Settlement

When you tap a card, the merchant first places an authorisation — a hold for the rough amount. Settlement is the later step, usually a day or two on, when the charge actually clears and the final figure is fixed. Until then the amount is pending, not final.

Why it matters: the number on the terminal is an estimate, and on a crypto card the gap can bite. The exchange rate and any foreign transaction fee are typically applied at settlement, not at the till — so a purchase abroad can clear at a slightly different rate than the one you saw, and a refund settles at its date’s rate, which means the money back may not match what you paid. Tips and hotel holds settle higher or lower than the authorisation, too. None of this is unique to crypto — but the final hit lands a day or two after the swipe.

For example: ether.fi Cash spells this out — its FX fee is “applied at settlement, 1-2 days after purchase, so the final charge can differ from the point-of-sale estimate,” and refunds settle at the refund-date FX rate, which may not match the original amount. Because the card spends stablecoins from a self-custodial wallet, that final settled amount is what actually leaves your balance. As of June 2026.