Grey for your lifestyle.

Different cards shine in various life scenarios. The key is knowing which trade-offs matter to you, and how your day-to-day spending looks.

Choose with clarity, and let your card work for you, not the other way around. Create your Grey visa card and enjoy a smoother, more inclusive, and more predictable global spending experience.

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