Most game stores don't take Monero. But they take Visa cards. So you can buy games with Monero by turning your XMR into a virtual card first. This works at Epic Games, Kinguin, G2A, Eneba and more.
Key takeaways
- Most game stores don't accept Monero, but they do accept a virtual Visa card.
- Fill a card with XMR, then buy games and game keys online.
- Epic Games, Kinguin, G2A, Eneba and MTCGAME are on our list of accepted merchants.
Why pay with Monero?
- Private by design. Monero keeps who sent a payment, who got it and how much private on its network.
- No bank in the middle. You fill the card with crypto, so your bank never sees what you buy.
- The store sees a normal card. It gets a Visa payment with the card's alias name, not your real name.
- Set a gaming budget. Load only what you want to spend.
Stores you can pay this way
- Epic Games Store for PC games and in-game items
- Kinguin for game keys
- G2A for game keys and gift cards
- Eneba for game keys and top-ups
- MTCGAME for game credits and top-ups
Each store and the card issuer still check every payment.
Step by step: buy games with Monero
- Make an account. Sign up and open your dashboard.
- Deposit Monero. Choose Deposit, then pick Monero (XMR). The invoice shows an address and the exact amount to send. Send that amount from your Monero wallet before the invoice runs out.
- Wait for confirmations. Monero needs 10 network confirmations. This usually takes about 20 minutes. Then the money shows in your wallet.
- Make a card. Go to Cards and make a Shield 3DS Card.
- Put money on the card. Add the game price plus a few dollars.
- Pick your game. Add it to your cart at the store.
- Add the card. At checkout, choose to pay by card. Type in the card number, expiry date and CVV. For the billing address, copy the one from your card page exactly.
- Enter the security code if asked. Some payments ask for a one-time code (this is called 3D Secure). Go to your card page. You will find the 3DS password and the latest one-time code there. Type the code in before it expires.
What it costs
| What | Cost |
|---|---|
| Deposit Monero | Shown on the invoice before you pay |
| Make a new card | $12.50, once |
| Monthly card fee | $10 per card, taken from your wallet |
| Add money to a card | 9.5% + $3 each time |
| Payments under 30 EUR | $0.87 per payment |
| Declined payment | $0.87 |
| Take money off a card | $1 or 1% |
| Limit per payment | Up to $5,000 |
| Daily or monthly limit | No limit |
Example: say you pay $60 for a game. You add $70 to the card. The top-up fee is 9.5% of $70 ($6.65) plus $3, so $9.65. The payment is over 30 EUR, so there is no payment fee. You always see the exact fees before you confirm anything.
Cheaper games under 30 EUR have the $0.87 payment fee. Buying a few games at once means fewer payments and lower fees.
How to keep it working
- Deposit early. Monero takes about 20 minutes to confirm. Don't wait until the day a payment is due.
- Keep a little extra on the card. A few dollars more than you plan to spend is enough.
- Keep money in your wallet for the monthly card fee. If your wallet can't pay the $10 when it's due, the card is closed for good. Any money left on it goes back to your wallet.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Monero deposit take?
Usually about 20 minutes. Monero needs 10 network confirmations before the money shows in your wallet.
What if I send the wrong amount of Monero?
Always send the exact amount the invoice shows. If you send too little, the deposit may not finish. Contact support with your transaction ID and we will help.
Can I buy Epic Games with Monero?
Not directly with XMR. Fill a HideTap virtual card with Monero and pay Epic Games by card.
Can I buy game keys with Monero?
Yes. Kinguin, G2A and Eneba sell game keys and take card payments. Pay with your Monero-funded card.
Is there a limit on how much I can spend?
Each payment can be up to $5,000. There is no daily or monthly limit.
Get started
Make a HideTap account, deposit Monero and buy your next game. New to this? Read how to buy a virtual card with Monero.
