The friction of getting into crypto has always been one of the biggest hurdles to adoption. As we keep working to make OMI more accessible, we're excited to roll out a way to take part in OMI Unlimited directly with a card. There's no exchange account to set up, no bridging, and no ETH needed for gas.
The short version:
- In OMI Unlimited, open the Wallet tab, tap Get OMI, then Fund with card.
- Enter how much you want to spend, check the estimate, and tap Continue to payment.
- Pay in the checkout. Your USDC arrives in your Privy Wallet, usually within a few minutes.
- Tap Swap to OMI, then stake.
How it works
Why USDC first? Card providers sell USDC on Base, not OMI. USDC is a stablecoin worth one US dollar, so you buy USDC with your card, then swap it to OMI in the app. The app takes you from one step to the next.
Who runs the checkout? Our wallet partner Privy, together with a payment provider for your region, such as Stripe, Topper or MoonPay. You enter your card details in their checkout. OMI Unlimited never sees your card details or your ID.
Where does it go? Into your Privy Wallet, the embedded wallet made for you when you first signed in. Gas fees are sponsored for it, so you don't need ETH for the purchase, the swap or the stake.
Does OMI Unlimited charge anything? No. OMI Unlimited doesn't add any fees. See what it costs below.
Where it's available
Card funding is offered in more than 80 countries and territories, in 48 currencies, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and most of Europe.
Whether a purchase goes through, and which ways to pay you see, is decided by the payment providers Privy works with, based on where you live. It varies from country to country, and it isn't something OMI Unlimited can change. If card funding isn't offered where you are, the Fund with card screen says so.
Not available to you? You can still get OMI in the app with USDC:
- Buy USDC on an exchange that lets you withdraw on Base, such as Coinbase.
- Copy your staking wallet address from the top of the Wallet tab in OMI Unlimited.
- Withdraw the USDC to that address and choose the Base network. USDC sent on another network arrives on that network instead, where the app can't swap it.
- In OMI Unlimited, open Wallet → Swap, pay with USDC and swap it to OMI.
Or buy OMI itself on an exchange and bridge it to Base: see How to bridge your OMI to Base in OMI Unlimited.
Step 1: Start a purchase
- Sign in to OMI Unlimited with your VeVe account.
- Open the Wallet tab, tap Get OMI, then Fund with card.
- Enter how much you want to spend. The currency is picked for where you are, and you can change it.
- Check Estimated, after fees. It's a rough figure for the OMI you'll end up with after the provider's fee and the swap, rounded down. If it looks like less than the 1,000,000 OMI minimum stake, the screen warns you. Adding to a stake you already have needs at least 10,000 OMI.
- Tap Continue to payment.
Step 2: Pay
- The checkout opens. Choose how to pay from the options offered to you: a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, depending on where you live and your device.
- Check the provider's fees, which are broken down before you pay, then pay.
- On your first purchase, the provider may ask you to verify your identity: a photo of your ID, a selfie or, in the US, your Social Security number. Have your ID handy. This check is run by the provider, not by OMI Unlimited.
Your receipt may name the merchant Privy Standard Fee. That's expected: it's how the provider names our wallet partner Privy, and it isn't an extra charge.
Step 3: Swap to OMI
Your USDC usually arrives within a few minutes, and it arrives even if you close the app.
- When it lands, OMI Unlimited shows Your … USDC arrived with a Swap to OMI button, already filled in with what arrived.
- Tap it and check the quote: the OMI you'll receive, the price impact, and the minimum you're guaranteed.
- Tap Swap to OMI and confirm. The USDC is approved first, then swapped, so you confirm twice.
Closed that message? Open Wallet → Swap, choose to pay with USDC, and swap from your Privy Wallet. Your USDC stays there until you swap it.
Step 4: Stake
When the swap is done, OMI Unlimited shows the next step:
- If your Privy Wallet is your staking wallet: tap Stake, or Top up if you already have a stake there.
- If your stake is in a third-party wallet such as MetaMask: send the new OMI there first (the app offers Send to …), then top up from that wallet.
- Not enough to start a stake? Starting a stake takes 1,000,000 OMI. A smaller amount stays in your Privy Wallet until you add more, or you can top up a stake you already have (from 10,000 OMI).
For lock periods, XP and rewards, see How to stake OMI: a step-by-step guide.
What it costs
OMI Unlimited doesn't add any fees. What you pay:
- The payment provider's fee. It depends on the provider, how you pay and your currency. Card fees are usually a few percent of the amount, and the checkout breaks the fee down before you pay.
- The swap from USDC to OMI. 0x, which finds the best price across Base's pools, keeps a 0.15% fee, already included in the quote. Larger swaps move the price more, and the app shows the price impact before you confirm.
There's no network fee: gas fees are sponsored for your Privy Wallet.
The estimate on the Fund with card screen is an estimate, not a promise. What you end up with depends on the provider's fee and the OMI price when you swap. For large amounts, buying OMI on an exchange and bridging it to Base usually costs less.
Known limitations
- Larger purchases. From around 1,000 USD or EUR, the payment provider may need to confirm that the wallet receiving the USDC is yours. Right now that step can stop the checkout with "Verify ownership of the destination wallet", even though the wallet is your own Privy Wallet. Nothing is charged when it stops there. For now, split it into smaller purchases, for example two of 900 or less. We're working with Privy on a fix.
- Small purchases. Some providers don't take small amounts. If the checkout shows an error, try a larger amount; the Fund with card screen suggests one.
- Credit cards. Some banks block crypto purchases, especially on credit cards. A debit card, or another way to pay in the checkout, often works.
- Apple Pay works in Safari on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and in other browsers that support it, but not in the built-in browsers of apps like Telegram, X or Discord. If you opened OMI Unlimited from a link in one of those apps, open staking.ecomi.com in Safari instead. Google Pay works in your phone's browser on Android.
- "Unable to get quotes". No payment option is offered for that currency on that device. Try on your phone, or pick another currency.
- Purchases go to your Privy Wallet. They can't be sent straight to a third-party wallet. Swap the USDC to OMI, then send the OMI on if your stake is elsewhere.
Who to contact
The payment provider, using the details in their receipt email, for:
- a charge, refund or receipt question
- your identity check
- a card that keeps being declined
Us, through Profile → Support in OMI Unlimited, for:
- an error in OMI Unlimited, or a step that doesn't work as described here
- USDC that arrived but won't swap or stake
- a purchase that stopped at "Verify ownership of the destination wallet"
- anything you're unsure about
Both, if your bank shows a charge but no USDC has arrived an hour after you paid. Contact the provider, and let us know too.
When you write to us, include the time, the amount and currency, what you saw on screen (a screenshot helps), and your Privy Wallet address. Never share your card details, seed phrase or private key: we'll never ask for them.
If card funding isn't offered where you live, or your card keeps being declined, the USDC route above is the quickest way round it.
It's new: tell us how it goes
Card funding depends on many payment providers, countries and ways to pay, so some purchases may not go through the first time. If anything goes wrong, or just doesn't make sense, report it in the app through Profile → Support. We're monitoring purchases on our side, and every report helps us and Privy fix issues quickly.
Stay safe
- Only use official links. The staking app is staking.ecomi.com. Check the address bar before you sign in.
- You only enter card details in the provider's checkout, which opens from OMI Unlimited. Never enter them anywhere else, and never send them to anyone.
- ECOMI will never ask for your seed phrase, private key, card details or ID by message. Support replies by email and in the app, under Your messages.
- To double check where your USDC went, compare the wallet address on the provider's receipt with the Privy Wallet address on your Wallet tab.
Quick answers
Can I buy OMI directly with a card? You buy USDC with your card, then swap it to OMI in the app. The app takes you from one to the other.
How long does it take? The USDC usually arrives within a few minutes of paying. Your first purchase can take longer while the provider checks your ID.
Do I need ETH? No. Gas fees are sponsored for your Privy Wallet, for the purchase, the swap and the stake.
Can I send the USDC straight to my own wallet? Not from the checkout: purchases go to your Privy Wallet. Swap it to OMI there, then send the OMI to your own wallet if your stake is there.
What's "Privy Standard Fee" on my receipt? It's how the provider names our wallet partner Privy. It isn't an extra charge.
Is there a limit? Some providers don't take small purchases, and for now a purchase from around 1,000 USD or EUR may stop at the wallet check. Split larger amounts into a few smaller purchases.
How much OMI do I need to stake? At least 1,000,000 OMI to start a stake, and 10,000 OMI to top up an existing one.
Cryptocurrency carries risk, including total loss. OMI is a utility token, not an investment product. Always do your own research.
