Alternative to blackcatcard

[russelw65]

Hello all,

So blackcatcard maybe dying or dead. Shame, as I like the product.

What would you recommend as an alternative for a card? People talk of Advcash a lot, but I hear mixed things.

I am EU resident and prefer using EMI / bank that are bad at reporting or do not care

THANKS

 

[AlexPCS]

Hello, depends on the functionality you are looking for: do you need an IBAN or just crypto + card is enough etc.

 

[void]

putting aside wise
zen.com does the job pretty well

 

[Shories]

Zen and Oobit

 

[Giorgiogori]

Zen reports crs .. Confirmed by their customer support.

 

[void]

paysera perhaps?

Zen reports crs .. Confirmed by their customer support.

who doesn't and can be of any use at the same time?

 

[Giorgiogori]

well, that was parr of the question..

 

[Cloudbanck]

who doesn't and can be of any use at the same time?

None, CRS reporting doesnt depend on the EMI/Bank, it depends on the country. And the only countries left which havent signed up for CRS, dont have any good EMIs/Banks.

The way forward here is to live in a non-CRS country, or have no tax residence, or live in a CRS country but that has low/no tax. And if you are a citizen of a high tax country be long gone from their tax net. Then you can be a client at a good EMI/Bank, and tell them to go ahead, report away!

 

[russelw65]

Ideally card + IBAN.

I am based in Malta but travel around Europe so card use is key.

Most do CRS now... but I have never been asked my TIN with EMIs.... maybe I got lucky

 

[Sean Restling]

So blackcatcard maybe dying or dead. Shame, as I like the product.

Are you withdrawing funds from it? I still see they're adding interests on balance. Haven't used their card for a while but not sure it's dead or dying..

 

[russelw65]

Hello, depends on the functionality you are looking for: do you need an IBAN or just crypto + card is enough etc.

Ideally card + IBAN. Crypto not important.

 

[12345]

Zen reports crs .. Confirmed by their customer support.

no, as far as I know EMIs that are not classified as banks do not need to report CRS. However a forum user posted link where it said that starting 1 jan 2026 EMIs would be required to report CRS due to new OECD implementation .
As far as I know currently only the EMIs that hold a bank license report to CRS (which is Revolut and N26 for example)

 

[churumbelo]

no, as far as I know EMIs that are not classified as banks do not need to report CRS. However a forum user posted link where it said that starting 1 jan 2026 EMIs would be required to report CRS due to new OECD implementation .
As far as I know currently only the EMIs that hold a bank license report to CRS (which is Revolut and N26 for example)

How about the underlying banks they use? I guess that, let's say Wise, has an account/s with XYZ banks, but said accounts with all the aggregate money are in those banks under Wise's name. And then, Wise, internally keeps an accounting on how much money each client owns. So the banks would not know how much each individual keeps in those Wise's accounts.

That's my guess. Not sure though.

 

[Giorgiogori]

You'll never know, however i have the impression that UK EMIs are more lenient.
ZEN support told me they report but of course they may answer so because they do not know who is asking the question.
Same thing from Verifo and Paytend.

 

[russelw65]

Are you withdrawing funds from it? I still see they're adding interests on balance. Haven't used their card for a while but not sure it's dead or dying..

Not withdrawing funds yet.... I give them some time to find a replacement card provider.

If not, I will withdraw and find a new EMI (Zen? OObit?)

 

[Sean Restling]

Is your Blackcatcard app working?

 

[bigdaddyleon]

Is your Blackcatcard app working?

Yes, the app works just as badly as usual.

 

[diro]

Zen reports crs .. Confirmed by their customer support.

They are EMI like others, so yes they report!

 

[clemens]

or have no tax residence

how do you accomplish this ?

 

[Cloudbanck]

how do you accomplish this ?

Well listen to @peter taradash and the old timers about this! The whole perpetual traveller lifestyle is still possible today, as it was 40 years ago (even if some nuances have changed).

But in practical terms, get out of the tax net of the country you grew up in, especially if this is a high tax western country. And then dont spend enough time or create sufficient ties to become a tax resident anywhere else.

Let's assume your starting point is that you are a citizen and tax resident of the UK. Then you file form P85 and leave the UK, and make sure you don't spend too many days in the UK to meet the days test after you move out, and file the last UK tax return for the year when you left.
Then you split the year between two or more countries where you dont become a tax resident so easily, but it's easy to become a resident. Say for example 5 months in the UAE, 4 months in Mexico and 3 months in Ireland (UK citizens have automtic residence). In the P85 form you can put an address in either the UAE or Mexico in this case.

You could also live a longer time in a country that is so disorganised that you are unlikely to be taxed (Mexico might work among the listed countries here), or consciously live a longer time under the radar in a more organised country.