monero support on cards — is it even real or just marketing?

Every card provider claims to 'support Monero' but when you actually try to use it, it's either:

1. Not supported at all
2. Supported but with insane fees
3. Supported but the exchange has KYC

If I have to go through a KYC'd exchange to convert xmr to usdt before loading the card, the Monero support is meaningless. The whole point is privacy.

Has anyone found a card that actually takes xmr directly without a KYC gate?

I use swap provider with no kyc to convert xmr to usdt, then load card. Is not direct but work well.

The swap provider sees your xmr and your usdt address. That is a correlation point.

Real Monero support would mean the card issuer accepts xmr directly, with the exchange happening on-chain. I have not seen a no-KYC card that does this.

xmr on cards is marketing

Which providers claim it? Let's test them.

Nobanhost's card, Gnosis Pay, and Offshore Card all list xmr support on their sites. Haven't tested any of them because the terms usually mention an exchange in the fine print.

Nobanhost doesn't issue cards anymore — they're hosting only now. Gnosis Pay uses xmr through a partner exchange, and that exchange has KYC limits above $500. Offshore Card I don't know.