SecondFi and Wirex Launch First Self-Custodial Visa Card from the Cardano Ecosystem
SecondFi , the self custodial neofinance platform developed by EMURGO , a co founding entity of the Cardano blockchain, announced on May 7, 2026 a deepened partnership with global digital payments firm Wirex to launch SecondFi's first ever self custodial Visa card, enabling users across more than 130 countries to spend crypto and stablecoins at any Visa accepted merchant without ever relinquishing custody of their funds [1]. From Cardano Card to Full Self Custody The announcement marks a significant evolution in EMURGO's consumer payments strategy. The company first entered the payments space at Cardano Summit 2025 , where it launched the Cardano Card in partnership with Wirex as a fully custodial solution. The product achieved strong early adoption and represented Cardano's largest entry into digital payments. But community feedback was unambiguous: users wanted the same seamless spending experience paired with true self custody. That demand became the catalyst for the SecondFi rebrand and the new card product [1]. With the latest launch, SecondFi expands from a single card product into a full service financial platform. Users never deposit funds with a third party; assets remain in their own wallets until the precise moment a transaction occurs. The card is natively integrated into the SecondFi app, where users can spend, trade, earn, and save from a single account [1]. How the Card Works Wirex acts as the card issuer and holds principal membership with both Visa and Mastercard , providing the regulated infrastructure that connects SecondFi's self custodial wallet layer to global merchant networks. When a cardholder initiates a payment, supported digital assets are converted at the point of transaction, and the merchant receives settlement through Visa's rails. No pre loading or third party deposit is required at any stage [1]. Beyond spending, SecondFi cardholders gain access to crypto cashback on purchases, low foreign exchange fees, global ATM withdrawals, and a suite of DeFi utilities including yield, staking, and borrowing services, all available within the SecondFi app. The platform is designed for mass adoption and abstracts away the technical complexity of Web3 onboarding, requiring no prior cryptocurrency experience [1]. "We're proud to power the infrastructure behind SecondFi's first self custodial card experience that makes digital assets seamlessly spendable in everyday life. As finance increasingly moves onchain, together, we're bringing millions of users closer to a future where true ownership and real world utility go hand in hand, built on over a decade of trust and innovation across Wirex's product suite." Georgy Sokolov, Co founder at Wirex [1] Wirex's BaaS Engine and Scale The SecondFi partnership arrives as Wirex accelerates its Banking as a Service (BaaS) business at a record pace. In April 2026, Wirex reported crossing $1 billion in annualized onchain stablecoin volume in just 131 days since launching its BaaS service in November 2025, surpassing the previous industry record of 276 days held by RedotPay [2]. The platform processed $105 million in onchain card volume in March alone, equivalent to approximately $1.3 billion annualized , and recorded 34 percent growth in onchain card volume from February to March of that year [2]. With over 300 partners , an average integration time of 44 days , and more than 2.4 million onchain transactions processed since launch, Wirex's BaaS infrastructure has become a leading choice for fintechs, neobanks, and digital asset platforms seeking regulated card issuance on stablecoin rails [2]. SecondFi is among the highest profile additions to that partner roster, given EMURGO's position as one of Cardano's three co founding entities alongside Input Output Global (IOG) and the Cardano Foundation. "SecondFi gives people a simple way to spend, move, and grow their assets while staying in full control. SecondFi puts you back in control of your money." Phillip Pon, CEO of EMURGO [1] Competitive Landscape: Self Custodial Cards in 2026 SecondFi enters a nascent but rapidly crowding segment. MetaMask Card , launched in general availability in February 2026 via a Mastercard partnership with Monavate as infrastructure provider, offers self custodial spending across Ethereum native assets in the United States [3]. EtherFi Cash deploys a Safe smart contract vault on the Scroll network, enabling users to borrow against restaked ETH collateral and spend stablecoins without triggering a taxable liquidation event [4]. Kast supports over 20 cryptocurrencies and five stablecoins deposited from networks including Solana, Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Tron, converting non stable deposits to USD on entry [5]. The table below compares these platforms across key dimensions: | Feature | SecondFi (Wirex) | MetaMask Card | EtherFi Cash | Kast | | | | | | | | Card Network | Visa | Mastercard | Visa | Visa | | Custody Model | Self custodial (own wallet) | Self custodial (MetaMask wallet) | Non custodial (Safe vault, Scroll) | Custodial (funds convert on deposit) | | Cardano (ADA) Support | Yes | No | No | No | | BTC Support | Yes | No (ETH based assets) | No | Yes | | ETH Support | Yes | Yes | Yes (weETH, USDC) | Yes | | Stablecoin Support | USDC + hundreds of assets | USDC, USDT, mUSD, EURe, GBPe | USDC (Borrow Mode) | USDT, USDC, USDe, PYUSD, RLUSD | | DeFi Layer (yield/staking/borrow) | Yes (in app) | No | Yes (restaking, borrow mode) | No | | Cashback | Yes (crypto) | 1 3% | Up to 3% (wETH, Core tier) | Not specified | | US Availability | Not confirmed | Yes (50 states) | No (US excluded) | Yes | | Infrastructure Partner | Wirex BaaS | Monavate (Baanx) | Ether.fi protocol | Kast platform | SecondFi's most distinctive competitive advantage is the combination of Cardano native asset support with a full DeFi utility layer, a pairing that no other card on this list currently offers. ADA holders have until now lacked a direct path to real world spending without bridg…