Many people order a physical card by default and then never use it. Here is how to tell what your spending actually requires, and what the extra card costs.
Published September 29, 2026 · 2 min read
For most online spending, yes. A virtual card is issued right away and works for online purchases. It also works contactless through Apple Pay and Google Pay, so you can pay in a shop by holding your phone to the terminal. If your spending is subscriptions, online shops, travel bookings and phone payments, you may never hit a limit that a physical card would remove.
Two things. First, ATM cash withdrawals: without a physical card there is no way to take cash out of a machine. Second, paying at a till where a physical card is expected, for example a place that does not accept phone payments. If neither situation applies to you, the physical card adds little beyond a second way to pay.
The table shows where each card covers you and where it does not. The main differences are cash, physical tills and the wait for delivery. Everything else about how the card draws on your money is the same.
| Situation | Virtual card | Physical card |
|---|---|---|
| Online payments | Covered | Not needed for this |
| Phone contactless (Apple Pay, Google Pay) | Covered | Not needed for this |
| ATM cash withdrawal | Not possible | Required |
| Till that expects a physical card | Not possible | Required |
| Availability | Issued right away | Delivered by mail, needs an address |
No. Both cards spend from the same wallet balance, so there is no second pot to top up and nothing to transfer between cards. That is why starting with a virtual card is a low-risk choice. In Nexus Pay you can begin with a virtual card, and add the physical one when your needs change. Either way the card spends only what is available in the wallet: there is no credit and no overdraft.
Issuance prices differ by card.
Taking a virtual Signature card and the physical card means 5 + 99 = 104 USDT in issuance costs. The virtual card is ready right away, but the physical one is delivered by mail to an address you provide, so it takes time. Issuing any card also requires identity verification with a document and a photo.
Order it when you know you will need cash or a till that wants plastic, and do it before the trip or the situation, not during it. Because of mail delivery, ordering the day before you leave is too late. If you do plan to use ATMs, note that the fee is 0.25% per withdrawal, plus any fee the ATM owner shows on screen. One larger withdrawal costs less than several small ones for the same total. On 1000 USDT, moving it to the card leaves $999.00, and withdrawing at an ATM leaves $996.50 before any ATM-owner fee.
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