The hardware wallet maker is betting that onchain payments can finally go mainstream without giving up user control.
Tangem is bringing self-custody closer to daily financial use with a new product that turns stablecoins into spendable money.
On November 6, the company announced Tangem Pay, a Visa-powered payment feature that lets users spend USDC directly from their non-custodial Tangem Wallet, all without moving funds offchain or relinquishing control over private keys.
USDC spending straight from the blockchain
At its core, Tangem Pay is a non-custodial payment account built directly into the Tangem Wallet app. Users can fund the account with USDC on the Polygon network, and spend it instantly online or in-store through Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Visa’s global network.
The process stays fully onchain until checkout.
When a user makes a purchase, the USDC converts 1:1 into U.S. dollars through Visa’s payment rails, allowing for seamless payment at any Visa-supported merchant.
Unlike most crypto cards that rely on custodians or intermediaries, Tangem’s model keeps private keys in the user’s hands. The setup uses a two-key security system: one key is controlled by the user, while the other is held by Tangem’s issuing partner, Rain, which can only co-sign transactions to authorize card payments, not move funds independently.
Identity verification (KYC) applies only to Tangem Pay, leaving the main Tangem Wallet and its broader holdings unaffected. Tangem describes this structure as a “siloed compliance model,” meaning identity checks apply only to the Tangem Pay account itself.
No hidden costs, just onchain fees
Tangem Pay doesn’t introduce monthly or transaction fees beyond what users already pay for network gas and Visa’s standard foreign exchange rates on international purchases.
The service initially supports native USDC on Polygon due to its low fees and fast transaction speeds, but Tangem plans to expand to other stablecoins and networks over time, including Ethereum and Solana, as liquidity and demand grow.
Global rollout and next steps
The rollout begins later this month, starting with a waitlist-based activation across a diverse set of regions, including the United States, Latin America, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, and the UAE.
A physical Tangem Pay card is also on the way, designed for users who prefer tangible payment options.
By Q1 2026, Tangem plans to expand into the United Kingdom and European Union, aligning its launch with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.
Visa’s expanding stablecoin infrastructure
Visa has been steadily expanding its blockchain infrastructure, adding four new stablecoins across four blockchains to support direct conversions between digital assets and more than 25 fiat currencies.
Since 2020, Visa’s crypto-enabled flows have exceeded $140 billion, with stablecoin-linked card spending rising fourfold year-over-year in 2025. That surge shows how digital dollars are moving beyond trading desks and into everyday commerce. Through its Tokenized Asset Platform, the company is enabling banks to mint and redeem stablecoins, while its Visa Direct pilot already uses USDC and EURC to pre-fund cross-border corridors.
Crypto payments without compromise
Tangem’s approach stands in contrast to many “crypto cards” that effectively function as prepaid fiat solutions. By keeping funds onchain until the point of sale, Tangem Pay promises true blockchain-native spending that aligns with crypto’s original self-sovereign ethos.
For now, it’s an ambitious attempt to make decentralized money usable in the centralized world, one swipe (or tap) at a time.
Oleksii Shumak
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