Best Crypto Cards in Serbia (2026)

Serbia's crypto regulatory framework is built on the Digital Assets Act (Zakon o digitalnoj imovini), enacted on December 16, 2020 and effective from June 29, 2021. This law establishes a comprehensive licensing regime for digital asset service providers and distinguishes between "virtual currencies" (like Bitcoin) and "digital tokens" (security-like instruments).

The National Bank of Serbia (Narodna banka Srbije, NBS) is the primary regulator for virtual currencies, responsible for licensing exchanges and custodians. The Serbian Securities Commission (Komisija za hartije od vrednosti, KHoV) oversees digital tokens, initial coin offerings, and white paper approvals. Both regulators work under the umbrella of Serbia's AML framework, which requires all digital asset service providers to implement know-your-customer procedures.

Key restriction: Crypto cannot be used as legal tender for daily payments in Serbia. Digital assets are legally recognized as a distinct form of property but do not have the status of fiat money. Smart contracts gained legal recognition in 2025. Serbia is expected to introduce a regulatory sandbox and improved banking integration for crypto services as part of its EU accession alignment process.

Globally available crypto card issuers (RedotPay, KAST, MetaMask) serve Serbia. As a non-EEA country, Serbia does not benefit from MiCA passporting, limiting access to EEA-only issuers.

Serbia taxes cryptocurrency capital gains at a flat rate of 15% for individuals under the Law on Digital Assets. The Poreska uprava (Tax Administration of Serbia) administers all tax collection. Every disposal of crypto, including spending via a crypto card and crypto-to-crypto swaps, is a taxable event.

Tax relief mechanisms:

• Reinvestment exemption: 50% tax reduction if proceeds are reinvested into a resident Serbian company within 90 days
• Extended reinvestment: 50% refund available if investment is made within 12 months
• Long-term holding: Capital gains tax is completely exempt for assets held more than 10 years

Example: You acquired BTC worth RSD 90,000 (approx. EUR 750) and it appreciated to RSD 180,000 (approx. EUR 1,500). If you spent RSD 180,000 via a crypto card, the RSD 90,000 gain would attract 15% tax = RSD 13,500 (approx. EUR 112) in tax.

Tax returns are due within 120 days after the end of each quarter in which gains were realized. Stablecoin funding eliminates the capital gains component on the spending side. Note that losses can only offset gains from the same cryptocurrency (BTC losses offset BTC gains, but not ETH gains), which complicates tax planning for multi-asset portfolios.

Serbian crypto card applications require a Licna karta (National Identity Card) or Pasos (Serbian passport), both issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministarstvo unutrasnjih poslova, MUP). Serbia also issues biometric ID cards with electronic chip functionality.

Proof of address via utility bills from Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS, electricity), Srbijagas (natural gas), Telekom Srbija, or bank statements from Banca Intesa Beograd, UniCredit Bank Serbia, Erste Bank Serbia, or Komercijalna Banka. Serbia's unique personal identification number (JMBG, Jedinstveni maticni broj gradana, 13 digits) is assigned to all citizens and may be requested for verification.

Globally available card issuers (RedotPay, KAST) accept Serbian identity documents. KAST offers no-KYC options for basic tiers. Physical card shipping to Serbia is available but may take 10-15 business days from international issuers. Verification timelines vary: instant for basic tiers, 1-3 days for full verification.

Currency Management: The RSD Factor

Serbia's primary consideration for crypto card users is the RSD currency mismatch. Most globally available crypto cards denominate in USD or EUR, but Serbian merchants price in RSD. Every purchase involves currency conversion at the Visa or Mastercard network rate. Cards with genuine 0% FX fees (like RedotPay) eliminate the issuer's markup but you remain subject to network exchange rates. The RSD/EUR rate has been relatively stable (managed float by the NBS), typically trading around 117 RSD per EUR.

Card Selection for Serbian Residents

• RedotPay (3% cashback): Best overall option with global coverage and 0% FX
• KAST (2% cashback): Best for quick onboarding with no-KYC options
• MetaMask (1% cashback): Best self-custody option for DeFi users
• Crypto.com (up to 5%): Check current Serbia availability

Spending Scenario: RSD 85,000/month (Serbian Professional, approx. EUR 725)

RSD 30,600/year (approx. EUR 261) in cashback at the 3% RedotPay tier. Stablecoin funding saves approx. RSD 4,590 (approx. EUR 39) in capital gains tax versus appreciated BTC.

Local Payment Infrastructure

Serbia has strong card acceptance in urban areas. Belgrade dominates: Usce Shopping Center, Delta City, Rajiceva Shopping Center, the Knez Mihailova pedestrian zone, and the Savski Venac business district. Novi Sad (Promenada, Big Shopping Center), Nis, and Kragujevac also have widespread POS acceptance.

DinaCard is Serbia's domestic card network (operated by NBS), accepted at over 150,000 POS terminals. Since June 2024, all DinaCards have contactless functionality (PIN-free up to RSD 6,000). Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at international-standard merchants. Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported through major banks. The NBS IPS (Instant Payment System) enables real-time 24/7 transfers between Serbian bank accounts, useful for managing funds between bank and crypto wallets.

The EU Accession Angle

Serbia's EU candidate status means regulatory alignment with MiCA is a long-term possibility. If Serbia joins the EEA, the full range of European crypto card issuers (Plutus, Gnosis Pay, Wirex, Bitpanda) would become accessible. For now, globally available cards are the best option.

Global card issuers: RedotPay (3%) and KAST (2%) serve Serbia under global coverage. MetaMask (1%) offers self-custody spending. Crypto.com availability should be verified directly.

Who operates: Binance serves Serbian users with RSD pairs available through P2P trading. Coinbase is accessible but may have limited fiat on-ramp for RSD. OKX and Bybit are accessible. Several locally licensed exchanges operate under the Digital Assets Act, though none currently offer card products.

Local ecosystem: Serbia's digital asset service providers are licensed by the NBS. The domestic exchange landscape is developing, with several firms holding NBS licenses. Belgrade has emerged as a Balkan tech hub, with a growing blockchain developer community. The Serbian government's recognition of smart contracts and ongoing regulatory sandbox development signal continued support for the sector.

ether.fi (3%, credit-based) offers a borrow-to-spend model via staking yield, attractive for Serbian holders who want to avoid triggering the 15% capital gains tax while accessing liquidity.

Serbia's Digital Assets Act, 15% flat capital gains rate, 10-year holding exemption, and EU accession trajectory make it one of Southeastern Europe's most clearly regulated crypto markets. The primary limitation is the absence of EEA card access, which restricts options to globally available issuers.