Bitget Wallet vs ether.fi: fees and eligibility in Singapore
APAC virtual and international Core virtual, for eligible Singapore residents. Compare USD and SGD costs separately.
Reviewed
Start with the currency you actually pay
With a funded balance and US$1,000-equivalent SGD spending each month, annual purchase fees project to US$210–228 for Bitget or US$120–180 for Core. Other costs and rewards are excluded.
For USD bills, Bitget still charges conversion fees; Core has no USD FX markup. Core’s Singapore first-card price needs an in-app quote.
At a glance
Full comparison| Card edition | Issuance | Ongoing fees | Foreign currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitget Wallet CardAPAC virtual | Free virtual-card application Conditions and fee detailsIdentity and market approval required; physical card costs extra. | No monthly or annual fee Conditions and fee detailsConversion and foreign-currency charges still apply. | 0.05%–0.2% conversion; non-USD adds 1.7% Conditions and fee detailsVisa exchange rates apply; USD purchases waive only the additional FX fee, not conversion. |
| ether.fi CashCore international virtual | First virtual card $0 or $10 by region Conditions and fee detailsThe newer first-card fee FAQ lists AR, AO, BD, BO, CO, EC, ID, MY, MX, NG, PE, PH, ZA and TH at $10; the first card is normally free elsewhere. Additional cards after the allowance cost $10. An older limits page also lists HK, GB and SG as charged: check the regional Add Card quote before ordering. No physical card included. | Core has no membership monthly or annual fee Conditions and fee detailsCore does not require a paid upgrade or asset threshold. Issuance, funding and FX costs are separate; borrowing interest is not covered by free membership. | No FX markup for USD/EUR spend; other currencies about 1% + 0–0.5% Conditions and fee detailsOther currencies use Visa settlement rates with about 1% base FX cost plus 0–0.5% Core markup. Zero EUR markup is a beta rule for merchant charges actually denominated in EUR, whether funded by USDC or EURC; market currency conversion still applies. Merchant dynamic currency conversion (DCC) can add charges outside this exemption. |
Sources for the short answer
Who can apply for each card?
Bitget’s APAC route includes Singapore citizens and qualifying residents; its resident route calls for an employment pass and address evidence. Singapore is also a supported ether.fi Cash jurisdiction, subject to verification. A visitor’s ability to spend locally does not establish application eligibility.
Spending US$1,000 a month: how do USD and SGD differ?
Worked example, not a personal quote: a funded balance, $1,000 USD-equivalent spending monthly for 12 months, and current standard purchase fees. Bitget’s USD purchase charges project to $6–$24 yearly; SGD billing projects to $210–$228. Core has no USD FX markup; its approximate 1%–1.5% SGD cost projects to $120–$180 yearly.
The difference follows billing currency, not the merchant’s location. Choosing a merchant’s USD conversion can introduce a separate DCC markup. These projections exclude funding, network costs, ATM charges, exchange-rate differences and special transactions; no rewards are deducted.
Why do first-year and later-year costs differ?
Bitget APAC virtual has no issuance or ongoing fee, so the worked three-fee subtotals are $6–$24 for USD or $210–$228 for SGD. ether.fi’s newer first-card FAQ and older limits page differ on Singapore pricing. Check Add Card; its first-year subtotal remains unconfirmed here.
For a later year with an existing card, remove one-time issuance costs. Separating this from the first year makes ongoing use easier to compare without repeating a one-off expense.
Choose around your spending pattern
For mostly USD bills, review reward limits and the payout asset after checking fees. For regular SGD purchases, first quantify the larger FX component. ether.fi Direct Pay and Borrow Mode are different uses; this example neither estimates borrowing interest nor treats borrowing as free spending.