CASHBACK
Verified Benefit
SELF CUSTODY SPEND
Verified Benefit
STABLECOIN SPEND
Verified Benefit
Our Official Verdict
Black Metal Elite: 50 Virtual Cards + $200K Monthly On-Ramp
The ether.fi Pinnacle Card is built for DeFi power users and crypto-native businesses. With 3%% cashback, 50 virtual cards for expense management, a $200,000 monthly fiat-to-crypto pipeline, and a Free annual fee, it is the most feature-rich self-custodial card on the market.
Fees & Charges
Annual Fee
Free
FX Fee
1%
ATM Fee
2%
Requirements
Supported Regions
GLOBAL, US, UK, EEA
Spendable Assets
USDC, ETH, eETH, weETH
ether.fi Pinnacle Card Review
The ether.fi Pinnacle Card is the highest public tier of the ether.fi Cash program, featuring a metal black Visa with 50 virtual cards, $200K monthly fiat-to-crypto limits, and all premium perks.
The Power-User Tier
Pinnacle is not for casual spenders. The threshold is 50,000 Membership Points per month, which requires roughly $16,667 in monthly card spending, or a 100,000 ETHFI stake. This places it squarely in the territory of crypto-native businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and professional traders who move serious volume.
What you get for that threshold is significant: 50 virtual cards, 2 physical cards, $200,000/month fiat-to-crypto onramp, and every perk from conference lounge access to 65% hotel discounts. The 50 virtual cards alone make this a potential expense management tool for teams and businesses.
Spending and Mechanics
Same self-custodial Visa infrastructure. The key Pinnacle differentiators are operational:
- 50 virtual cards - assignable to team members, recurring subscriptions, or isolated spending categories
- 2 physical cards - dual carry for personal and business separation
- $200,000/month fiat-to-crypto - at 0.2% conversion fee, that is a $400 monthly cost for full utilization
For a crypto fund or DAO treasury that needs to convert fiat to stablecoins at scale, the 0.2% conversion rate competes favorably with most centralized exchanges and OTC desks for amounts under $200K.
ROI Analysis: High-Volume Math
| Monthly Spend | Annual Cashback | Fiat-Crypto Savings (vs 0.5% exchange) | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $16,667 | $6,000 | $600 (on $200K converted) | ~$6,600+ |
| $25,000 | $9,000 | $600 | ~$9,600+ |
| $50,000 | $18,000 | $600 | ~$18,600+ |
At $16,667/month (the minimum to hit Pinnacle via spending), you earn $6,000/year in cashback. Add the lounge, hotel discounts, and fiat-crypto conversion savings, and total value exceeds $7,000 annually, all at $0 annual fee.
Fee Analysis
- Annual fee: $0
- FX fee: 1%
- ATM fee: 2%
- Fiat-to-crypto: 0.2% ($200,000/month limit)
The fee structure remains identical to lower tiers. At Pinnacle spending levels, the 1% FX fee on $16,667+/month international spend could cost $2,000+/year. Heavy international users at this volume should seriously consider whether the Crypto.com Obsidian (0% FX, 5% cashback with massive CRO stake) or Bybit Supreme (10% cashback, 0.5% FX) would be more cost-effective.
Pinnacle vs Crypto.com Obsidian
Both target ultra-premium users:
| Feature | ether.fi Pinnacle | Crypto.com Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback | 3% | 5% |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 (with $400K CRO stake) |
| FX fee | 1% | 0% |
| Requirement | 50K points/mo or 100K ETHFI | $400,000 CRO stake |
| Virtual cards | 50 | 5 |
| Custody | Self-custodial | Custodial |
| Lounge access | Conference lounge | LoungeKey + Priority Pass |
Obsidian wins on cashback rate and FX fees but demands a $400,000 token lock-up in a single asset. Pinnacle wins on self-custody, virtual card count, and flexibility (spending or staking path). For crypto businesses that need 50 virtual cards and self-custody, Pinnacle has no real competitor.
Coming Soon Features
The official tier comparison lists event passes and crypto concierge as "coming soon" for Pinnacle. These are not yet active as of February 2026. Do not factor them into your decision.
Security and Custody
Self-custodial with priority support. The 50 virtual cards each have individual controls (freeze, spending limits), making them suitable for team expense management without sharing a single card number.
Verdict
The ether.fi Pinnacle Card is a niche product for high-volume DeFi users and crypto businesses. The 50 virtual cards, $200K monthly onramp, and self-custodial model create a unique value proposition that no other card offers. If you can sustain the 50,000-point threshold through spending or staking, the 3% cashback on $16,667+/month generates substantial returns.
Best for: Crypto businesses, DAO treasuries, and high-net-worth DeFi users who need multi-card expense management with self-custody. Look elsewhere if: You want maximum cashback rate - the Crypto.com Obsidian (5%) or Bybit Supreme (10%) offer higher rates at the ultra-premium tier.
Fees and break-even math
Annual fee: $0. FX fee: 1%. ATM fee: 2%. Minimum qualifying spend: $16,667/month = $200,000/year. At minimum spend: $6,000/year cashback. At $25,000/month: $9,000/year. FX cost at $16,667/month international: $2,000/year. Net return on foreign spend: $4,000/year.
Competitor comparison
- Crypto.com Obsidian: 5% cashback, 0% FX, requires $400K CRO stake. Higher cashback and better FX, but massive custodial lock-up.
- Bybit Supreme: Up to 10% cashback, 0.5% FX. Highest raw cashback but requires VIP trading tier.
- Tria Premium: 6% cashback, $250/year, 0% FX. Higher cashback rate but only 1 card.
Sources
FAQ
How much do I need to spend to reach Pinnacle?
You need 50,000 monthly points. At 3,000 points per $1,000 spent, that is roughly $16,667 in monthly card spending. Alternatively, stake 100,000 ETHFI tokens.
Are event passes and crypto concierge available yet?
These features are listed as coming soon on ether.fi's official tier comparison. They are not yet active as of February 2026.
Last verified: Feb 9, 2026 - Data sourced from official ether.fi documentation.
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