[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee] The Visa-based multichain cryptocurrency payment card "Cardano Card" in the Cardano (ADA) ecosystem will end service on Oct. 31 (local time).

A card operations account posted that the card can be used normally until the end of service, blockchain media outlet U.Today reported on Oct. 13. It urged users to prepare in line with the shutdown schedule.

The shutdown follows a shift in business direction by Wirex, a partner in the card program. Wirex plans to end its existing custodial infrastructure and move to a non-custodial model. As a result, its partnership with the Cardano Card program will also end on Oct. 31. A replacement service for the program will be announced later.

Cardano Card was launched in November 2025 through a partnership between Emurgo and Wirex. The card was integrated into the Wirex app at the time and operated in a way that more than 6 million users in 130 countries could access. Users could use more than 685 cryptocurrencies, including ADA, bitcoin, ethereum and USDC, for payments and spend at merchants that support Visa. DeFi features such as lending and yield services were also provided.

Market attention is focused on whether an alternative will emerge after the shutdown. The operator said it wants to hear from cardholders first. It also said it will soon disclose details on the program's next steps. However, no alternative card, new service provider or adoption of another payment method has been confirmed so far.

The uncertainty also coincides with internal changes in the Cardano ecosystem. Emurgo announced in July 2026 that it would step down from its role as a member of "Pentad," a joint governance structure involving five core Cardano entities. At the time, Emurgo said it would focus on recovery procedures for SecondFi. After that, Input Output, the Cardano Foundation, Intersect and the Midnight Foundation remained in Pentad.

As a result, ADA holders who have used the Cardano Card as an actual payment method are likely to treat Oct. 31 as a reference point. The card service will be maintained until that day, but the form the payment infrastructure will take afterward has not been decided.

Important update for Cardano Card holders: The Cardano Card will be discontinued on 31 Oct 2026. Your card will keep working as normal until then. Wirex, our partner on the Cardano Card program, is moving to a non-custodial model and discontinuing its custodial infrastructure. Because of that, our partnership with Wirex ends on 31 Oct 2026. If you hold a Cardano Card, this affects you directly, and we want you to hear it from us first. Stay tuned for what comes next for the program, more details to be shared soon.