How to Accept Card Payments Without a Merchant Account (2026)

A traditional merchant account means a registered company, a bank account in a supported country, a risk review and often a rolling reserve. If you are a small store, a solo founder or based somewhere Stripe and PayPal don't serve well, that door is often closed.

There is another way to let customers pay by card: card-to-crypto checkout.

How it works

1. Your customer clicks Pay with card on your checkout.
2. A licensed card provider available in their country (for example Stripe, PayPal, Coinbase, Revolut, Transak or Banxa) charges the card.
3. The provider converts the payment to a stablecoin — USDC — and sends it to your wallet address.
4. Your order is marked paid automatically once the transfer is detected.

The card provider is the regulated party that charges the card and handles the card side. You receive a stablecoin worth the amount, in a wallet you control. No merchant account is opened in your name.

What you need

• A wallet address that can receive USDC on Polygon. Any EVM wallet works (MetaMask, Rabby, Trust Wallet), or a USDC deposit address from an exchange that supports Polygon.
• A Vulta account. Email and password — no company documents, no verification.

Setting it up on Vulta

1. Sign up at vulta.one and confirm your email.
2. Go to Wallets and add your USDC (Polygon) address.
3. Go to Links, set your price and currency, and choose Card only (or Card + Crypto).
4. Share the link, or put it behind a "Buy" button on your site.

On the free plan you get two card-enabled links; Pro ($20/month) makes them unlimited, and Max ($49/month) adds an embeddable checkout, webhooks for automatic order fulfillment, your own checkout domain and no Vulta branding.

What your customer sees

On a card-only link, the customer sees your product, the price and a card button. After clicking, they complete the payment on the provider's secure page. Some providers ask for a short identity check, usually on a first purchase or a larger amount — this is a regulatory requirement on their side.

Costs

Vulta takes 0% of each payment. The card provider charges its own fee — typically a few percent — which is shown on its page; you can price it into your product. Each provider also has a minimum amount, usually between $5 and $30.

Limitations to know

• Provider coverage depends on the customer's country. Vulta automatically offers the providers that work where your customer is. A handful of countries have few or none.
• Funds arrive as USDC, not in your bank account. You can hold it, spend it or convert it on an exchange.
• Refunds are up to you: you send them from your wallet.

For a store-focused overview, see card payments for online stores.

Frequently asked questions

Is this legal?

The card is charged by a licensed provider, which is responsible for the card side and payer checks. You receive payment for your goods or services in a digital asset. Check how your country treats income received in digital assets and declare it for tax.

What's the minimum amount a customer can pay by card?

Each provider has its own minimum, typically between $5 and $30. Vulta only offers providers whose minimum fits the payment amount.

Which countries can my customers pay from?

Most of the world. Coverage depends on the provider and the customer's country; Vulta routes each customer to providers that work for them. A few countries have few or no providers.

Can I get the money into my bank account?

Yes, indirectly: send the USDC to an exchange that supports withdrawals to your bank or local payment methods, and convert there.

What if a customer wants a refund?

Refunds are handled by you, from your wallet — typically by sending USDC back or agreeing another method with the customer.