In July 2025, the "big brother" of the domestic virtual payment card field, WildCard, announced the suspension of all business functions, including recharge, withdrawal, registration, and subscription consumption, in cooperation with relevant department investigations. This means that WildCard, once favored by domestic users for its convenience in supporting Alipay and WeChat recharges, has completely bid farewell to the stage of providing payment support for overseas services such as ChatGPT Plus subscriptions and OpenAI API recharges. Many users feel regret about this, but the market gap was quickly filled by other virtual cards. For domestic users, PokePay and Dupay have become the most 关注的替代选择. So, which of these two virtual cards is more suitable for the needs of domestic users? This article will compare and analyze them from the perspectives of functionality, fees, ease of use, and applicable scenarios to help you make a more informed choice.
Background and Impact of WildCard's Service Suspension#
WildCard had become the preferred tool for domestic users to subscribe to overseas services with its "down-to-earth" design. Whether it was ChatGPT Plus, Claude, Midjourney, or Netflix, Spotify, etc., WildCard eliminated the cumbersome cryptocurrency operations by allowing recharges through Alipay and WeChat, greatly lowering the usage threshold. However, starting from July 12, 2025, WildCard gradually closed its services due to regulatory requirements, suspending recharges, withdrawals, and new user registrations on July 20, and even stopping subscription consumption functions from July 22, rendering account balances unusable. This series of changes forced users to seek alternatives. PokePay and Dupay, as mature virtual card platforms, quickly became popular alternatives to WildCard due to their support for cryptocurrency (USDT) recharges and a wide range of overseas payment scenarios.
PokePay: Flexible and Low Threshold, Suitable for Small Transactions#
PokePay is a Visa virtual credit card settled in Hong Kong dollars, with its biggest highlight being its flexibility and low-threshold design. PokePay supports recharges in various cryptocurrencies such as USDT, BTC, and ETH, with no minimum recharge or consumption requirements, making it particularly suitable for small transaction scenarios like subscribing to ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) or Netflix, Amazon, etc. Additionally, PokePay offers a physical card option that supports ATM withdrawals and offline POS consumption, which is especially friendly for cryptocurrency users needing to cash out. Its 1% transaction fee and 1% currency conversion fee are relatively low in the industry, with overall losses controlled at around 2%.
For domestic users, another advantage of PokePay is its support for binding with AlipayHK and domestic platforms like Alipay and WeChat, making it convenient for consumption in scenarios such as the Hong Kong PSN and Nintendo Switch stores. Although recharges need to be made by purchasing USDT through exchanges like OKX, Binance, or HTX, the operation process is relatively simple, allowing users to quickly complete recharges through the USDT purchase portal after registration. The only downside is that applying for a physical card requires KYC identity verification, involving ID cards and facial recognition, but the review speed is fast, usually completed within a few hours.
Dupay: Established and Stable, Suitable for Multi-Scenario Users#
Dupay, as the "big brother" of the virtual card market, is known for its stability. It supports USDT recharges and covers a wide range of overseas services such as ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI API, PayPal, and Google Pay, while also being able to bind with domestic WeChat and Alipay for consumption. Dupay's advantage lies in its mature payment channels, with a high payment success rate, making it suitable for users who need long-term stable subscriptions to overseas services. However, Dupay also has some limitations, such as temporary obstacles to recharges or withdrawals due to system maintenance, which has affected some users' trust. Additionally, Dupay's recharge threshold is slightly higher, and the complexity of operations may not be user-friendly for beginners, especially since it requires purchasing USDT through cryptocurrency exchanges.
Nevertheless, Dupay's comprehensive features make it a reliable choice for multi-scenario users. If you are already familiar with the USDT purchasing process on platforms like OKX or Binance, the recharge process for Dupay is not complicated. Users can quickly prepare funds through the USDT purchase portal and use them for overseas service payments after recharging.
Comparative Analysis of PokePay and Dupay#
1. Fees and Thresholds#
- PokePay: No minimum recharge or consumption requirements, 1% transaction fee, 1% currency conversion fee, overall low losses, suitable for small transaction users.
- Dupay: Slightly higher recharge threshold, some scenarios may involve additional fees, suitable for users with certain cryptocurrency operation experience.
Recommendation: If you are a small transaction user or trying virtual cards for the first time, PokePay's low threshold is more attractive.
2. Usage Scenarios#
- PokePay: Supports both virtual and physical cards, covering online subscriptions (like ChatGPT Plus, Netflix) and offline consumption (like ATM withdrawals), especially suitable for cryptocurrency users needing to cash out.
- Dupay: Primarily focused on online payments, strong consumption capability with domestic platforms, but weaker offline functionality.
Recommendation: Users needing offline consumption or cashing out should choose PokePay, while those primarily focused on online subscriptions may consider Dupay.
3. Ease of Use and Stability#
- PokePay: Fast KYC review, stable payment channels, suitable for beginners and cryptocurrency users.
- Dupay: Established platform with a high payment success rate, but maintenance periods may affect the experience.
Recommendation: Users seeking simple operations should choose PokePay, while those emphasizing long-term stability should opt for Dupay.
Other Alternative Choices and Suggestions#
In addition to PokePay and Dupay, VCard and WasabiCard are also good backup options. VCard is backed by a publicly listed company in the U.S., has low fees, and supports binding with domestic platforms, making it suitable for online consumption; WasabiCard focuses on anonymity, catering to users with high privacy needs. To reduce the risk of relying on a single platform, it is recommended to use a combination (like PokePay + VCard) and purchase USDT through OKX, Binance, HTX, or Gate for immediate use, avoiding long-term fund retention in the card.
Conclusion#
The suspension of WildCard has deprived domestic users of a convenient payment tool, but PokePay and Dupay, with their respective advantages, have become ideal alternatives. PokePay, with its low threshold and multi-scenario applicability, is more suitable for small transactions and cryptocurrency users, while Dupay attracts users who need long-term subscriptions with its stability. Regardless of which virtual card you choose, completing the recharge through the USDT purchase portal is a key step. It is advisable to weigh personal needs and adapt to cryptocurrency operations early to cope with potential changes in the payment environment in the future.