What stops, what stays
The easiest source of panic here is reading "cards disabled" as "the platform ran away". Per the official announcement, the boundary between the two is clear:
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Global card / Lite card / Tech card | Suspended for use and new applications effective immediately |
| Top-ups and withdrawals | Working normally, not affected |
| Wealth management / earnings features | Working normally |
| Issuing fees already paid | Automatically refunded to the account balance |
For existing users, this boundary determines how you should respond: money can move in and out, so there's no need to rush withdrawals; what you really need to do is replace the payment methods tied to the old card.
Refund arrangements: card fees and in-flight funds
The announcement handles the two kinds of money on different timelines:
- Card issuing fees: automatically refunded to the account balance in the amount actually paid (minus any discounts already enjoyed), expected to arrive within ten business days, with no manual action needed;
- Refunds in flight: purchase refunds still being processed will be returned to the account within five to twenty-one business days; for any that remain unfinished past that period, the platform says it will keep following up.
One thing to note: the refund lands in your account balance, not back to your bank or an on-chain address. So once it arrives, you still need to withdraw it actively (withdrawal follows the platform's normal process and is unaffected by the end of the card business).
Why it stopped: the three official reasons
The official explanation is fairly blunt and can be grouped into three points:
- Extremely high compliance costs: the compliance burden and regulatory requirements of the card business are a constant and heavy expense for the platform;
- Paper-thin margins: the fee headroom in the card business is very narrow and can hardly cover the costs;
- Heavy operations: the official statement says the card business consumed most of the time and cost while contributing almost no revenue — that is the direct reason it was cut.
Put these three points side by side with other platforms' shutdown reasons and they all point to the same thing: the "domestic top-up + offshore card issuing" model is getting harder and harder to balance between compliance cost and profit margin.
How to read "a U card is not the endgame"
The official statement also left a line worth pondering, roughly: a U card is not the ultimate solution for paying with stablecoins — the current path has to cash out first and then fold back into the traditional payment network, a convoluted and costly chain that can hardly match traditional payment fees without subsidies.
The line comes from a platform that just exited this business, so its stance should be taken with a grain of salt; but the technical-path problems it points out (multiple conversions, stacked fees) are objectively real. Understanding this helps you see what this kind of product can and cannot do today, instead of treating it as a universal tool.
Migration checklist for existing users
- Confirm the refund arrived: check whether the issuing fee has been returned to the account balance, and keep the announcement and support records;
- Withdraw the balance: account top-ups and withdrawals still work, so pull out funds you no longer use;
- Swap the merchants linked to the card: list every subscription and merchant that was tied to an Infini card and change the payment method one by one;
- Open a new card and test with a small amount: verify the new card can make a charge on a low-value merchant first, then migrate fully;
- Keep a backup card: so you're never left with nowhere to switch if another single platform shuts down.
For general migration notes, see WildCard shutdown: balances, subscriptions and migration; for troubleshooting a declined new card, see five-step troubleshooting after a declined payment.
Breaking down the chain: from money in to charge, how many hands in between
In its announcement, Infini left a line roughly saying that a U card is not the endgame for paying with stablecoins — because the money has to cash out first and then fold back into the traditional payment network, a convoluted and costly chain. The judgment comes from a platform that just exited this business, so its stance should be taken with a grain of salt; but it reminds us of something useful: break the chain open to see who carries each hand. Here are the four stages such a card goes through from deposit to charge, and what PIKABAO does at each stage:
Deposit: fiat → USDT
Convert fiat to USDT on an exchange, then transfer it to your platform account. PIKABAO accepts USDT only, and only on the TRC20 and ERC20 networks; account top-ups cost $0, with a minimum of 20 USDT per transaction, credited by on-chain confirmation.
Funding the card: account balance → card limit
Move funds from your account balance onto the card. PIKABAO charges a flat 3% for card top-ups with no tiers; the card limit is a one-time pool that isn't reset monthly — move over only what you need.
Charge: merchant → card network → issuer
This hand decides whether a charge goes through. PIKABAO's US BIN and its Hong Kong / Japan / Singapore card regions are all open; BIN ranges are matched to the merchant's verification requirements — for example, US-region scenarios that require AVS checks get a US billing address.
Exit: card balance → back to account → withdrawal
PIKABAO charges nothing to move the balance back to the account, and you can withdraw once 48 hours have passed since the last card transaction; after a card is closed, any remaining limit on it is settled back to the account, and any upstream freeze period of 60–90 days is covered by the platform.
Look at the four stages as a whole and you'll see that "a long chain" itself isn't the problem — a long chain where every hand waits on someone else's arrangement is. PIKABAO's approach at each of the four stages can be checked item by item on the pricing page and the products page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still use my Infini Card now?
No. The Global, Lite and Tech cards have been suspended for use and new applications since June 17, 2025. But account top-ups, withdrawals and wealth-management features are unaffected.
Did Infini run away? Is my money still safe?
Per the official announcement, what stopped this time is the card business; account top-ups, withdrawals and wealth-management features still work normally, and assets can be withdrawn normally. This is different from a full-site shutdown — there's no basis for assuming your funds are locked.
How is the issuing fee refunded? Do I need to apply?
The official statement says the amount actually paid (minus any discounts already enjoyed) is automatically refunded to the account balance, expected within ten business days, with no manual action needed. The refund lands in the account balance, so you still need to withdraw it yourself afterward.
When will refunds for in-flight purchases arrive?
The announcement says refunds being processed will be returned to the account within five to twenty-one business days; for any still unfinished past that period, the platform says it will keep following up. Keep the relevant records for reference.
Why did Infini stop its card business?
The official reasons are extremely high compliance costs, paper-thin margins and heavy operations — the card business consumed most of the time and cost while contributing almost no revenue. The official statement also says wealth management and asset management will be the focus going forward.
What about the auto-renewals linked to my Infini Card?
The card is disabled, so auto-renewals will fail on the billing date. Open a new card on another platform and switch the payment methods one by one in order of the billing dates — don't wait for the failure to happen.
Is the claim that "a U card is not the endgame" valid?
It's the view of the party that raised it (a platform that just exited this business), so take it with a grain of salt; but the technical-path problems it points out — multiple conversions, stacked fees, and the difficulty of matching traditional payment rates without subsidies — are objectively real. The practical meaning for users: treat the virtual card as a payment tool, not a place to keep funds.
Treat the card as a tool, not a wallet
The issuing fee and every other rate are listed item by item on the pricing page; the card-opening page shows exactly what this charge will be in real time, so review it before submitting.