Issuing Virtual Cards for Apple Pay and Google Pay: A Guide for Fintech Apps

Suppose you run a crypto wallet or fintech app. Your users keep money on your platform, but when they want to pay for everyday purchases, they move it to another service that offers payment cards.

You can solve this by issuing your own virtual cards. But there's another question: can your users add those cards to Apple Pay or Google Pay and pay with their phones?

In this article, the CardsPro team explains how virtual cards work with mobile wallets, what wallet provisioning means, and how businesses can offer this feature to their users, including those who hold funds in USDT.

Yes, virtual cards can work with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Users can add supported Visa and Mastercard cards to their phones and use them for contactless payments in stores, as well as purchases in apps and online.

But not every virtual card supports these wallets.

The card issuer must enable Apple Pay or Google Pay for the specific card program. Support depends on the card's BIN (the first digits of the card number that tie it to a specific program), issuing bank, and the countries where the card program operates.

For example, a card provider may offer several BINs, but only some of them support Apple Pay or Google Pay.

If you're planning to issue cards to your users, check wallet compatibility before choosing a card program.

Wallet provisioning is the process of adding a payment card to a digital wallet and making it ready for payments.

Here's what happens when a user adds a virtual card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet:

1. Card issuance. Your platform issues a virtual Visa or Mastercard and makes it available in the user's account.
2. Adding the card. The user opens Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and adds the card manually or through your app.
3. Verification. The issuing bank checks the request and confirms that the card can be added. The user may need to verify their identity through an app, SMS, or another method.
4. Tokenization. The payment network creates a digital token linked to the card. The wallet uses this token instead of the original card number when making payments.
5. Payment. Once the card is active in the wallet, the user can pay with their phone wherever contactless payments are accepted.

When the user pays, the transaction goes through the card network to the issuer for approval. The money comes from the card's linked balance or credit account.

Users can add virtual cards to mobile wallets in three ways.

The user opens their wallet, enters the card number, expiration date, and other required details, then confirms the card with the issuer.

It works for any eligible card, but the user types in every detail.

With push provisioning, users can add cards directly from your application.

For example, a user opens your crypto wallet, selects their virtual card, and taps “Add to Apple Wallet”.

Your app starts provisioning, the user completes any required verification, and the card appears in the wallet without copying card details or leaving the app.

Apple provides this capability through In-App Provisioning, while Google supports it through Unified Android Push Provisioning.

If your business works mainly through a website, users can add the card from their account page: select a card, click the add button, and finish verification in the wallet provider's flow.

Your users hold USDT in your application. They can send cryptocurrency, exchange assets, or withdraw funds. But when they want to buy something in a store, they still need a payment card.

You don't need to build the card issuing infrastructure yourself. For example, you can integrate the CardsPro Card Issuing API into your existing wallet or use CardsPro White Label to launch a branded card service. Choose a card program that supports Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Here's how it can work.

Step 1. The user gets a card and adds it to their phone.

They hold USDT in your app, receive a virtual Visa or Mastercard after the required verification, and add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay with push provisioning.

Step 2. The user pays with their phone.

A user buys something for $20 at a supermarket, taps the phone at the terminal, and confirms the payment.

The transaction goes through the Visa or Mastercard network, just like any other card purchase.

Step 3. The payment is funded from the user's USDT balance.

Depending on the setup, conversion to fiat happens when the card is funded or when a transaction is processed. The merchant receives a regular card payment, not cryptocurrency.

The same setup fits exchanges, trading platforms, and other fintech apps that already hold customer balances.

For a detailed explanation of funding and conversion, see our guide to USDT Virtual Cards for Business.

If you want to offer virtual cards with Apple Pay and Google Pay, start by checking what your card issuing provider supports:

• Apple Pay and Google Pay support. Check which BINs work with each wallet and where your users can activate them.
• Provisioning methods. Find out whether users can add cards manually, from your app, or through your website.
• Card branding. Check whether your logo and card design can appear in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
• Funding. If your users hold USDT or USDC, check how those funds become available for card payments and what conversion fees apply.
• API and documentation. Make sure your developers can issue cards, check wallet eligibility, and integrate the supported provisioning flow.
• Technical support and pricing. Ask about wallet activation, integration assistance, card fees, and ongoing costs.

For example, CardsPro offers card issuing for crypto wallets and fintech platforms, with Apple Pay and Google Pay support on selected card programs.

We explain the technical side in our Virtual Card Issuing API guide, including card creation, funding, and transaction management.

Before launch, run the full journey yourself: receive a virtual card, add it to a wallet, make the first payment.