KAST vs Ready
A custodial multi-fiat Visa with tiered cashback vs a self-custodial Starknet USDC Mastercard with 0% FX on Metal, EEA/UK only.
Quick verdict
KAST is a custodial card with 16-fiat settlement, a free 1.5% K Card and pricey premium tiers, available across 170+ countries. Ready is self-custodial — USDC stays in your Starknet wallet — with 0% FX and 3% in STRK on the Metal tier, but it's EEA/UK only, costs $120/yr for Metal, and is Google-Pay-only.
Side-by-side
| KAST | Ready | |
|---|---|---|
| FX Fees | 0% USD · 2% other · +$0.10 low-value purchases | Lite 1% · Metal 0% (official Mastercard rate) |
| Payback | 1.5% on K Card · 2%–3% on paid premium tiers | Lite 0.5% · Metal 3% in STRK (≈$150/mo cap) |
| Annual Fee | $2 Virtual · $1,000/yr Premium · $10,000/yr Private | $6.99 Physical Lite · $120/yr Ready Metal |
| Physical Card | Plastic + gold-metal Luxe at top tier | Lite plastic · Metal 16g (gold/silver) |
| Custody | Custodial | Self-custodial |
| Supported Currencies | Spends in 16 fiat (USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, JPY…) | USDC only (on Starknet) |
| Region | 170+ countries / 150M+ Visa merchants | EEA + UK only |
Verdict by dimension
Custody
Ready wins — self-custodial vs KAST custodial.
FX Fees
Ready Metal's 0% beats KAST on other currencies; tie on USD (both 0%).
Annual Fee
KAST's K Card is free; Ready Metal is $120/yr (Lite $6.99) — base-tier edge to KAST.
Cashback
Close — KAST 1.5% base (up to 6% paid); Ready Metal 3% (Lite 0.5%).
Availability
KAST wins — 170+ countries vs Ready's EEA/UK only.
Choose KAST if…
you want broad global reach and multi-currency settlement, and custodial is fine.
Choose Ready if…
you're in the EEA/UK, want self-custody and 0% FX, and are happy on Google Pay.