Limits are one of the most important differences between crypto cards, and one of the least understood. A card can have a generous daily limit and still decline a single large payment because of its per-transaction cap. This guide explains each type of limit and compares Agora’s cards.
The four kinds of limits
- Per-transaction limit: the largest single payment the card accepts.
- Daily limit: the total you can spend within one day.
- Monthly limit: the total you can spend within one month.
- ATM limits: separate daily and monthly caps on cash withdrawals, independent of spending limits.
A payment must fit within all applicable limits at once. A $25,000 purchase on a card with a $20,000 per-transaction limit is declined even if the daily limit is far higher.
Agora’s limits compared
| Virtual Basic | Virtual Plus | Physical Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per transaction | $20,000 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Daily | $240,000 | $900,000 | $900,000 |
| Monthly | $900,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| ATM daily | Not available | Not available | $3,000 |
| ATM monthly | Not available | Not available | $80,000 |
Virtual Card Basic is designed for everyday online and mobile spending. Virtual Card Plus and Physical Card Plus are designed for larger budgets: three times the per-transaction limit, nearly four times the daily limit and no monthly cap.
Validity is also a kind of limit
Virtual Card Basic is valid for three years or until $1 million has been spent, whichever comes first. The Plus cards are valid for four years with no spending-based expiry. If you expect to spend heavily over the life of the card, this can matter as much as the daily limit.
Limits you do not control
The card’s limits are a ceiling, not a guarantee. Other caps can apply first:
- Merchant limits: many online shops cap order values, and contactless terminals often cap tap payments.
- ATM limits: individual machines usually dispense less per withdrawal than the card allows per day.
- Your balance: the card can only spend what has been loaded, minus fees.
Planning a large payment
- Check the amount against the per-transaction limit of your card.
- Load the amount plus a buffer for the transaction fee and, for non-USD payments, the 1.5% FX fee.
- If the purchase is larger than the per-transaction limit, ask the merchant whether it can be split into separate payments.
- Allow time for the top-up to be credited before the payment.
Which card for which budget
If your largest payments stay under $20,000 and your monthly spending under $900,000, Virtual Card Basic is enough and has the lowest top-up fee (2%). Above that, or if you prefer not to think about a monthly cap, choose a Plus card (2.5% top-up fee). If you need cash, only Physical Card Plus works at ATMs. Our virtual vs physical comparison covers the other differences.
Note that the Plus cards are not available in Morocco, the United States, Bangladesh, India and Turkey, where Virtual Card Basic remains available.