KuCoin launches KuCard in Australia with Mastercard, Google Pay

KuCoin has launched KuCard in Australia, linking supported cryptocurrency balances in user accounts to Mastercard merchant acceptance and Google Pay. Eligible users can pay with supported assets; those assets convert to fiat at the point of sale and settlement runs through Mastercard’s payment network.

At launch the card supported real-time USDC payments and 37 USDC trading pairs. Other supported tokens are converted into fiat at checkout, allowing users to spend crypto balances without pre-converting funds.

Payments made with KuCard flow over existing card channels. When a user pays, the chosen crypto is converted into local currency at the point of sale and merchants receive settlement through Mastercard’s global network. Google Pay support lets users tap and pay with mobile wallets compatible with their devices.

KuCoin expanded its local presence before the card rollout. In November 2025 the company appointed James Pinch as managing director for Australia, opened a Sydney CBD office to handle compliance and operations, and secured AUSTRAC Digital Currency Exchange registration for its relevant services. Those developments aimed to place local exchange activity under Australia’s regulatory framework and improve fiat access.

Market data cited by KuCoin show 33% of Australians now invest in or hold cryptocurrency, while the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2025 Consumer Payments Survey found about 2% of respondents had used cryptocurrency to make a payment in the past year. KuCoin’s Australia Market Report found bank transfers were the most common funding method at 52.4%, with credit and debit cards used by 40.1% of surveyed users.

KuCard is available to eligible Australian users. KuCoin provided eligibility criteria and a full list of supported tokens at rollout.