The shutdown news of WildCard has undoubtedly brought significant shock to many domestic users. As a highly popular virtual payment card, WildCard once provided users with an excellent way to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, recharge OpenAI credits, and access other overseas services through its convenient RMB recharge methods (such as Alipay). On July 12, 2025, WildCard suspended all operations at the request of relevant authorities, and the official website was temporarily inaccessible. On July 14, the website briefly resumed, allowing users to log in to check their card numbers and CVV, but the recharge and withdrawal functions became unavailable, with only the remaining balance usable for consumption. By July 20, an official announcement further clarified the suspension of recharge, withdrawal, and new user registration, but promised to continue providing subscription services and fix the balance zeroing issue. A test on July 22 showed that old users could no longer log into the backend, with a pop-up message indicating "suspension of subscription consumption, recharge/withdrawal/refund, and new user registration," and the balance consumption function was completely shut down. This means that WildCard cards are almost unusable, with no hope for refunds.
Although WildCard did not "delete the database and run away," the possibility of resuming normal operations is extremely slim. For users relying on virtual cards to subscribe to overseas services, finding reliable alternatives is urgent. Fortunately, there are still various virtual cards available in the market, such as PokeCard, VCard, Dupay, and WasabiCard. These cards primarily recharge with USDT and require purchasing USDT through cryptocurrency exchanges (such as OKX, Binance, HTX, and Gate). Although this method is somewhat complex, it offers higher security and stability by circumventing the strict regulations of domestic payment channels.
Alternatives to WildCard: Four Recommended Virtual Cards#
1. PokeCard: The Preferred Choice for Small Transactions#
PokeCard is a Visa virtual credit card based on Hong Kong dollars, with the biggest highlight being no minimum recharge or consumption requirements, making it particularly suitable for users with small transactions. Whether subscribing to ChatGPT Plus, Netflix, or Amazon, PokeCard can handle it easily. Its physical card supports ATM withdrawals and offline POS consumption, making it very convenient for cryptocurrency users. If you need a flexible and convenient virtual card, PokeCard is undoubtedly the first choice.
2. VCard: Backed by a Public Company, Friendly for Domestic Consumption#
VCard is supported by a publicly listed company, has low fees, and is extremely friendly to domestic users, allowing direct binding to Alipay and WeChat for daily consumption, while also supporting subscriptions to overseas services like ChatGPT Plus and OpenAI. Although its offline functionality is slightly inferior to PokeCard, for users primarily engaged in online consumption, VCard's stability and low cost make it the second-best choice.
3. Dupay: An Established Virtual Card, Suitable as a Backup#
Dupay is the "big brother" in the virtual card market, supporting binding to WeChat and Alipay, and can be used for subscriptions to overseas services like ChatGPT Plus. It has faced issues with recharge and withdrawal due to system maintenance, leading to a decline in trust among some users. It is recommended to use Dupay as a backup card in conjunction with other cards to spread risk.
4. WasabiCard: A Simple Choice Focused on Privacy#
WasabiCard emphasizes anonymity and ease of use, making it suitable for privacy-conscious users. It supports overseas services like ChatGPT Plus, but its user base is relatively small, and community support is limited. For users familiar with cryptocurrency operations, WasabiCard is a good backup option.
How to Buy USDT and Recharge Your Virtual Card#
Since the above virtual cards all recharge with USDT, domestic users need to purchase USDT through cryptocurrency exchanges. Recommended exchanges include OKX, Binance, HTX, and Gate. The specific steps are as follows:
- Register and Log in to the Exchange: Visit the USDT purchase portal and complete the registration and identity verification according to the page instructions.
- Purchase USDT: Select the desired amount of USDT and purchase it via RMB payment (such as bank card or Alipay).
- Recharge to the Virtual Card: Withdraw USDT from the exchange to the virtual card platform's USDT address, and it can be used for consumption once confirmed.
Why Choose USDT to Recharge Virtual Cards?#
Compared to WildCard's reliance on domestic payment channels, the USDT recharge method avoids regulatory risks and offers higher service stability. Although there may be a learning curve to initially purchase USDT, its long-term security is trustworthy. In contrast, the originally ideal alternative to WildCard, BinGoCard, which supported Cloud Flash Pay recharge, had its recharge channels closed due to malicious reporting, later switching to foreign exchange recharge, which is complex and not user-friendly for domestic users.
Usage Suggestions: Multi-Card Combination to Spread Risk#
To reduce the risk of a single platform, it is recommended that users adopt a multi-card combination strategy, such as using PokeCard and VCard simultaneously, with PokeCard as the primary card and VCard as a secondary option, while using Dupay and WasabiCard as backups. After recharging, it is advisable to use the balance as soon as possible to avoid storing large amounts of money on the card for an extended period, in case of policy changes that could lead to losses.
Conclusion#
The shutdown of WildCard is regrettable, but there are still many reliable options in the virtual card market. Through PokeCard, VCard, Dupay, and WasabiCard, users can continue to subscribe to overseas services like ChatGPT Plus safely and stably. By purchasing USDT through exchanges like OKX, domestic users can easily meet their overseas payment needs. In the future, a diversified virtual card combination will be a wiser strategy to ensure flexibility and security in consumption.