Cashback: comparison and cautions
Cashback is not a guaranteed right but a promotion whose terms the provider sets and can change.
Maximum and actual cashback differ. Look at the tier that applies to you, the monthly cap, the cost of keeping the rate and the real value of the payout asset.
As of 11 October 2026
How to judge cashback
Look at real savings, not the headline rate.
- Who qualifies?Rates differ by tier, annual fee or staking.
- Which payments count?Check eligible and excluded transactions.
- What is the monthly cap?Spend above the cap earns nothing.
- What does it cost to keep?Annual fees, staking price risk and opportunity cost.
- How is it paid?USD or own token? Can it be withdrawn?
- Can it change any time?Check the reward change/termination clause.
Published cashback terms
← Swipe the table sideways →
| Item | KAST | Ether.fi Cash | Anytap Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base rate | Standard 1.5% (no annual fee) | Core 3% on first $2,000 | None |
| Higher rates | Premium 2% ($1,000/yr) · Private 3% ($10,000/yr) | Luxe first $10,000 · Pinnacle first $50,000 at 3% | N/A |
| Tapering | No cashback above cap | 1% from $2–3k → 0.5% above $3k | N/A |
| Monthly cap (eligible spend) | $2,000 / $10,000 / $40,000* | Band caps by tier | N/A |
| Max monthly cashback | $30 / $200 / about $1,200* | $70 at $3,000 spend (Core) | N/A |
| Condition to keep rate | Annual fee on paid tiers | ETHFI staking on higher tiers | N/A |
| Payout | USD in-app balance (reported not withdrawable) | Protocol-designated asset | N/A |
| Extra rewards | KAST Points 1–2% on paid tiers | Check official source | N/A |
| Recent change | 2026: points/token rewards replaced by USD cashback | Tier system in operation (may change) | N/A |
| Policy change risk | May change under terms | May change under terms | N/A |
Column colours mark each card's design type, not a ranking. KAST and Ether.fi Cash share one colour as cashback-focused cards built around payment rewards; Anytap Card has its own colour as a function-focused card built around limits and money mobility. Putting cards with different purposes under one colour would suggest they are judged on the same standard, so we separate them.
* KAST top-tier cap appears as $40,000–50,000 depending on the source; check officially.
Five reasons cashback can cost you
1. Cashback is funded by costs you already paid
Card providers earn from issuance, annual fees, top-up and conversion fees, FX spread, foreign payment and ATM fees. Cashback is a marketing cost returned from that revenue.
Getting 1.5% back on a KRW payment that carries a 1% FX fee leaves only 0.5% real gain.
2. Terms can change before you are paid
Rate cuts, new caps, abolished staking rewards, regional shutdowns and suspended referral commissions have happened repeatedly across the industry.
KAST moved from points/token rewards to USD cashback in 2026 — whatever its merits, it shows reward terms can change.
3. You get tied to a platform or token
Top rates assume large annual fees (KAST) or staking own tokens (Ether.fi). Price falls and opportunity cost of staked assets never appear in the rate table.
Cashback usable only inside one app has value only if you keep using that app.
4. Caps stop you earning more
KAST Standard earns only on the first $2,000 a month, so $5,000 of spend still yields $30. Ether.fi Core drops to 1% above $2,000 and 0.5% above $3,000.
5. Upkeep can exceed the reward
To recover KAST Premium's $1,000 annual fee at 2%, you must spend over $50,000 a year (about $4,200 a month). Below that, the free tier is better.