Best Crypto Cards in Italy (2026)

CONSOB (Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa) and the Banca d'Italia jointly regulate crypto in Italy. The OAM (Organismo Agenti e Mediatori) maintains a mandatory register of virtual asset service providers, and all crypto card issuers operating in Italy must hold either an OAM registration or a MiCA CASP license from another EEA member state.

Italian regulators are moderately strict, with specific requirements around advertising transparency and consumer protection. The 2023 crypto tax reform (which introduced the 26% capital gains tax and EUR 2,000 exemption) signaled Italy's intent to bring crypto into the formal tax system. Italy also offered a voluntary crypto sanatoria (regularization) allowing retroactive declaration of previously unreported holdings.

Binance, Crypto.com, OKX, and Bybit all serve Italian users through their European entities with OAM registration or EEA passporting. No major issuer has withdrawn from the Italian market.

Verify your issuer's OAM registration or MiCA license before applying. The OAM register is publicly searchable at organismo-am.it.

Italy taxes crypto capital gains at 26% (imposta sostitutiva) but provides a EUR 2,000 annual exemption. If your total crypto gains from all sources (card spending + trading + other dispositions) stay under EUR 2,000 per year, you pay zero tax.

Example: You spend EUR 5,000 of BTC through your card over the year, realizing EUR 1,500 in gains. Since EUR 1,500 is under the EUR 2,000 exemption, you owe EUR 0 in tax. If your gains were EUR 3,000, only the EUR 1,000 above the exemption is taxed at 26% = EUR 260.

Italian tax residents must declare crypto holdings in the annual tax return (Quadro RW for monitoring, Quadro RT for capital gains). Cashback rewards are generally treated as miscellaneous income.

The EUR 2,000 threshold is annual and aggregate. It covers ALL crypto dispositions, not just card spending. If you also trade crypto, those gains count toward the same EUR 2,000 exemption. Track your running total throughout the year and switch to stablecoin spending once you approach the limit.

Italian crypto card applications require a Carta d'identita (national ID card) or passport, your codice fiscale (16-character fiscal code, found on your tessera sanitaria health card), and proof of Italian address (utility bill, certificato di residenza, or bank statement).

SPID (Sistema Pubblico di Identita Digitale) may be accepted by some issuers for faster digital onboarding. CIE (Carta d'Identita Elettronica) digital identity is also gaining acceptance.

Verification completes in minutes for existing exchange account holders. Physical cards ship to Italian addresses within 5-10 business days via Poste Italiane or private courier. Virtual cards are available immediately for Apple Pay and Google Pay use.

Maximize the EUR 2,000 Exemption

Italy's annual exemption is the foundation of your spending strategy. Track your realized crypto gains throughout the year. At EUR 1,800 in gains (approaching the limit), switch to stablecoin spending for the rest of the year. USDC generates near-zero gains, keeping you under the exemption. This lets you earn cashback on appreciated crypto tax-free for 10-11 months per year while using stablecoins only in the final stretch.

Card Selection by Use Case

• Binance (8% cashback, free): Best all-around card, zero fees, perfect for the exemption strategy
• Plutus (9% cashback, EUR 60/yr): Best for heavy spenders above EUR 500/month who maximize perks
• Crypto.com (up to 5%): Best for lounge access with metal card tiers
• KAST (2% cashback, free): Best no-fee starter for new crypto card users

Break-Even: Plutus vs Binance

Spending Scenario: EUR 1,000/month (Under Exemption)

By mixing BTC spending (until you approach EUR 2,000 in gains) with USDC (for the remainder), you keep the full EUR 960 cashback tax-free. Pure BTC spending risks exceeding the exemption and triggering EUR 200 in tax.

Local Payment Infrastructure

Italy has strong contactless payment adoption, especially in Milan, Rome, Turin, and Florence. PagoBANCOMAT is the domestic debit network, but Visa and Mastercard work at virtually all merchants nationwide. Apple Pay usage is high in Italy (one of the highest adoption rates in the eurozone), making crypto cards with Apple Pay support particularly practical. Tourist-heavy areas accept cards universally, including smaller shops and restaurants.

Dominant exchange-linked cards: Binance (OAM-registered, 8%), Crypto.com (up to 5%), OKX (5%), Bybit (up to 10% VIP), and Bitget (8%) all serve Italian users through their European entities with OAM compliance.

Self-custody options: Ledger CL Card, MetaMask Card, Gnosis Pay, 1inch Card, and Tria are available for users who want to keep their own keys.

EEA-passported issuers: Plutus (up to 9%), Wirex (up to 8%), Nexo (2% credit-style), KAST, and xPlace all serve Italy through EEA licensing. ether.fi Cash and RedotPay round out the available options.

Young Platform is Italy's largest domestic exchange with OAM registration but does not offer a card product. No major international issuer has withdrawn from Italy. Italy's large user base (3+ million crypto holders) makes it a priority market for every card issuer.