Cardano (ADA) has taken a major step toward mainstream adoption through a new partnership with digital payments provider Wirex, unveiling the first-ever Cardano Card a product designed to merge onchain finance with global payment systems. According to a press release dated November 11, EMURGO, one of Cardano’s founding entities, confirmed the collaboration ahead of the Cardano Summit 2025, scheduled for November 12–13 in Berlin.
Wirex to issue the first Cardano Card
Wirex, which serves over six million users across 130 countries, will integrate the Cardano Card into its existing payments app. The card—available in both physical and virtual forms will allow users to spend ADA and more than 685 cryptocurrencies and stablecoins anywhere Visa is accepted.
“We’re thrilled to see Cardano launch their first-ever card offering through the Wirex ecosystem,” said Wirex co-founder Georgy Sokolov. “This marks a major milestone for Cardano as they expand into the global banking and payments space, and a testament to their drive toward real-world adoption.”
Beyond payments: connecting TradFi and onchain finance
The Cardano Card aims to bridge traditional finance (TradFi) with blockchain-based services, functioning as a multi-chain spending and financial management tool. Beyond everyday payments, users will gain access to yield accounts, crypto-backed loans, and structured trading products directly within the Wirex ecosystem.
EMURGO CEO Phillip Pon called the collaboration “more than just a crypto card launch,” framing it as a strategic leap toward Cardano’s commercial expansion. “This is a user-facing product that’s mobile-ready, fintech-friendly, and uniquely designed for onchain finance,” Pon said.
Scaling blockchain payments to a global audience
Wirex’s infrastructure positions it as a strong partner for global deployment. Since its founding, the firm has processed over $20 billion in crypto transactions and supports more than 150 fiat and digital assets, making it one of the few payment providers capable of scaling blockchain-specific financial products worldwide.
The initiative traces back to July, when EMURGO opened early registration for the Cardano Card, pitching it as a “smarter way to spend crypto.” Features include ADA-back rewards, staking integration, and a mechanism to redirect a portion of card profits to the Cardano Treasury further reinforcing Cardano’s push toward a self-sustaining ecosystem.
