Personal Finance Dollar prepaid card: what it is and how to get one online

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Most users believe that issuing a virtual dollar card is an instant process: you click “issue”, get the card details, and start paying anywhere. But anyone who has ever built a payment flow knows that card speed always conflicts with its functionality depth and the payment system’s level of trust.

In reality, getting a dollar prepaid card is not just filling out a registration form. It is part of a complex trust architecture between the user, the issuer, the KYC provider, and the Visa or Mastercard networks. Understanding this connection helps not only to get a card but also to predict how well it will perform in international transactions.

How getting a dollar card online actually works​

From a fintech perspective, card issuance is a sequence of API requests between several systems.

User registration activates a KYC module, which assesses risks and assigns a trust level (risk tier).

This tier defines:

  • the available card limit
  • the possibility to activate 3D Secure
  • the support of multi-currency payments
  • the BIN (Bank Identification Number) geography
Services that offer “instant issuance” usually work under a pre-KYC issuance model, where the card is created before verification and has limited functionality. This gives speed but lowers the chance of passing high-level transaction checks, for example on websites that require AVS verification.

Services with full KYC integrate with document validation providers such as Onfido, SumSub, or Veriff, and issue the card only after identity confirmation. On the API level, this means the card gets access to a more complete BIN profile and can operate within the 3D Secure 2.2 flow, which is crucial for authorisation outside the local market.

In fact, the speed of card issuance depends on the level of risk the issuer is ready to take. If they are not confident enough in the client, the card is created with limited functionality. Payments may be declined during 3DS challenge or AVS checks.

How to choose a platform and prepare for issuance​

A fintech platform builds a trust perimeter around every client.

The system does not just issue a card but evaluates whether it can be trusted in the context of international operations.

If registration is done with incomplete or fake data, there is a high chance that when you try to pay for a foreign service, the bank will return a soft decline.

If a user uploads an invalid proof-of-address document, the system cannot activate 3D Secure and the card stays limited.

If KYC is done through a VPN, the detected location will not match the card’s BIN number, causing an AVS mismatch during address verification.

Before you start, it is important to clearly understand why you need the card.

If your goal is to pay for an international service quickly, basic identification and minimal KYC are enough.

If you need a card for regular payments, freelancing, or business transactions, it is better to complete full identity and address verification.

This ensures stable performance, higher limits, and fewer unexpected transaction blocks.

How to get a dollar prepaid card online​

The process looks the same on the surface but depends on the issuer’s architecture.

Typical flow:
  1. Register on a platform that supports USD accounts
  2. Complete basic identification: email, phone, and sometimes selfie check
  3. Pass KYC verification: upload passport and proof of address, validated automatically through a provider
  4. Card issuance: the system creates a token and card details (PAN, CVC, expiry), recording the BIN and issuer country
  5. 3D Secure activation: connect to the ACS server and configure the challenge flow
  6. Set limits and currency rules: define spending and top-up parameters
From a technical point of view, the whole process is a cascade of REST requests between the payment processor, KYC provider, and card issuer, synchronised through webhooks.

The fewer data points submitted at the start, the higher the chance the system will issue a limited card (soft issuance).

Top 5 prepaid cards you can issue online quickly​

Now that you understand how the process of getting a dollar prepaid card works and which factors affect its reliability in international transactions, it’s time to look at specific options. Here is a ranking of the five best online prepaid cards that can be issued quickly thanks to convenient KYC, without compromising on service quality or features.

1. Spend.net​

The Spend.net platform offers virtual cards for online payments with cashback. The service’s virtual cards are divided into two types: for advertising expenses and for general online payments. The first type returns 2% of the spending amount, the second 1%. Accruals happen automatically and appear in the personal account in real time. All virtual prepaid cards support 3D Secure technology.

The platform’s conditions are transparent: card issuance is free, there is only one fee — for top-up, but it can be adjusted. On average, the top-up fee is 2%. No fees are charged for transactions, declines, currency exchange, refunds, or withdrawals.

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Characteristics:
  • Cashback: 2% for advertising payments, 1% for any online payments
  • Security: 3D Secure for transaction verification
  • Balance top-up: USDT, BTC
  • Registration: via Google account or email
  • Financial reports: available in CSV or XSL format, cashback accruals shown in real time
  • 24/7 technical support: contact managers via live chat in the personal account

2. PSTNET​

PSTNET issues virtual cards for a wide range of online payments. The service offers different card types: cashback cards for advertising, prepaid cards for regular purchases, standard Visa/Mastercard for online payments, and so on.

To create a virtual prepaid card, first funds must be deposited in the personal PSTNET account, then the required amount is transferred to the card. The first USDT top-up for new users is free.

Also, all key operations with the cards are free of charge. Only the top-up fee is paid, depending on the card type, starting from 2%.

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Characteristics:
  • Security: 3D Secure for transaction verification, two-factor authentication to protect user data
  • Balance top-up: 18 cryptocurrencies, Visa/Mastercard cards, bank transfers
  • Registration: via Google, Telegram, WhatsApp, Apple ID, or email
  • Financial reports: available in CSV or XSL format
  • 24/7 technical support: contact managers via live chat in the personal account, via Telegram, WhatsApp, or another convenient method

3. Volet​

Volet offers both virtual and physical cards, supported by the largest payment systems Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay. The service’s prepaid cards are available not only online. Users can order a plastic card delivered to home or office if their legal address is in a European jurisdiction.

Regarding card usage fees, each purchase in the card currency costs $0.20 per transaction. If the purchase is in another currency, the fee is $0.20 plus 2% for conversion. The service offers virtual cards with different tariff plans; for basic purchases, the standard European virtual card is suitable.

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Characteristics:
  • Ability to order a plastic card: courier will deliver it within two weeks to any EU city
  • Security: two-factor authentication for user data protection
  • Balance top-up: BTC, ETH, LTC, bank transfers, and transfers from Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay cards
  • Financial reports: available in the user’s personal account
  • 24/7 technical support: contact managers via live chat in the personal account

4. Pyypl​

Pyypl offers international prepaid Visa cards for personal expenses. Card issuance and all operations are carried out through the mobile application. A card can be issued immediately after account verification, by following instructions on the smartphone screen.

All service cards are paid, but the price depends on the tariff. In addition, Pyypl has a fixed system of limits and fees. For example, the maximum amount of one transaction is $1,000, the fee for each operation is 2.99%.

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Characteristics:
  • Security: 3D Secure for transaction verification
  • Balance top-up: 10 cryptocurrencies or Visa card transfers
  • Financial reports: available in the application
  • Registration: via mobile application
  • 24/7 technical support: contact managers via chat in the application

5. Ezzocard​

The Ezzocard platform helps to issue virtual prepaid cards. The service’s cards are especially suitable for one-time purchases, when the reliability of the merchant’s website is in doubt. For digital subscriptions, the cards are suitable, as they operate on Visa/Mastercard payment systems.

The main advantage of Ezzocard cards is the ease and speed of issuance. Users may not pass verification. In general, the cards have a spending limit, but it can be chosen.

Ezzocard does not charge fees for transactions, but there is a card issuance fee, depending on the card’s denomination and type. Cards are available with different denominations — from 10 USD up to 20,000 USD.

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Characteristics:
  • Security: no additional protection layers provided
  • Card top-up: 9 cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT TRC20, and others)
  • Registration: not required
  • Technical support: 24/7 via chat on the service website

Final thoughts​

Fast card issuance is always a compromise between speed and the level of trust.

Viewed from an engineer’s perspective, it is not just a form with fields, but a dynamic distribution of risks between the user, the issuer, and the payment network.

The more information a client provides, the deeper the card’s integration into the ecosystem, the higher the transaction reliability, and the fewer declines on the merchant’s side.

A dollar virtual card can be obtained in ten minutes.

However, it will work reliably only if you understand how the system operates under the hood and consciously choose the level of trust you are ready to build.
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Nigerian Bulletin Team
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