Opening an account: email, password and authenticator

Before you can top up a card you need an account, and opening one takes three steps: the sign-up form, a click in your inbox and linking an authenticator app. None of them take long, but each one has a detail or two worth knowing in advance. This guide walks through all three and what you can do right after.

What you need before you start

• An email address you check. Order updates, card notices and sign-in alerts go there. Use an address you will still have access to in a year.
• A phone with an authenticator app. Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password or any app that supports time-based codes will do.
• A strong password. Ten characters or more, mixing letters and digits. A password manager makes this painless.

You also need to be 18 or older, able to use the service legally where you live, and outside countries under broad sanctions.

Step 1: The sign-up form

The form asks for your full name, email address and a password, typed twice. At the bottom you confirm that you accept the terms, the refund rules and the privacy policy. Each of those opens in a new tab if you want to read it first.

A bot check may run in the background before the form is accepted. It is usually invisible; occasionally it asks you to tick a box.

Choosing your name

Use your real name. It is how our team addresses you in emails and support replies. The name printed on a card is chosen separately for each order, so you can still pick the cardholder name you need later.

Step 2: Confirm your email

Right after signing up you are asked to confirm your email address. We send a message with a button; clicking it confirms the address and moves you on. The link works for sixty minutes.

If the email does not arrive within a few minutes:

• Check the junk folder and any tabs your inbox uses for offers.
• Make sure the address on the screen is spelled correctly.
• Use the button on the page to send a new link.

Nothing else in the account is available until the email is confirmed. That protects you from someone opening an account with your address.

Step 3: Link your authenticator

Once the email is confirmed, the setup page shows a QR code. Open your authenticator app, add a new account and scan the code. The app starts showing six-digit codes that change every thirty seconds. Type the current one into the page to finish linking.

The last screen shows your recovery codes — one-time codes you can use if you ever lose your phone. Save them somewhere other than your phone. You can download them as a text file or copy them into a password manager. They are only shown once.

Our article on why the authenticator is required explains how it protects your cards and what to do when you switch to a new phone.

After setup: a quick look around

When setup is complete you land on the account overview. Along the top you will find:

• My cards — your issued cards, with balance, status, expiry and billing address.
• Activity — every top-up and its current status.
• Refunds — money-back requests for card balances.
• Payments — a combined history of orders and refunds.
• Support — tickets with our team.
• Security — your password, recovery codes and active sessions.

The Top up screen button at the top right starts a new top-up. Our guided tour of your first top-up follows that page step by step, and the rates page shows what a card costs before you order.

Signing in afterwards

From now on, signing in takes your email, your password and the current code from your authenticator. Signing in from an unfamiliar device or network sends you an email about it. That alert is worth reading: if it was not you, change your password straight away.

Forgot your password?

Use the reset link on the sign-in page. We email a link that works once for a limited time. Resetting your password does not unlink your authenticator — you will still need a code to sign in.

Keeping your account healthy

A few small habits keep the account easy to use and hard to break into:

• Use a unique password. If you have reused a password elsewhere, change it on the Me tab. A password manager can generate and remember a strong one.
• Review your sessions. The Me tab lists where you are signed in and lets you sign out other devices in one step. Do this after using a shared or borrowed computer.
• Keep your email address current. It receives order updates and sign-in alerts. If you are moving to a new address, ask support to change it before the old one stops working.
• Know where your recovery codes are. Check once in a while that you can still find them. Create a new set if you are not sure who has seen the old ones.
• Read sign-in alerts. They are short and only arrive when something new happens. A quick glance is enough to know whether it was you.

None of these take more than a minute, and together they make a lost phone or a leaked password much less stressful.

Common snags

• The verification email went to the wrong address. Sign out and register again with the correct one, or contact support if the wrong address belongs to you.
• The authenticator code is rejected. Check that your phone sets its time automatically, then use the newest code.
• You closed the page before saving recovery codes. You can create a new set from the Me tab with a current authenticator code.

Quick answers

Can I have more than one account?

No. One person, one account. If you need separate cards for different purposes, order them from the same account.

Can I change my email later?

Yes, through a help ticket. We confirm the request comes from you before changing it.

Can I skip the authenticator?

No. It is required for every account and cannot be turned off.

Is there a fee to open an account?

No. You only pay when you top up a card.

Summary

Fill in the form, confirm your email and link an authenticator — then save your recovery codes somewhere safe. After that, every part of the account is open to you, and your first top-up is one button away.