Ready Card Tutorial for Philippines Users
Ready Card is one of the only self-custodial crypto Mastercards available today — your USDC stays in your own Starknet wallet until the moment you tap to pay. For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) living in the UK or Europe, that combination of self-custody plus zero FX fees on the Metal tier makes it a genuinely useful spending card. This guide covers everything specific to the Philippine context: who can apply, how to get USDC from PHP, and why the card is worth knowing about even if you’re still based in the Philippines.
Key Takeaways
- OFW eligibility: Ready Card applications require a UK or EEA residential address — Philippines-based residents cannot apply directly, but OFWs living in the UK or Europe can apply using their overseas address
- Two plans: Metal (120 USDC/year, paid upfront) and Lite (free card, $6.99 shipping only)
- Metal cashback: 3% in STRK on up to $5,000 spend per month (max $150/month, $1,800/year) — funded quarterly by Starknet Foundation, not guaranteed permanently
- Lite cashback: 0.5% in STRK on all eligible purchases (max $150/month shared cap)
- FX fees: Metal = 0%; Lite = 1% — both use the official Mastercard rate with no hidden spread
- ATM: Metal gets $800/month fee-free; Lite pays 2% per withdrawal; daily limit $500, rolling 30-day $2,500
- USDC only: Load via GBP/EUR bank transfer, exchange withdrawal (Binance, OKX, Bybit), or Starknet wallet transfer
- Google Pay: supported now; Apple Pay: coming soon (not yet available)
- Global use: Once issued, the Mastercard works in 140+ countries — including the Philippines for holiday visits
What Is Ready Card? The OFW Angle Explained
Ready — formerly known as Argent — is a Starknet-based self-custodial wallet that ships a physical Mastercard tied directly to your USDC balance. Unlike custodial crypto cards (Crypto.com, Binance Pay, Bybit Card), Ready never holds your funds. Your USDC sits in your own Starknet wallet and only leaves when you make a payment at a terminal.
For OFWs, this matters more than it might seem. Post-FTX, many Filipino crypto users have grown cautious about platforms holding their funds. With Ready, even if the company stopped operating tomorrow, your USDC balance would remain fully accessible through your own seed phrase and any compatible Starknet wallet. That counterparty-risk elimination is the product’s core value proposition.
Here’s how a typical OFW use case works in practice: you’re in London earning GBP. You convert a portion to USDC via Coinbase or Wise, fund your Ready wallet, and use the Metal card for everyday London spending — groceries at Tesco, Uber Eats, monthly Netflix and Spotify subscriptions — all at 0% FX and with 3% STRK cashback. Meanwhile, you send a separate USDC transfer to a family member’s Binance PH account back home, where they convert it to PHP. One USDC wallet serves both your personal spending and your remittance function.
Ready is a bridge, not a custodian. Your crypto stays in your self-custodial Starknet wallet until the exact moment you spend — making it a genuinely different product from custodial alternatives.
One hard limit to flag clearly: Ready Card currently supports USDC only. No BTC, ETH, or other tokens. This keeps the fee structure clean but does mean you need to convert your earnings or existing crypto to USDC before you can fund the card. The deposit section below covers the fastest and cheapest routes to do this from a UK or EU starting point.
For a comparison with another self-custodial option in the DeFi space, see our review of the Ready Card tutorial (main English guide).
Eligibility for Filipino Users — The KYC Gate You Need to Know
This is the most important section for Filipino readers, so let’s be direct: Ready Card applications are restricted to the UK and EEA (European Economic Area) only. If your residential address is in the Philippines, you cannot apply at this time. Ready has stated it plans to expand to more countries from 2025 onwards, but as of April 2026 no confirmed Philippine launch date exists.
However, if you’re an OFW living in the UK or any EEA country, you can apply using your overseas residential address. The EEA covers all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. OFWs on work permits, student visas, or with permanent residency in these regions are all within scope — eligibility is determined by where you currently live, not your nationality or country of origin.
OFW in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, or Rome? You can apply with your UK or EU residential address. Philippines national ID is accepted for KYC — you just need proof of your overseas address too.
KYC is handled by Kulipa, the regulated card issuer that partners with Ready. For OFW applicants, the documents typically required are:
- Philippine Passport — the primary ID document for OFWs applying from the UK or EU
- Proof of UK/EEA Residence: a utility bill, Council Tax notice (UK), rental contract (EU), or bank statement showing your overseas address
- Video selfie verification — liveness check handled inside the Ready app via Kulipa’s KYC backend
- Optional: employment letter or recent payslip from your UK/EU employer (can strengthen the application)
One key distinction: eligibility is about where you can apply, not where you can use the card. Once issued, Ready Card works as a standard Mastercard in 140+ countries globally — including the Philippines when you visit home on holiday. You can use it at hotels, restaurants, and malls wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Plans and Fees — Metal vs Lite for OFW Spenders
Ready offers two physical card tiers. For OFWs who use the card regularly for UK or EU daily spending, the Metal vs Lite decision is worth doing the maths on before you commit.
| Feature | Metal | Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | 120 USDC (paid upfront, first year) | Free (only $6.99 shipping) |
| FX fee | 0% | 1% |
| Cashback rate | 3% on up to $5,000/month spend | 0.5% on all eligible purchases |
| Cashback currency | STRK (Starknet token) | STRK (Starknet token) |
| Max monthly cashback | $150 in STRK | $150 in STRK |
| Max annual cashback | $1,800 in STRK | Varies |
| ATM withdrawals | Free up to $800/month | 2% fee on every withdrawal |
| Exchange rate | Official Mastercard rate, no markup | Official Mastercard rate + 1% |
| Card material | 16g premium metal (gold or metal finish) | Plastic |
Spending and ATM limits (same for both plans): Single transaction maximum $5,000. Daily spending limit $10,000. Rolling 30-day limit $30,000. ATM: $500/day, $2,500 per rolling 30 days, $30,000/year. Ready itself does not charge an ATM operator fee, but local ATM providers may add their own surcharge.
Is Metal worth it for an OFW? At 3% cashback on $5,000/month, you earn up to $150/month in STRK. The annual fee is 120 USDC. If your monthly card spend exceeds roughly $333, the Metal plan pays for itself through cashback alone — anything above that is net positive. For an OFW routing grocery, transport, and subscription spending through the card in London or Frankfurt, reaching $333/month is very achievable. The 0% FX benefit on top of that — versus a typical UK bank charging 2–3% on foreign currency — makes the Metal tier even more compelling if you travel within Europe or visit the Philippines.
How to Fund Your Card: USDC On-Ramp for OFWs
Ready Card draws directly from your Starknet wallet balance — there’s no separate “card balance” to maintain. You need USDC in your Ready wallet before you can spend. The right funding method depends on where you’re starting from.
Option 1: GBP or EUR Bank Transfer (Recommended for UK/EU OFWs)
In the Ready app, go to “Fund” → “Deposit” and copy the IBAN shown. Send from your UK or EU bank account directly — UK Faster Payments and SEPA are both supported. Funds arrive and are automatically converted to USDC. The sending account name must match your Ready account name. For UK Faster Payments, funds typically arrive within minutes. This is the cleanest route if your salary comes in GBP or EUR — no intermediate exchange step needed.
Option 2: From Binance, OKX, or Bybit (Exchange Withdrawal)
In the app, go to “Fund” → “From an exchange or other chain.” This uses LayerSwap technology built directly into the Ready app. Supported exchanges include Binance, OKX, Bybit, KuCoin, MEXC, and Gate.io — withdraw USDC from your exchange directly to your Starknet wallet address. Transfers typically arrive in 30 seconds to a few minutes. If you already hold crypto on these platforms, this is the lowest-friction deposit route.
Option 3: PHP to USDC via Philippine Exchanges (Family Remittance Path)
If your family in the Philippines wants to send USDC to your Starknet wallet to support your spending abroad, the route looks like this: GCash or Maya → Binance PH (convert PHP to USDC via a verified Binance PH account) → withdraw USDC to your Ready Starknet wallet address using the LayerSwap bridge. Binance PH holds a BSP VASP license under BSP Circular No. 1199, making it a registered Virtual Asset Service Provider in the Philippines. PDAX and Coins.ph (which supports GCash linking) are alternative BSP-registered on-ramps.
This path involves 3–4 steps, so it’s more suited to occasional top-ups than frequent use. For routine spending funding, the direct GBP/EUR bank transfer is simpler. But for the remittance use case — family sending crypto support from Manila to an OFW in Europe — it is a functional path.
Option 4: Starknet Wallet Transfer (Cheapest If You Already Have USDC on Starknet)
If you use ArgentX, Braavos, or any other Starknet-compatible wallet, copy your Ready wallet address from the app and send USDC directly. Starknet transaction fees are under $0.01 and transfers are near-instant. This is the cheapest route available.
Step-by-Step Application Guide
The entire application happens inside the Ready mobile app. Most OFW applicants complete everything in under 15 minutes — KYC review adds 1–3 business days on top.
Step 1: Download the Ready App and Create Your Starknet Wallet
Search “Ready” on the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). On first launch, select “Create new wallet.” The app generates a Starknet self-custodial wallet and immediately prompts you to back up your seed phrase. Do this before anything else. Your seed phrase is the only recovery method if you lose your phone — there is no “forgot password” with a self-custodial wallet. Write it down on paper and store it somewhere secure and offline. Never take a screenshot of your seed phrase.
Step 2: Choose Metal or Lite
Navigate to the “Card” tab inside the app. Metal costs 120 USDC upfront for the first year. Lite is free — you only pay $6.99 for shipping. Use the break-even calculation above: if your monthly card spend in the UK or EU is likely to exceed $333, Metal pays for itself through cashback alone. If you’re unsure, start with Lite and upgrade later — upgrades from Lite to Metal are supported inside the app.
Step 3: Complete KYC — Philippine Passport Accepted
KYC is processed by Kulipa, the regulated card issuer. For OFW applicants, you’ll need your Philippine Passport as your primary government-issued ID, plus proof of your UK or EEA residential address — a utility bill, Council Tax notice, rental contract, or recent bank statement will work. You’ll also complete a video selfie liveness check directly inside the app. KYC approval typically takes 1–3 business days. You’ll receive a notification when it’s complete.
Step 4: Enter Your UK or EU Shipping Address
Once KYC is approved, enter your UK or EEA delivery address. The physical card typically arrives within 5–10 business days. But here’s the practical shortcut: the virtual card activates immediately after KYC approval. Add it to Google Pay and start spending right away — you don’t need to wait for the physical card to arrive before you can use the account.
Step 5: Fund Your Wallet and Start Spending
Use one of the four funding methods above — GBP/EUR bank transfer is the simplest for most UK/EU OFWs. Once your Starknet wallet has USDC, the card is ready to use at any Mastercard terminal globally. In the UK: Tesco, Amazon, Uber Eats, Just Eat, Deliveroo. In mainland Europe: Carrefour, local transport, booking.com, Airbnb. On trips home to the Philippines: hotels, restaurants, and SM or Ayala mall merchants where Mastercard is accepted.
STRK Cashback — What It Means for Filipino Tech Workers
The 3% STRK cashback on Metal is Ready’s headline feature, but there are important caveats to understand before building spending plans around it.
Funded by the Starknet Foundation — not by Ready or Kulipa. The Foundation sponsors this programme as a growth incentive for the Starknet ecosystem. That makes it structurally different from a standard bank cashback: it’s subject to a quarterly review and could be reduced, modified, or discontinued. Ready’s FAQ is transparent about this. Do not assume the current rate is permanent.
STRK cashback is credited automatically to your Starknet wallet by the 15th of the month following your spending — no manual claiming required. For Filipino tech workers in Germany or the Netherlands being paid in USD or EUR via PayPal or wire transfer, the combination of 0% FX + 3% STRK on Metal means eliminating both the currency conversion markup and earning back on every subscription and daily spend.
Metal cap: spend $5,000/month → earn up to $150/month in STRK → up to $1,800/year. Actual value in GBP or EUR depends on STRK’s market price when you receive or convert. The programme is reviewed quarterly by the Starknet Foundation.
What to do with STRK tokens: STRK lands in your Starknet wallet. You can hold it, swap it for USDC on a Starknet DEX (such as Ekubo), bridge to another chain, or — if you want to send value back to the Philippines — convert STRK to USDC on-chain and send the USDC to a family member’s Binance PH or PDAX account, where it can be converted to PHP.
Excluded cashback categories include gambling, cash-equivalent transactions, and money transfers. UK capital gains tax applies to crypto conversions — consult a UK accountant before selling STRK for GBP.
Ready Card vs Binance Pay Card vs Bybit Card — OFW Comparison
OFWs in the UK and EU have several crypto card options. Here’s how Ready Metal stacks up against the two most commonly considered alternatives in the Filipino diaspora community.
| Feature | Ready Metal | Binance Visa Card | Bybit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | 120 USDC | Free | Free |
| Cashback | 3% in STRK (up to $5k/month) | Up to 8% in BNB (tier-dependent) | Up to 10% (tier-dependent) |
| FX fee (top tier) | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Custody model | Self-custodial (Starknet wallet) | Custodial (Binance account) | Custodial (Bybit account) |
| Supported coins | USDC only | BNB, BTC, ETH, others | Multiple assets |
| Eligibility | UK + EEA only (OFWs can apply) | Varies by region (check Binance PH) | International shipping available |
| Google Pay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Pay | Coming soon | Varies | Varies |
The key differentiator for Ready is self-custody. Binance and Bybit are both custodial — your funds sit on their platforms. Both are established companies with millions of users, but custodial means one more counterparty in the chain. Post-FTX, that’s a meaningful distinction for security-conscious OFWs who’ve seen what can happen when a custodian goes down.
Binance Pay card also has a Philippine-specific angle: Binance PH is BSP VASP-licensed and serves the domestic market. But the international Binance Visa card has separate regional availability rules — verify directly with Binance if you’re in the UK or EU. Bybit Card offers international shipping and multi-asset support, which is more flexible if you hold assets beyond USDC.
Ready Metal is the better fit if: (1) self-custody is a priority, (2) you’re already in the Starknet/DeFi ecosystem, and (3) you want the lowest possible FX fees for UK or EU day-to-day spending. Wirex is another FCA-licensed option popular with OFWs in the UK that’s also worth comparing if you want broader asset support in a regulated custodial product.
Referral Rewards
Ready has a referral programme. If you refer a friend who orders a Metal card and spends $50 on it, both of you earn $15. For Lite referrals, your friend earns $5 on setup; you earn $1 per successful referral only after reaching five total Lite referrals.
| Plan | Your reward | Friend’s reward | Unlock condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | $15 | $15 | Friend orders Metal card and spends $50 |
| Lite | $1 (after 5+ successful referrals) | $5 | Friend completes card setup |
For OFW communities in the UK and EU where word-of-mouth travels fast in Filipino diaspora groups and workplace networks, the Metal referral is worth sharing — both parties genuinely benefit. If your fellow kababayan in London or Amsterdam is already crypto-active and would use the card regularly, the $15 mutual reward makes recommending it straightforward.
FAQ — Ready Card Philippines
Can I apply for Ready Card if I live in the Philippines?
Not currently. Ready Card applications require a UK or EEA residential address. Philippines-based applicants cannot apply directly. If you are an OFW living in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, or any other EEA country, you can apply using your overseas address — your Philippine passport is accepted as ID for KYC. Ready has indicated it plans to expand availability beyond UK and EEA, but no confirmed timeline for the Philippines has been announced as of April 2026.
Can I use Ready Card when visiting the Philippines on holiday?
Yes. Once issued, the Ready Card is a standard Mastercard that works in 140+ countries globally, including the Philippines. You can use it at hotels, restaurants, and merchants where Mastercard is accepted — SM Malls, Ayala Malls, international hotel chains, and most mid-to-large merchants accept Mastercard. For ATM withdrawals in the Philippines, the Metal plan gives you $800/month fee-free from Ready’s side; local Philippine ATM surcharges may apply separately.
How do I get USDC from PHP?
For OFWs in the UK or EU, the simplest path is: GBP or EUR bank account → IBAN bank transfer directly into the Ready app (converted to USDC automatically), or GBP/EUR → Coinbase/Kraken → USDC → Ready App via LayerSwap. If your family in the Philippines needs to send you USDC support, they can use: GCash or Maya → Binance PH (BSP VASP-licensed) → USDC withdrawal to your Starknet wallet address. Binance PH, PDAX, and Coins.ph are all BSP-registered exchanges in the Philippines that support PHP-to-USDC conversions.
Is Ready Card safe if the company shuts down?
This is the core argument for self-custody. Your USDC is in your own Starknet wallet — not held by Ready or Kulipa. If Ready stopped operating tomorrow, your wallet balance would be unaffected. You can access it through any compatible Starknet wallet using your seed phrase (ArgentX, Braavos, etc.) without Ready’s involvement. This is a fundamentally different risk profile from custodial platforms where your funds sit in a company account. Note: there is no FSCS protection on crypto assets in the UK.
Does the BSP regulate Ready Card?
Ready Card is issued by Kulipa within the UK and EU regulated framework. It does not operate under BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) oversight. BSP regulates Philippine-based VASPs — exchanges like Binance PH, PDAX, and Coins.ph. Ready Card is available for use in the Philippines as an international Mastercard, but the regulatory framework governing it is UK/EU-based. The crypto regulatory environment in the Philippines continues to evolve under BSP’s VASP framework; consult a Philippine financial advisor for guidance on your specific situation.
What’s the tax situation for OFWs earning STRK cashback?
This depends on your country of tax residence. For OFWs in the UK: converting STRK to GBP or another asset is likely a taxable event under UK Capital Gains Tax — consult a UK accountant. If you also have Philippine tax obligations, note that crypto-to-PHP conversion may trigger taxation in the Philippines on any gains. STRK cashback that remains unspent in your Starknet wallet is generally not a taxable event until disposal, but tax treatment varies — do not rely on this article for tax advice. Consult a qualified CPA or accountant in your country of residence.
