Cypherhq

Cypher is a non-custodial crypto debit card and wallet platform that lets users spend cryptocurrency directly from self-custody wallets at any of the 150 million-plus merchants that accept Visa, without depositing funds into a centralized exchange or custodial account.

The Problem

Crypto holders have historically faced an unpleasant choice: keep assets secure in a self-custody wallet where they cannot easily spend them, or park funds on a centralized exchange or custodial card service to gain spending power at the cost of counterparty risk. Cypher eliminates that trade-off. When a user makes a purchase, the app converts only the exact amount needed to USD and routes the transaction through Visa — private keys remain under the user's control the entire time.

How It Works

Users download the Cypher app and create or connect a self-custodied wallet spanning 20-plus blockchain networks. They load the card by transferring supported tokens from any connected wallet or by buying crypto directly in-app. At point of sale, Cypher handles the real-time conversion from crypto to fiat. The transaction clears through Visa Platinum infrastructure — the same network that processes conventional bank card payments — meaning the card works anywhere Visa is accepted, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ATMs.

The platform supports over 500 tokens across 25-plus chains, with built-in cross-chain swap and bridging so users are not locked to a single network. Stablecoins such as USDC and DAI are particularly well-suited for everyday spending because they sidestep the volatility that complicates budgeting with other assets. US users should note that every crypto-to-USD conversion at point of sale is a taxable event regardless of which token is used.

Solana Integration

Solana is a first-class supported chain on Cypher. SOL and Solana-based tokens can fund the card directly, and the wallet supports swapping and bridging across Solana alongside EVM chains, Cosmos, and Tron. Users managing Solana DeFi positions or holding SPL tokens can deploy those assets for everyday spending without first bridging to Ethereum or routing through a centralized exchange.

Card Options and Pricing

Cypher offers a tiered card lineup. The virtual card is free and activates instantly. A PVC physical card costs $50 in shipping fees. The Black Metal Card is included at no additional charge with a Premium membership. A 24-karat gold-plated Cypher Gold card is in development.

The Standard tier is free and carries a 1.75% foreign exchange fee and a 0.5% fee on USDC loads. Premium costs $199 per year and cuts the FX fee to 0.75%, eliminates USDC load fees, doubles the CYPR reward rate, raises daily spending limits to $1 million, and includes priority support and chargeback cover. The card network migrated to Visa Platinum in 2024.

Rewards: The CYPR Token

Every Cypher card purchase earns CYPR, the platform's native reward token. CYPR launched on October 5, 2025 on Base mainnet with a hard-capped total supply of one billion tokens. It listed simultaneously on Binance Alpha, KuCoin, and Aerodrome Finance, Base's native AMM DEX. Eight and a half percent of supply was airdropped to early users, with 10% of those airdrops locked as veCYPR for two years to promote longer-term alignment.

Partner brand bonuses can reach up to 80% in CYPR back on qualifying purchases, and the community votes to determine which merchants receive bonus tiers. Premium members earn at 2x the base rate. The veCYPR governance layer gives token holders input into how the rewards program is structured over time.

Business and Developer Products

Beyond consumer cards, Cypher offers B2B tools including team card issuance, payroll disbursement, expense tracking, and global payouts in fiat powered by digital dollars via SWIFT, ACH, and NEFT transfers. The developer platform at developer.cypherwallet.io exposes a webhook API for transaction event notifications — covering debits, credits, refunds, declines, and balance alerts — enabling businesses to integrate Cypher card activity into their own back-end systems. Cypher is also a member of Circle's Alliance partner directory, reflecting its USDC integration for zero-fee loads on the Premium plan.

Security and Audits

Cypher has passed an independent security audit. The non-custodial architecture means the platform does not hold user funds at any point, which eliminates the category of exchange-hack risk that has affected custodial competitors. KYC verification is required for card issuance, and users can freeze or unfreeze cards instantly through the app. WalletConnect integration allows users to connect existing hardware or software wallets without creating a new seed phrase.

Team and Backing

CypherD Wallet Inc. is headquartered in Fremont, California, and was founded in 2022. The company raised a $4.3 million seed round led by Y Combinator in January 2023. Additional backers include Coinbase Ventures, Samsung Next, Picus Capital, Goodwater, and Rebel Fund. Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase, is an angel investor. The CEO, known as Kube, previously served as Risk Engineering Lead at Coinbase. Prasanna Sankar, former CTO of Rippling, is also affiliated with the project.

As of May 2026, the Cypher card is available in 33 US states, with global coverage across 150-plus countries.