How to pay for ChatGPT, Claude and other AI tools from abroad

Updated: 2026-09-27

AI subscriptions are billed in US dollars by companies that take payment

through ordinary card networks. Nothing about them is special — what breaks is

the card, not the service.

What usually goes wrong

• The card was issued in a country the service does not accept.
• The billing country does not match the country you are in.
• The bank blocks a foreign recurring charge it has not seen before.

The first is the common one and it cannot be argued with: you need a card

issued somewhere else.

What to use

A US-dollar virtual card passes, because to the service it looks like an

ordinary Visa with a dollar balance.

Visa Platinum, virtual, settled in US dollars. You top the balance up with

USDT or USDC on TRON, BNB Chain, Polygon or TON. 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 does not work inside Russia — it is for purchases and services

outside it.

What to keep in mind

• Keep a small buffer above the subscription price: the first charge is often

preceded by a verification hold.

• Recurring charges will fail if the balance runs out, and some services

suspend the account rather than retry.

Questions and answers

Which AI services does this cover

Any that accept Visa and charge in dollars — ChatGPT, Claude, and the rest of

the category work the same way.

Will the subscription renew automatically

Yes, as long as there is enough on the balance.

Do I need a US address

No. Use the address where you actually live.

What does it cost

$25 once to issue, no monthly fee, 1% on top of each purchase.

Does it work in Russia

No.