# Private stablecoin account or DeFi-backed crypto credit?

ether.fi Cash is a non-custodial Visa credit card built around crypto collateral, DeFi yield and membership rewards. Fiber is a stablecoin account for receiving income, moving it privately and accessing supported markets.

## THE SHORT ANSWER

Choose Fiber for a private stablecoin income account with eligible US rails and supported tokenized markets. Choose ether.fi Cash for crypto-backed borrowing, Visa Signature benefits and its published cashback program.

## A private account versus a DeFi-native credit card.

Both keep the crypto layer non-custodial. The choice is whether you need stablecoin income and supported private markets or collateral-backed spending and card rewards.

| Topic | Fiber | Competitor | Takeaway |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Asset control | We are non-custodial by architecture and cannot access or control your assets. | ether.fi Cash describes a non-custodial account where crypto remains in a user-controlled vault. | Both preserve on-chain user control, with separate roles for integrated providers. |
| Financial privacy | We shield supported transfers, trades and earn activity with zero-knowledge privacy. | ether.fi Cash emphasizes self-sovereignty and on-chain control, not an equivalent ZK transaction-privacy promise. | Non-custodial control is shared; private supported activity is Fiber’s differentiator. |
| Account model | Fiber is designed around receiving stablecoins, managing a private balance, using earn and accessing supported markets. | Cash supports direct pay from eligible vault assets or borrow mode, where crypto collateral backs card spending and interest applies. | Fiber is account-first; Cash is especially strong for collateral-backed credit. |
| Published fees | We charge 0% Fiber deposit and trading fees; network, spread and third-party costs can apply. | Cash publishes tier-dependent card costs, a 2% ATM fee and added FX margins that vary by membership and currency. | Model the exact card tier, currency and whether you borrow before comparing. |
| Markets | Supported tokenized stocks, commodities and crypto trade 24/7 with 0% Fiber trading fees. | Cash connects card spending to crypto, value-accruing stables and DeFi, rather than a private tokenized-markets account. | Fiber is broader for a private portfolio; Cash is deeper for DeFi-backed spending. |

## Fiber fit

- You want a stablecoin paycheck account, not a collateral strategy.
- You need ZK privacy for supported transfers, trades and earn activity.
- You want tokenized stocks and commodities alongside crypto.

## ether.fi Cash fit

- You want to borrow against crypto instead of selling it.
- Cashback, Visa Signature benefits and membership tiers matter to you.
- You already use ether.fi’s DeFi ecosystem and value-accruing stables.

ether.fi Cash has a clear strength Fiber does not try to imitate: sophisticated crypto-backed card credit with a substantial benefits program. Fiber’s advantage is a simpler stablecoin-income loop with ZK privacy and broader private markets.

## FAQ

### Are Fiber and ether.fi Cash both non-custodial?

Both describe the crypto layer as non-custodial. Fiber cannot access or control user assets, while ether.fi Cash describes user-controlled vault assets. Integrated providers still have separate operational roles.

### Do I have to borrow to use ether.fi Cash?

No. ether.fi documents both Direct Pay, using eligible USDC or LiquidUSD balances, and Borrow Mode, which uses vault assets as collateral and can incur interest.

### Which is better for rewards?

ether.fi Cash publishes up to 3% cashback and Visa Signature benefits, subject to caps, eligibility and terms. Fiber’s differentiators are privacy, 0% Fiber deposit and trading fees, and integrated private markets—not a headline card-reward rate.

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Fiber is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by SSB, Member FDIC. Funds deposited at SSB are eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, subject to applicable limitations and FDIC rules.