Instant Cards

Instant cards are created the moment you complete payment, giving you a brand new virtual Mastercard in under 2 seconds. This provisioning method offers maximum flexibility for custom amounts and one-time use cases.

What Are Instant Cards?

Unlike pre-created cards that already exist in inventory, instant cards are generated on-demand through the x402 protocol when you submit payment.

How they work:

• You choose any amount between $25 and $500
• System submits your payment to the x402 network
• x402 creates a brand new virtual Mastercard
• Card details are returned immediately
• You receive full card information in your dashboard

Creation time: 1-2 seconds from payment confirmation to card delivery

When to Use Instant Cards

Instant cards are ideal for specific use cases where flexibility matters more than cost optimization.

Best for:

Custom Amounts: Need exactly $73 for a specific purchase? Instant cards support any amount from $25 to $500, not just fixed denominations.

Testing the Platform: First-time users can create a small $25 card to test how ALIAS works before committing to larger amounts.

Immediate Need: When pre-created cards aren't available for your desired amount, instant cards provide an immediate alternative.

One-Time Use: Perfect for single purchases where you want a card that matches the exact transaction amount.

Development & Integration: Developers testing ALIAS integrations benefit from instant cards because they can create cards programmatically without inventory concerns.

Benefits

Maximum Flexibility: Choose any amount within the supported range, not limited to fixed denominations like $50 or $100.

Always Available: No inventory constraints mean you can always get a card, even during high-demand periods.

Instant Delivery: Card details appear in your dashboard within 2 seconds of payment confirmation.

Fresh Cards: Every card is newly created, never previously assigned to another user.

No Waiting: Skip the queue—instant cards don't depend on the platform having cards pre-created.

Limits & Constraints

Understanding instant card limits helps you plan your usage effectively.

Amount Limits:

• Minimum: $25 per card
• Maximum: $500 per card
• Custom amounts: Any value between min and max
• Multiple cards: Create as many as you need (subject to monthly limits)

Monthly Limits (per wallet address):

• Standard users: $5,000 per month across all cards
• High-volume users: Contact support for increased limits
• Limits reset on the 1st of each month

Network Limits:

• x402 network sets global rate limits
• Temporary holds during suspected fraud
• Regional restrictions may apply

How Instant Creation Works

Understanding the process helps you know what to expect.

Step 1: Amount Selection You choose your desired card amount in the ALIAS interface. Any amount from $25 to $500 is accepted.

Step 2: Payment Submission Your payment transaction is submitted to the Solana blockchain using either x402 Protocol or Solana Pay.

Step 3: Payment Verification ALIAS backend verifies your transaction is confirmed on Solana and hasn't been used before.

Step 4: x402 Card Request Backend calls x402 API to request a new virtual card with your specified amount.

Step 5: Card Creation x402 generates a fresh Mastercard with unique number, CVV, expiration date, and billing address.

Step 6: Card Delivery Card details are encrypted and stored in the database, then displayed in your dashboard.

Total elapsed time: Under 2 seconds for the entire flow.

Cost Considerations

Instant cards have slightly higher provisioning costs compared to pre-created cards.

Why they cost more:

• x402 charges per-card API fees
• Real-time processing requires immediate computation
• Each card creation is a separate API call
• No bulk discount from batch creation

What this means for you: The platform passes through a small portion of these costs. For most users, the convenience outweighs the minimal price difference (typically a few cents).

When to save money: If you're creating multiple cards regularly or only need standard amounts ($25, $50, $100, etc.), pre-created cards offer better value.

Best Practices

Get the most from instant cards with these tips.

For First-Time Users:

1. Start with a $25 test card to learn the platform
2. Verify the card works at a small merchant before creating larger amounts
3. Save your card details immediately using a password manager
4. Check your dashboard to confirm the card appears correctly

For Custom Amounts:

1. Calculate exactly how much you need for a purchase
2. Add a few dollars buffer for currency conversion or fees
3. Create a card matching your total required amount
4. Use the card immediately to avoid balance sitting unused

For Privacy:

1. Use instant cards with privacy protocol for untraceable creation
2. Create separate cards for different merchants for better compartmentalization
3. Consider each card "burned" after use for maximum privacy

For Subscriptions:

1. Avoid instant cards for long-term subscriptions (pre-created cards are better)
2. Check card expiration date before committing to multi-month subscriptions
3. Load slightly more than the subscription cost to cover price increases

Common Issues

"Card creation failed"

This usually means x402 network is experiencing issues.

What to do:

• Wait 30 seconds and try again
• Check that your payment actually went through on blockchain
• Verify you haven't hit monthly spending limits
• Try a pre-created card amount instead

"Amount not supported"

You've entered an amount outside the $25-$500 range.

What to do:

• Adjust to minimum $25 or maximum $500
• For amounts over $500, create multiple cards
• Check that you didn't accidentally enter an invalid format

"Monthly limit exceeded"

Your wallet has created $5,000 worth of instant cards this month.

What to do:

• Wait until next month (limits reset on the 1st)
• Contact support for increased limits
• Use pre-created cards which may have different limits

Instant vs. Pre-created

Choosing the right card type depends on your needs.

Choose instant cards when:

• You need a custom amount not available as pre-created
• You want to test the platform with a small amount
• Pre-created inventory is empty for your desired denomination
• You're developing an integration and need predictable availability

Choose pre-created cards when:

• You need standard amounts ($25, $50, $100, $200, $500)
• You're creating cards regularly and want lower costs
• You prefer maximum speed (pre-created are milliseconds faster)
• You're OK with cards that may have been created days earlier

Next Steps

Learn more about ALIAS card provisioning options:

• Card Lifecycle - Learn about card states and management
• Creating Cards - Step-by-step guide to your first card
• x402 Protocol - Deep dive into the instant card payment method