KAST is a USD account paired with a Visa card. Add stablecoins and spend with the card. The Standard plan is free and earns 1.5% in USD rewards on the first $2,000 of monthly spending. To compare it with other cards, see the crypto card comparison. Fees and risks are covered below in What to know before applying.
What Is KAST? Company Background
Founded in July 2024, KAST provides USD-denominated accounts for global payments and issues Visa cards. Founder and CEO Raagulan Pathy was previously Circle’s APAC vice president and Singapore CEO.
KAST raised a $10 million seed round in December 2024, led by HSG and Peak XV Partners, then an $80 million Series A in March 2026, co-led by QED Investors and Left Lane Capital. In October 2026, the company said it had about 1.4 million users.
The card runs on the Visa network. KAST’s terms call it a credit card, while purchases are deducted from your KAST USD balance.
The account is custodial: KAST and its custody partners hold deposited assets. You can deposit USDT, USDC, PYUSD, and RLUSD, as well as tokens such as BTC, ETH, and SOL. Non-stablecoin tokens are automatically converted to USD; the app shows the conversion fee before you confirm.
KAST Rewards: Standard, Premium, and Private
KAST offers three membership plans. Your annual fee determines your plan; spending does not upgrade it. USD rewards are calculated on eligible monthly spending, and spending above the monthly cap earns 0%. The cap applies to spending, not the reward amount. KAST Points are an additional benefit for Premium and Private members, with no spending cap.
| Item | Standard | Premium | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | Free | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| USD rewards (monthly cap) | 1.5% on first $2,000 spent | 2% on first $10,000 spent | 3% on first $40,000 spent |
| KAST Points | — | 1% on all eligible spending | 2% on all eligible spending |
| Card tier | Visa Platinum | Visa Infinite | Visa Infinite |
| Physical card | $0 card fee, plus $40 shipping | Included with annual fee (metal card) | Included with annual fee (gold-plated card) |
| First membership subscription referral discount | — | 10% off ($100 off) | 10% off ($1,000 off) |
USD rewards first go into a rewards balance and are locked for 14 days. After that, you can manually redeem them in the app into a balance for spending. They can only be spent; they cannot be withdrawn or transferred to another account or wallet. So Standard’s 1.5% is a spending credit, not cash you can take out.
ATM withdrawals, cash equivalents, transfers and P2P payments, wallet top-ups, gambling, government payments, insurance, utilities, and rent do not earn rewards.
See the KAST card review and comparison for a full comparison.
KAST Virtual and Physical Cards
Standard includes two free virtual cards. Some regions charge a $2 issuance fee; the app shows the amount before you order. Each additional virtual card costs $2.
Only a physical card supports ATM withdrawals. Each withdrawal costs $3 plus 2%; non-USD withdrawals also incur the foreign-exchange fee. A virtual card cannot withdraw cash, even when added to Apple Pay or Google Pay.
KAST Fees
- Card issuance: see the previous section for virtual cards and the benefits table above for physical cards.
- Annual fee: Standard has no annual fee. Premium and Private annual fees are non-refundable.
- Inactivity fee: after 12 consecutive months with no transactions, $1 is deducted from the balance each month, without taking it below $0.
- Funding: stablecoin deposits are free; you only pay blockchain network fees.
- Foreign-exchange fee: spending in Taiwan dollars incurs 0.5% to 1.75%. Each non-USD transaction below $25 also incurs $0.10. USD purchases have a 0% fee.
- Declined transaction: a decline due to insufficient balance incurs $0.50 per transaction.
See KAST fee details for the full fee schedule.
What to Know Before Applying
- KAST is a custodial service: KAST and its custody partners hold the assets you deposit, and the account has no loss insurance.
- Spending above each plan’s monthly cap earns 0% in USD rewards. USD rewards can only be spent, not withdrawn; KAST Points are separate.
- An account may be suspended after six months of inactivity. If it is suspended or inactive for over 180 days and KAST cannot reach you, it will be closed.
- Think carefully before upgrading to Premium or Private: the annual fee is charged yearly, is non-refundable, and spending does not automatically upgrade your plan.
- Spending in Taiwan dollars incurs a 0.5% to 1.75% foreign-exchange fee. Purchases below $25 also incur $0.10.
How to Apply for KAST (How to Enter the Invite Code)
Open the referral link. On the registration page, a red-boxed line reading “You’ve been invited by KAST User to join KAST” means the invite code RK0KC2CM has been applied.
- Enter your email on the registration page and select Continue. If the red box does not appear, add
RK0KC2CMin the app under Profile → Account → Referred by before your card spending reaches $600. - Complete KYC with a passport, national ID, or driver’s license, plus a live selfie and proof of address.
- Add stablecoins. For the basics, see the stablecoin storage guide.
- Activate a virtual card.
- Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Signing up through the referral link gives you 10% off your first Premium or Private membership subscription, as shown in the table. The discount applies only to the first annual subscription; Standard has no discount.
Using KAST in Taiwan
Little Penguin confirmed that Taiwan residents can apply. For everyday payments, use Apple Pay or Google Pay; neither has a usage fee. JKO Pay cannot be linked because it only accepts credit cards issued by domestic partner banks. ChatGPT Go, Plus, and Pro subscriptions can be paid with this card.
