Anonymous Crypto Card: What’s Real and What Isn’t

If you’re looking for an anonymous cryptocurrency card to pay without sharing your personal details, there’s something you need to know: in Europe, legal crypto cards require you to verify your identity. You can’t get a regulated card without going through this process, although you do have some ways to protect your privacy when shopping online or making purchases.

The key is to distinguish between keeping your personal information protected and being completely anonymous. These are two very different things, and some offers promising the latter could end up costing you dearly.

In this article, you’ll discover what you can realistically expect and which promises of anonymity are risky and best avoided.

Why there are no legal anonymous crypto cards in Europe

The quick and simple answer to why there are no legal anonymous crypto cards in Europe is anti-money laundering regulations. In Spain and across the European Union, any financial services provider must comply with rules designed to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.

Law 10/2010 of 28 April requires providers to carry out customer due diligence. This includes identifying customers before providing a service. In addition, in May 2024, the Council of the EU adopted a new package of rules to combat money laundering, extending these obligations to most of the crypto-asset sector. As a result, crypto-asset service providers must verify their customers’ details and report any “suspicious” transactions to the relevant authorities.

What does this mean? Essentially, if a crypto card operates legally in Europe, the provider must know who you are. Under the current regulatory framework, there’s no room for completely anonymous products.

What you need to provide to verify your identity

You’ve probably heard of KYC at least once. This stands for Know Your Customer, the identity verification process. In practice, it involves providing an official identity document and some basic personal information.

With Bitsa, verification is completed using a passport, NIE (Spanish foreigner identification number), or both. Once you’ve completed the KYC process, your virtual card is issued within minutes, and you can start using it. You don’t need to link a bank account.

It’s important to understand that this requirement isn’t unique to Bitsa. Any regulated crypto card in the EU will require a similar verification process. The differences lie in which information you’re asked to provide, how it’s handled, and what level of privacy you have when using the card.

What privacy can you have when paying?

The fact that anonymous crypto cards don’t exist doesn’t mean you can’t have privacy. When you use a prepaid card topped up with crypto, such as Bitsa, there are several advantages that can help protect your information:

• You don’t share your bank account details with every online store. When you pay with a crypto card, the merchant sees your card details, not those of your current account.
• You can use a separate virtual card for online shopping or subscriptions. This lets you separate expenses and reduce the exposure of your main payment details.
• You can block your card through the app and receive a notification for every transaction. This gives you real-time control and visibility over your spending.
• Online payments are protected with Visa Secure / 3D Secure. This system adds an extra layer of authentication for online purchases, reducing the risk of fraud.

If you want to learn how to use crypto cards to better organise your digital spending, check out this article.

Anonymous card offers you should avoid

You already know that you can find just about anything on the internet. It’s easy to come across offers for supposed “anonymous crypto cards” or “Bitcoin cards without verification”. These offers often share several warning signs you should be aware of. Here are some of them:

• They don’t ask for any information or identity verification. If they operate in Europe, this is already a sign that they may be bypassing the regulations in force.
• They ask you to send crypto to an address upfront before you receive the card. In many cases, the card never arrives.
• They promise unlimited spending or top-ups. Regulated products always have limits imposed by regulations and risk-management policies.
• They don’t clearly identify the card issuer or explain which regulations they operate under. Transparency about the issuer and its licence is a basic requirement for any legal financial product.

Using these products can cause problems if you don’t act in time. You could lose your funds, face unexpected account or card freezes, and be left without any protection if something goes wrong. Furthermore, because these products operate outside the regulatory framework, you may not have access to complaint procedures or the safeguards available with regulated products. The idea isn’t to alarm you, but stay alert.

Regulated crypto cards aren’t anonymous, but they let you pay with crypto while maintaining some control over the information you share with each purchase. The key is to understand the privacy each product offers and avoid promises that sound too good to be true.

FAQ

1. Is there such a thing as an anonymous Bitcoin card?

No. In Europe, any regulated crypto card must verify your identity before issuing the card, under anti-money laundering rules (Law 10/2010 and the 2024 EU rules package). Offers promising complete anonymity operate outside the legal framework and carry significant risks.

2. Is it legal to pay with crypto without verifying your identity?

It depends on how you make the payment. Holding and using cryptocurrency through your own wallet doesn’t necessarily mean you have to complete a KYC process. However, regulated services, such as those issuing crypto cards, are subject to identity verification requirements.

3. Is a virtual card anonymous?

No. A virtual card is linked to an identified cardholder, and its use is recorded. What it does allow you to do is avoid sharing your bank account details with merchants and separate your spending more conveniently.

4. Can I pay online without providing my bank account details?

Yes. With a crypto card such as Bitsa, you can pay for online purchases without giving each store your bank account details. This keeps that information separate from your digital payments.

5. Do I need a bank account to get a crypto card?

Not necessarily. With Bitsa, you can get a virtual card after completing KYC with a passport or NIE, without linking a bank account.