Genome vs Pikabao
Two virtual cards people weigh up side by side. We put Genome and Pikabao on the same rows so the difference is easy to see.
Genome issues on Visa and Pikabao on Visa · Mastercard (20 BIN options:; verification is ID + proof at Genome versus No KYC at Pikabao; only Pikabao takes crypto top-ups.
Genome is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its no monthly fee. Pikabao is the better fit for power users who need crypto funding and Alipay or WeChat top-ups.
The head to head
| Field | Genome | Pikabao |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa | Visa/Mastercard (20 BIN options: 9 US + 11 HK) |
| Card type | Digital Bank / Neobank | Anonymous VCC |
| KYC | ID + proof | No KYC |
| Card issuance fee | Virtual card 1 EUR (first 10); 10 EUR from 11th | $2-3 (US card); $0.10-$0.50 (US per-card); 10U (HK card) |
| Monthly fee | Free EUR (card monthly fee); non-EEA personal account 20 EUR/mo or 200 EUR/yr | Free (no monthly fee) |
| Top-up fee | Non-Genome card top-up 3% (externally initiated 1%) | 3% (USDT top-up) |
| FX fee | Non-card currency transactions 2%; EUR/USD/GBP conversion 1% | $0.10/transaction + 0.5% FX (interbank+$0.5%) |
| Crypto funding | No | Yes (USDT TRC20/BSC; TON) |
| AI tool support | ChatGPT | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Medium | High |
| Our rating | 9.3 | 9.0 |
| User reviews | 159 | 627 |
| Best for | Ad spend · AI subscriptions | All-rounder · Ad spend |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
What sets them apart
- Tight on fees? Genome is the cheaper card to hold day to day.
- Pikabao shows up in more of our test scenarios, so it is the safer pick when you juggle several subscriptions.
- Pikabao asks for less verification up front, which matters if you want a card live the same day.
- Only Pikabao takes crypto top-ups in our data — worth knowing before you decide.
- In our scoring, Genome finished ahead of Pikabao — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
- Genome carries the lower risk flag in our file, which some users prefer for a primary card.
Where they split
Run the numbers against your own usage. Genome runs about $1.09 to create plus a 3% top-up per top-up; Pikabao runs about $2 plus a 3% top-up. For one or two subscriptions the first column wins; for crypto funding and Alipay or WeChat top-ups, the second does.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Genome scores 9.3/10 against Pikabao's 9.0/10 in our tests, but the two split on fees, KYC and crypto funding. Read the table above, then match it to the checkouts you actually run.
Genome works out cheaper: free account maintenance. Pikabao adds about $2 per virtual card, a 0.5% FX fee, a 3% top-up fee.
Genome asks for ID + proof at signup; Pikabao asks for No KYC. If a light sign-up is the priority, the one with the lower KYC label is the faster route.
Both show up in 18 of the same test scenarios, including ChatGPT Plus, Leonardo.ai, Zoom Pro (Meetings). They overlap on a good share of checkouts, so the choice between them matters most on those pages. Where one is accepted and the other is not usually comes down to the billing country and 3-D Secure handling.
Where both show up
Genome and Pikabao both landed in our top picks for 18 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
📈 Ad Platforms 5
🤖 AI Tools & Developer Tools 2
🎮 Gaming 2
📺 Streaming & Entertainment 1
🌐 Cloud & VPS 1
🧳 Travel & Productivity 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇺🇸 US — the country guides group every range we track from there.
What our charge log shows
Every count here is a real charge attempt we placed on that range, renewals included, with the gateway response recorded. Weeks tracked is how long the range has been in the programme: