Tangem Pay: Launch Details & Everything You Need to Know

AI summary

Tangem Pay, a non-custodial payment account for spending on-chain USDC (Polygon) with a virtual Visa card, is beginning its gradual rollout this month. The launch will start in late November across the United States, Latin America, and APAC+ regions, with users being activated in batches from the waitlist.

Tangem Pay is here

Today, we’re announcing the details for the Tangem Pay launch.

Tangem Pay is a non-custodial payment account embedded inside the Tangem Wallet app. It allows users to top up with USDC on the Polygon network and spend instantly with a virtual Visa card.

It’s designed for people who want real-world utility without sacrificing what made crypto possible in the first place—self-custody.

We are now excited to share that the gradual rollout will begin later this month.

Here’s how Tangem Pay works, where it's available, and what you need to get ready.

How Tangem Pay Works

Today, stablecoins have established themselves as the driving force behind cryptocurrency, with a total market cap surpassing $300 billion.  

Naturally, spending is emerging alongside as one of the most popular use cases. Visa’s own research shows over 60% of crypto holders are interested in “using digital currency to pay for goods and services”. 

For us, it was important not to create just a crypto spending card. Self-custody has always been at the core of what we do. For Tangem Pay, we developed a hybrid model that combines the security of a self-custody wallet with the compliance and usability of a regulated payment card. 

1. Your funds stay onchain at all times. 
   
   They are controlled by private keys, one of which is held by the user and the other by Rain, our independent issuing partner. Rain can only move funds that the user has already made a card payment with. Rain also has the ability to freeze the card itself; however, freezing the card does not give Rain access to or control over the user’s balance—it only disconnects the card from the Visa network. 
   
   Once a transaction is authorised, the amount belongs to the merchant, not the user. Seizure is impossible for funds that are not authorised.
   Tangem Pay uses your onchain balance in USDC (Polygon). When you pay, stablecoins are converted to USD 1:1.
    
2. Your spending account stays separate from your Tangem Wallet. Our hardware wallets are certified under Common Criteria EAL6+, a level typically reserved for passports and government-grade ID systems. Tangem Pay builds on that foundation by segregating your spendable balance from your Tangem Wallet holdings.

Tangem Pay is powered by Paera LLC, a US-based payment infrastructure company. To ensure compliance, Tangem Pay users are required to complete a KYC verification. The data is handled by a secure, independent issuing partner.

Tangem never sees or stores your identity data. The KYC process applies only to your Tangem Pay account, and does not in any way affect your Tangem Wallet, which stays completely private at all times. We call it a “siloed compliance model,” bridging regulatory obligations with the ethos of crypto’s anonymity.

There are no transaction or monthly fees for Tangem Pay. Only Polygon gas and standard Visa FX charges apply for non-USD purchases.

At launch, only native USDC (Polygon) is supported, but we plan to expand to other stablecoins and networks in the future. 

Where will Tangem Pay be available?

Tangem Pay begins its expansion in late November 2025 with a gradual rollout across many states and countries within:

• The United States
• Latin America
• Asia-Pacific and Beyond

If you’re a resident of one of those regions and want to be among the first to try Tangem Pay, make sure you’ve signed up for early access through the Waitlist.

Residents of unsupported regions will see a waitlist screen in the Tangem app and be notified as coverage widens.

We hope to launch Tangem Pay across the UK and the European Union in early 2026. This rollout will prioritize regulatory alignment under MiCA and focus on expanding stablecoin payment access to EU residents.

Overview

1. What is Tangem Pay?

Tangem Pay is a non-custodial payment account built into the Tangem Wallet app. It lets you spend assets directly using a virtual Visa card, online or in-store with Apple Pay or Google Pay. No need to move funds to a third-party exchange — just spend from your wallet.

2. How is Tangem Pay different from the Tangem Wallet?

Tangem Wallet is a self-custodial hardware wallet where you control your keys anonymously. Tangem Pay is an optional, regulated product within the same app that lets you create a payment account, verify your identity, and receive a Visa card for real-world spending.

Card Details & Usage

3. What type of card do I get — virtual or physical?

At launch, Tangem Pay provides a virtual Visa card only.

Physical cards will be added in a future release.

4. Where can I use the Tangem Pay card?

You can use your Tangem Pay card anywhere Visa is accepted, both online and in-store. This includes merchants that support Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing for seamless contactless payments.

The card currency is USD, so if you make a purchase in any other currency, Visa’s foreign exchange rates and cross-border fees may apply. International transactions are fully supported, but subject to standard Visa terms.

5. Do I need to convert crypto to fiat before spending?

You don’t need to convert to FIAT, but you do need to top up your Tangem Pay account with USDC on the Polygon network before you can spend.

Your Tangem Pay card uses this on‑chain USDC balance to settle real‑world purchases. When you make a payment, the equivalent amount of USDC is automatically deducted from your smart contract account and processed through Visa in U.S. dollars, while your balance remains on-chain and non-custodial.

6. What cryptocurrencies are supported for spending?

Currently, Tangem Pay supports native USDC on the Polygon network. You’ll need to fund your Tangem Pay account using this specific token from either your Tangem Wallet or an external wallet. Support for additional stablecoins and networks will be added later.

Signing Up & Getting Started

7. How do I sign up for Tangem Pay?

[Here will be a link with the instructions on how to get the app and sign app]

Once you pass KYC verification, your Tangem Pay account is activated, and you receive your virtual Visa card instantly. You can then top up with USDC on Polygon and start spending.

8. Is Tangem Pay available in my country?

Tangem Pay is currently available in the U.S., across parts of LATAM and APAC, and in several other selected countries. 

We’re continuing to expand into new regions — if Tangem Pay isn’t live in your country yet, join the waitlist or reach out to our team to be among the first notified when it becomes available.

9. What do I need to sign up?

To sign up, you’ll need:

• A Tangem Wallet
• A supported smartphone (iOS/Android)
• Valid ID to complete KYC
• A residency address in one of the supported countries
• A USDC balance on the Polygon network

Funding, Spending & Withdrawing

10. Are there any fees?

There are no transaction fees or monthly account fees for using Tangem Pay.

However, the following charges may apply:

• Foreign exchange markups if you spend in a currency other than USD.
• Polygon gas fees when topping up your account with USDC (subject to network conditions). These are fees paid to the network, not charged by Tangem.
• ATM withdrawal fees may apply once this feature becomes available.

A detailed fee schedule will be displayed during sign-up.

11. How do I fund my Tangem Pay account?

You can fund your Tangem Pay account by clicking ‘Add funds’ button and sending native USDC (Polygon) from your Tangem Wallet. Funds are credited to your smart contract wallet and available for spending immediately after confirmation.

12. Can I withdraw funds back to my wallet?

Yes. Your balance is held in a smart contract you control. You can withdraw any unused USDC (Polygon) back to your Tangem Wallet at any time.

13. Are there any spending restrictions with Tangem Pay?

You can use your card for online and in-store purchases at Visa-accepting merchants.

At this stage, you cannot use the card at ATMs, and only USDC (Polygon) that has been prefunded can be used.

Spending directly from other tokens or chains is not yet supported.

14. What happens when I make a payment with Tangem Pay?

When you make a purchase, the equivalent amount of USDC is deducted from your smart contract account and settled with Visa onchain in USDC. Visa then settles with the merchant directly in USD.

If a transaction is declined, your funds remain untouched.

Pending or reversed transactions will follow standard Visa network timelines.

Partners & Roadmap

15. Who provides the card?

Tangem Pay is provided by Paera LLC, a U.S.-based company responsible for delivering the service to end users from eligible countries.

The Tangem Pay Visa card is issued by Third National, a licensed card issuer and Visa network partner.

Our card program is managed in partnership with Rain and supported by trusted providers, including Visa, Sumsub (ID verification), Elliptic (transaction monitoring), and other providers.

16. Can I earn interest or rewards on my balance?

Not at launch. Support for stablecoin yield and referral-based rewards is on the roadmap. You’ll be able to opt in when those features are introduced.