Crypto.com vs OKX

Both cards serve EEA and APAC users, creating direct competition in Europe and parts of Asia-Pacific. This is one of the most meaningful head-to-head comparisons on SpendNode because both cards are genuinely available in the same markets.

Crypto.com operates globally across the US, UK, EEA, APAC, LATAM, Canada, Singapore, Australia, and more. Its Visa card program has been operational since 2018, giving it the longest track record in the industry. In markets where OKX is unavailable - including the US, UK, and LATAM - Crypto.com is the only option between these two.

OKX is restricted to EEA and APAC, and faces bans in 7 countries: India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Canada. In these markets, Crypto.com is again the only option. The genuine head-to-head competition exists primarily in the EEA (all countries) and unrestricted APAC markets.

Both operate on major networks: Crypto.com on Visa, OKX on Mastercard. Both support Apple Pay and Google Pay. Both charge no annual fee on the card itself (Crypto.com subscription fees are separate).

Both cards offer 0% FX fees. The critical difference is conversion: OKX charges 0.9% on every crypto-to-fiat transaction. Crypto.com charges 0%. On $5,000/month spending, OKX users pay $45/month in conversion fees before any cashback. Crypto.com users pay $0.

This means Crypto.com's effective rate is always 0.9 percentage points higher than OKX at matching headline rates. Crypto.com at 2% truly nets 2%. OKX at 2% nets only 1.1%.

Below $1,250/month spending, Crypto.com Plus outearns every OKX tier below max. Plus nets $15/month on $1,000 spending (including $13 Spotify rebate after the $4.99 subscription). OKX base nets $1. Even OKX mid-tier at 3% nets $21 - only $6 more than Plus, and without the Spotify rebate.

Above $2,500/month, Crypto.com's caps become the liability. Plus caps at $25/month (hit at $1,250 in spending). Pro caps at $75/month (hit at $2,500). Once capped, every additional dollar earns zero cashback while OKX continues earning. At $5,000/month, OKX mid-tier (3%) earns $105/month while Crypto.com Pro earns only $60/month after subscription. OKX at 5% max ($205/month) crushes every capped Crypto.com tier.

The uncapped tiers change the math. Crypto.com Private ($50,000 CRO stake) at 4% uncapped earns $200/month on $5,000 spending - nearly matching OKX max at 5% ($205/month). But Private requires locking $50,000 in CRO for 12 months, versus OKX's requirement of holding (but not locking) OKB.

Both cards use custodial prepaid/debit models where crypto is converted to fiat at the point of sale, creating a taxable disposal event on every transaction. The tax treatment is identical.

OKX's 0.9% conversion fee applies to every transaction regardless of amount, currency, or tier. There are no waivers, no promotional periods, and no tier-based reductions as of early 2026.

At face value, this means:

• OKX at 1% headline = 0.1% net (barely positive)
• OKX at 3% headline = 2.1% net (competitive)
• OKX at 5% headline = 4.1% net (strong)
• Crypto.com at any rate = that rate exactly (no conversion fee)

For a user earning 2% on both platforms, the annual difference on $3,000/month spending is $324 ($720 on Crypto.com vs $396 on OKX). The conversion fee alone costs OKX users $324/year at this spending level. The fee is invisible at the point of sale but compounds to a significant cost over time.

Crypto.com's zero-fee structure means even its Basic tier (0% cashback) is a functional spending card that costs nothing to use. OKX at base tier actually costs money to use: every $1,000 spent generates $10 in cashback but incurs $9 in conversion fees, netting just $1.

OKX's card is pure financial utility: cashback, mobile wallet support, zero FX. No streaming rebates, no lounge access, no metal cards, no priority support.

Crypto.com's higher tiers add tangible lifestyle value that no OKX tier can match:

• Plus ($4.99/mo or $500 CRO): 100% Spotify rebate ($156/year)
• Pro ($29.99/mo or $5,000 CRO): Spotify + Netflix ($348/year combined), airport lounge access (4 visits/year for annual subscribers), metal card
• Private ($50,000 CRO): All above + unlimited lounge access with a guest, priority support
• Obsidian ($500,000 CRO): 5% uncapped + all Private perks + luxury concierge
• Prime ($1,000,000 CRO): 8% uncapped + private jet partnerships + dedicated account manager

For a European traveler who uses Spotify, watches Netflix, and flies through hub airports quarterly, Crypto.com Pro's perk value alone exceeds $500/year before counting any cashback. That is more than OKX's total annual cashback at base tier on $3,000/month spending ($36).

The perks create a total value calculation that pure cashback comparisons miss. At Pro tier with $2,000/month spending: Crypto.com earns $30/month cashback (after subscription) plus $29/month in streaming rebates plus lounge visits = approximately $80/month total value. OKX at a comparable mid-tier earns $42/month in pure cashback. When perks are included, Crypto.com Pro delivers nearly double OKX's mid-tier value for moderate spenders.

The two cards use different mechanisms to determine your tier, creating different risk profiles.

Crypto.com requires CRO staking or subscriptions. Plus: $4.99/month or $500 CRO locked for 12 months. Pro: $29.99/month or $5,000 CRO locked 12 months. Private: $50,000 CRO locked 12 months with no exit during lockup. The CRO price collapse of 2022 ($0.97 to under $0.10, a 90% decline) demonstrated the catastrophic risk: a $50,000 Private stake would have become worth under $5,200 while the lockup prevented any exit. The subscription route ($4.99 or $29.99/month) avoids lockup risk entirely but is more expensive long-term.

OKX requires OKB holdings and trading volume. OKB is not locked - you can sell at any time. But selling reduces your tier, reducing your cashback rate. The risk is different: not a locked loss, but a dynamic tier that fluctuates with your OKB position. A 30% OKB price drop could push you below a tier threshold, simultaneously reducing your reward rate and the value of your OKB holdings.

For users who prefer subscription-based commitment with no token exposure, Crypto.com's $4.99/month Plus or $29.99/month Pro provide predictable costs. For users who already hold OKB as part of their exchange activity, OKX's tier system rewards existing behavior with no additional commitment.

Comparing headline cashback rates without accounting for OKX's 0.9% conversion fee. When a user sees "OKX 3% vs Crypto.com Pro 3%," the rates appear equal. They are not. OKX's effective 3% becomes 2.1% after the conversion fee. On $2,500/month spending, that 0.9% gap costs $270/year. At the 2% tier, the gap is even more dramatic: Crypto.com Plus nets a true 2% while OKX nets 1.1%, meaning Crypto.com earns 82% more cashback at the same headline rate. How to avoid it: Always subtract 0.9% from any OKX cashback rate for the true net comparison. OKX at 3% = Crypto.com at 2.1%. OKX at 5% = Crypto.com at 4.1%. OKX only matches Crypto.com's effective rate at a headline rate 0.9% higher than the Crypto.com tier you are comparing against.

Choosing Crypto.com Pro ($29.99/month) primarily for cashback without checking the cap math. The 3% rate caps at $75/month, reached at just $2,500/month in spending. Every dollar above $2,500 earns zero cashback while the $29.99 subscription continues. At $2,000/month spending, Pro earns $60/month in cashback but costs $29.99/month - net $30.01/month ($360/year). Compare that to OKX mid-tier (approx. 3%) on the same spending: $42/month ($504/year) with no subscription and no cap. How to avoid it: If your primary goal is maximizing cashback above $2,500/month spending, OKX at mid-tier or higher outperforms capped Crypto.com tiers. Choose Crypto.com Pro only when the lifestyle perks (Spotify $156 + Netflix $192 + lounge visits) genuinely add value to your daily life - those perks close the gap and can tip the balance back toward Crypto.com.

For lifestyle perk users in any market: Crypto.com Pro or Private with Spotify, Netflix, lounge access, and 0% transaction fees delivers more total value than any OKX tier when you actually use the perks. Best for moderate spenders (under $2,500/month) who stream and travel.

For high-volume spenders above $2,500/month with OKB holdings: OKX at 3-5% uncapped outearns Crypto.com's capped Plus and Pro tiers. The 0.9% conversion fee is the cost of simplicity and no caps. Best for traders who already hold OKB on the exchange.

For users in the US, UK, LATAM, or OKX-banned APAC markets: Crypto.com is the only option between these two, available globally with six tiers from free Basic to $1M Prime.

For zero-commitment testing: OKX lets you earn some cashback from day one without paying a subscription or locking tokens. Crypto.com Basic is also free but earns 0% - purely a spending utility card.

Outlook: Crypto.com is rolling out up to 15% travel rewards at higher tiers in 2026, further widening the lifestyle gap. Its seven-year operational track record and survival of the 2022 CRO collapse (peak $0.97 to under $0.10 without interrupting card service) demonstrate resilience. OKX's card program is younger but functionally stable in the EEA, with Apple Pay expansion to additional markets underway. The competitive balance could shift if OKX reduces or eliminates the 0.9% conversion fee - which would remove Crypto.com's structural pricing advantage overnight. Watch for OKX fee announcements and Crypto.com's travel rewards launch, both expected in 2026.