Ready discontinues USDC card operations beyond EEA following issuer switch, customers claim
Customer complaints indicate Ready's USDC card became inaccessible for non-EEA regions following a switch in card providers that led to swift deactivation alerts.
A self-custodial crypto wallet and payments platform known as Ready has allegedly blocked card services for customers located beyond the European Economic Area, based on numerous customer complaints.
Following a transition to a different card provider, Ready has withdrawn USDC card services from customers situated outside the European Economic Area, as evidenced by alerts circulated by affected users across social media platforms.
Multiple customers posted screenshots showing an in-app alert from Ready that read: "Your Ready Card will be deactivated within the next hour," referencing modifications impacting customers "primarily outside the EEA."
These reported modifications prompted certain customers to raise concerns about the rapidity with which crypto-connected payment card access can be withdrawn when service providers undergo transitions.
Users question speed of restriction and communication
Multiple customers expressed criticism regarding the minimal advance warning provided before the modifications were implemented, stating their card access was terminated within a matter of hours.
A user operating under the X handle TapSatoshi expressed in a posting their dissatisfaction with the company's development priorities, pointing to postponed capabilities like Apple Pay integration while giving precedence to implementing a "Rewards" feature.
Screenshots displaying Ready's notification additionally indicated that customers would be issued automatic reimbursements for any unexpired subscription duration within 10 business days.
The identity of the organization that will function as the replacement card provider for the Ready Card remains uncertain, as does the reason behind the transition. Based on publicly accessible documentation, the prior issuer-side collaborator associated with the program was Kulipa.
Cointelegraph reached out to Ready requesting commentary on the matter but had not received a reply by the time of publication.
USDC at the center of the Ready Card
Previously operating under the name Argent, Ready is a digital wallet designed specifically for the Starknet ecosystem, which functions as an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution utilizing zero-knowledge rollups.
Although Ready's wallet accommodates various crypto assets, such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), the Ready Card is fundamentally centered around USDC, enabling users to make direct expenditures from their wallet holdings during transactions.
Based on Ready documentation, the platform verifies a customer's USDC holdings in real time during the execution of a purchase and handles the transaction via Mastercard's payment infrastructure, transforming crypto into traditional currency at the moment of sale. The card issuing entity functions as the intermediary linking the self-custodial wallet with conventional payment systems.
This framework enables customers to maintain complete ownership of their holdings within the wallet, with the card serving solely as an expenditure mechanism layered over those assets. In the event that card access becomes restricted, customers retain the ability to hold and move USDC onchain without any disruption.