What This Section Aims to Achieve
“What exactly are crypto assets?” “How do USDT and USDC differ?” “What about taxes if I use it with a card?” — Many people probably feel a vague sense of unease as they get started with a crypto asset debit card.
This section serves as a starting point to turn those concerns into “solid knowledge.” Organized around four themes—Glossary, Getting Started, Stablecoins, and Taxes—we’ve systematically compiled information that’s useful for both beginners and experienced users, presented in the clear, accessible language of our support team.
This site is not intended to solicit investments but rather to provide neutral information. Please make all investment decisions at your own discretion.
The Fastest Path to Learning — 4 Steps
The quickest way to acquire the “basic knowledge needed to use a crypto asset debit card with confidence” is through the following four steps.
- First, review the Glossary to grasp basic terminology and the big picture
- In “Getting Started,” choose an exchange and make your first purchase
- In “Introduction to Stablecoins,” understand the key players in everyday payments
- In the “Taxes” section, grasp the basics of filing your tax return
Reading through these four steps will take about an hour in total and will give you the foundation you need. You don’t have to read everything to get started, so feel free to begin with the topics that interest you most.
Three Essentials to Keep in Mind
Before we dive into the material, I’d like to share three fundamental concepts that are key to understanding crypto assets. Once you know these, the content on each subpage should make perfect sense.
Basic Principle 1 — Crypto Assets Are Not “Bank Accounts”
Bank accounts are legally protected by “deposit insurance,” but there is no equivalent system for crypto asset wallets. You must operate under the assumption that if your private key (or app account) is compromised, there is no guarantee you’ll get your assets back.
This isn’t a warning to “stay away because it’s dangerous,” but rather a matter of operational design: don’t treat it the same way you would a bank account by storing all your assets there. A practical approach is to keep only the amount needed for payments in your wallet and distribute the rest across cold wallets or other secure storage methods.
Basic Principle 2 — Stablecoins as “Transaction Currency”
For everyday payments, you should primarily use stablecoins (such as USDT or USDC) that have minimal price volatility and are pegged to the value of the USD. Making daily payments with highly volatile assets like BTC or ETH creates a significant burden from both a tax and psychological perspective.
Clearly distinguishing between “currencies held as investments” and “currencies used for payments” is the fastest way to improve your skills.
Basic Principle 3 — Get into the Habit of Calculating Total Fees
The total of card fees, exchange fees, payment network fees, and foreign exchange fees constitutes the “actual cost.” Get into the habit of evaluating these costs by totaling them for each use case, rather than looking at them item by item.
Even if it says “the card usage fee is 1%,” the actual cost can reach 2–3% when you include chain fees at the time of deposit and currency exchange fees. Thinking in terms of the total cost is the foundation for avoiding losses.
Why “Crypto Asset Debit Cards” Are Exciting Right Now
Crypto asset debit cards are a category that has evolved rapidly from 2024 to 2026. Until then, the prevailing perception was that “crypto assets are for trading and investing,” but in recent years, this has shifted to the understanding that they “can also be used for everyday payments.”
The widespread adoption of stablecoins, in particular, has accelerated this trend. The ability to use USDT or USDC as “payment currencies” without worrying about price fluctuations has made a “direct” payment experience—one that bypasses bank transfers and currency exchange—a reality.
RedotPay is one of the most mature services in this space. It hides the technical complexity from users and provides an experience where payments are completed simply by “loading USDT and holding up your smartphone.”
This Site’s Support Policy
This site is not sponsored by any specific company and structures its articles with a customer-centric perspective. While we may earn referral commissions when users use the services linked on this site, our evaluations are not influenced by business considerations.
The information provided is current as of the time of writing; regulations, tax laws, and service specifications are subject to change. Please be sure to verify official information before making any important decisions.
Sub-pillars of This Section
Each topic is structured so that it can be read independently and still provide valuable insights.
- Crypto Assets Glossary — Covers frequently used terms such as wallets, KYC, stablecoins, gas fees, TRC20, and more
- Getting Started with Crypto Assets — From opening an exchange account to your first purchase, sending funds, and storing assets in a wallet
- Introduction to Stablecoins — How USDT and USDC work, their risks, and practical uses
- Crypto Assets and Taxes — Japan’s tax system, filing tax returns, profit and loss calculation tools, and important considerations
Each section is a standalone article, so feel free to refer only to the parts you need.
Summary — Your knowledge will continue to grow “after you start using them”
In the world of crypto debit cards, even if you start with zero knowledge, within six months you’ll be able to say, “I’m already fairly knowledgeable.” There’s no need to aim for perfection from the start—it’s perfectly fine to adopt a “learn as you go” approach.
This section aims to serve as a “foundation” that will help you take your first steps with confidence. We’d be happy if you came back here anytime you’re stuck to check the information you need.
* We are the official distributor of RedotPay in Japan.