How to get a dollar card in Kenya
Updated: 2026-09-27
Mobile money solved local payments in Kenya long ago. What it does not solve is
paying a foreign service that bills in dollars: a subscription, a hosting bill,
an ad account, a supplier abroad.
Where the gap is
| What you have | What it covers | What it does not |
|---|
| M-Pesa | local payments, transfers, bills | foreign merchants billing in dollars |
| Local bank card | local and some foreign | often declined by foreign services, with limits on forex |
| USDT in a wallet | holding value | almost no merchant accepts it directly |
| Dollar card | foreign online payments | cash, and physical terminals if it is virtual |
How a dollar card closes it
alt.vu is a dollar balance with a virtual Visa Platinum card. Top it up with
USDT or USDC on TRON, BNB Chain, Polygon or TON, and spend in US dollars
anywhere Visa works online. Issuing costs $25 once, there is no monthly fee,
and we add 1% on top of each purchase. Sign-up takes about two minutes and
identity is verified with a passport.
The card is virtual only and does not work inside Russia.
To the merchant it looks like an ordinary dollar Visa. The blockchain part is
invisible to them and irrelevant.
What to keep in mind
- Keep a buffer: foreign services often place a verification hold before the
first charge.
- Set the billing address to where you actually live. A mismatch is the usual
reason a card is refused, not the card itself.
- The card is virtual, so it does not replace cash or a local card for
in-person payments.
Questions and answers
Do I need a bank account
No. A passport is enough.
Can I withdraw to M-Pesa
Not from the card. The card is for spending; moving value back out happens
through your own wallet.
Will it work for a foreign supplier
If they accept Visa online, yes.
What does it cost
$25 once to issue, no monthly fee, 1% on top of each purchase.
Does it work in Russia
No.
Get the card — $25