How to Pay for Purchases Abroad with Crypto

Bank cards are no longer a universal solution for people who often travel abroad. Some cards do not work in certain countries, others charge high conversion fees. Crypto here is not exotic but a working tool, if you know how to use it.

Three main ways to pay with crypto abroad

1. Crypto cards with automatic conversion

These are bank or prepaid cards linked to a crypto account. You top up the card with crypto, most often stablecoins, and at the moment of payment it is automatically converted into the local currency.

Such cards are issued by large platforms. They work in Visa or Mastercard terminals — that is, wherever regular cards are accepted.

Things to know:

• card availability depends on your country of residence and the country where you use it;
• there is a conversion fee, but it is usually lower than a bank’s;
• you need an identity check to get the card.

2. Swapping USDT for local currency

An option for those who do not want to depend on cards. You exchange USDT for local currency at a licensed exchanger or exchange in the country you are staying in and receive the money to a local account or card.

Choose companies you can find in the country’s official registry. How to check companies in registries — in our article on checking an exchange service.

3. Paying directly in crypto

Some sellers accept crypto directly — most often in property, IT services and expensive goods. It is growing in popularity but is still a narrow segment.

Stablecoins or volatile coins

For everyday payments, the USDT and USDC stablecoins are more convenient than bitcoin and other volatile assets. The price at the moment of payment will match what you saw when planning the purchase. Bitcoin can rise or fall while the transfer is in progress.

Practical tips

• Keep a reserve of stablecoins in advance. Buying crypto at the right minute is not always convenient.
• Study the local market in advance. Each country has its popular networks: TRC-20 and ERC-20 differ in fees.
• Test your crypto card in the right country before the trip — not every card works everywhere.
• Keep confirmations of your operations. They will be useful for tax reporting.

Taxes: do not forget

Every conversion of crypto into regular money and back may be a taxable event in your country of tax residence — even a small one. If you often pay in crypto, keep records: date, amount, rate at the time of the operation. How this works in Russia — in our article on crypto tax.

Where crypto is more convenient to use

• The UAE — a developed market of crypto services.
• Georgia — plenty of exchange services.
• Turkey — high demand for stablecoins.
• Thailand — popular with digital nomads; exchange goes through local platforms.
• Portugal and Malta — developed European infrastructure.

Limits and risks

Honestly about what does not work:

• in some countries crypto operations are prohibited or strictly limited;
• not every crypto card works in countries under restrictions;
• exchanging with strangers is a serious risk, especially in a foreign country;
• technical failures and high network fees at peak hours can delay a payment.

How Ruber helps here

Ruber solves two tasks. The first is buying USDT, USDC, BTC or ETH for rubles by card or via SBP in the calculator: the coins go straight to your wallet. The second is paying an invoice abroad — to a supplier, a university, a developer — through the operator. More in our article on sending money abroad via crypto.

Questions left — message the operator on Telegram.