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.
- 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.
- 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 Rain, an 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
- The United States – 33 supported states, including California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Illinois.
- Latin America – 29 countries from Argentina to Uruguay.
- Asia-Pacific and Beyond – Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Africa, and the UAE.
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 in unsupported regions will see a waitlist screen in the Tangem app and will be notified as coverage expands.
Tangem Pay will launch across the UK and the European Union in Q1 2026. This rollout will prioritize regulatory alignment under MiCA and focus on expanding stablecoin payment access to EU residents.
FAQs: Tangem Pay
1. What is Tangem Pay?
Tangem Pay is a non-custodial payment account integrated into the Tangem Wallet app. It allows you to use assets for purchases with a virtual Visa card, online or in-store, with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
2. How is Tangem Pay different from the Tangem Wallet?
Tangem Wallet is a self-custodial hardware wallet that enables you to control your keys privately and anonymously. Tangem Pay is an optional, regulated feature within the same app, enabling you to set up a payment account, verify your identity, and obtain a Visa card for spending in the real world.
3. Is Tangem Pay a virtual or physical card?
When it first launches, Tangem Pay will offer a virtual Visa card. Physical cards will be available in a future update.
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.
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?
No. You don’t need to convert to fiat, but you do need to deposit USDC (Polygon network) into your Tangem Pay account.
Your Tangem Pay card uses this onchain USDC balance to settle real-world purchases. When you make a payment, the corresponding amount of USDC is automatically deducted from your smart contract account and processed through Visa in U.S. dollars, while your balance stays onchain and non-custodial.
6. What cryptocurrencies are supported for spending?
Right now, Tangem Pay allows you to use native USDC on the Polygon network. The choice of Polygon stems from its low transaction costs and high speed, which are critical for scenarios where many small trades happen and timing matters.
Support for more stablecoins and networks is coming soon in future updates.
7. How do I sign up for Tangem Pay?
Once you pass KYC verification, your Tangem Pay account is activated, and you receive your virtual Visa card instantly. You can then deposit USDC on Polygon and start spending.
8. Is Tangem Pay available in my country?
Currently, Tangem Pay is only accessible to residents of the U.S., Latin America, and certain other countries (see below).
- List of eligible Latin American countries
Argentina
Antigua & Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Cayman Islands
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Dominica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Mexico
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
25. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
26. Suriname
27. Trinidad and Tobago
28. Turks & Caicos Islands
29. Uruguay
- List of the supported U.S. states
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
West Virginia
Wyoming
Other supported countries at launch include Australia, the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, and the UAE.
9. What do I need to get started?
To get started, 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.
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.
11. How do I fund my Tangem Pay account?
You can fund your Tangem Pay account by clicking the ‘Add funds’ button and sending native USDC (Polygon) from your Tangem Wallet.
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 merchants that accept Visa. Currently, the card cannot be used at ATMs, and only prefunded USDC (Polygon) is supported. Spending directly from other tokens or blockchains is not currently available.
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 in USD via Visa. If a transaction is declined, your funds remain untouched. Pending or reversed transactions will follow standard Visa network timelines.
