> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.visionmakers.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.visionmakers.io/platform/neobank.md).

# Neobank

An account and a card that spend your on-chain balance directly

Vision Makers Neobank is an **account and a card** that spend your on-chain balance directly. It
is the settlement surface of the platform: the point where an asset you hold stops being a
position and becomes money you can use.

<div class="callout">
<span class="callout-label">Non-custodial</span>
Most crypto accounts require you to pre-fund a custodial balance: you send assets to the issuer,
they hold them, and you spend theirs. The Neobank does not work that way. It spends from a
balance <strong>you</strong> hold, and you keep control of the assets until the moment of the
transaction.
</div>

## The account

The account is the layer that makes the card work, and it does more than hold a number.

| Capability | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **On-chain balance** | Your own wallet is the account. There is no deposit step and no withdrawal process |
| **Multi-asset** | Choose which balance a payment draws from |
| **Live valuation** | Spending power is shown against current prices, not a stale snapshot |
| **Activity record** | Every settlement is logged against your account alongside your trades |
| **Spending controls** | Per transaction, per day and per month, set by you |
| **Freeze** | Stop the card instantly without cancelling it |

Because the account is your wallet, the balance you see in the Neobank is the same balance you
see in [vDEX](/platform/vdex). A trade and a purchase draw on one pot, not two, and nothing has
to be moved between them.

## The card

The card is the part that reaches the outside world: a blockchain-linked debit card accepted
where ordinary cards are accepted.

### How a payment works

1. You present the card at a merchant.
2. The authorisation is checked against your on-chain balance and your configured limits.
3. The required amount settles from your balance at the point of transaction.
4. The merchant is paid in their local currency.

The conversion happens at the moment of payment. You are not holding a pre-converted fiat float
waiting to be spent, which is what allows the balance to stay yours until it is used.

## Where it sits in the platform

Research, execution and settlement normally live in three different places. The Neobank closes
the loop:

| Step | Product |
| --- | --- |
| Find it | [MOFO & Mindshare](/platform/mindshare) |
| Judge it | [Intelligence Layer](/platform/intelligence-layer) |
| Trade it | [vDEX](/platform/vdex) |
| **Spend it** | **Neobank** |

Spending data also feeds back: what users actually transact with is a behavioural signal that
informs risk scoring, in the same way competition performance informs wallet ranking.

## Requirements

**Identity verification is required.** Issuing a card and operating an account are regulated
activities in every jurisdiction where they are available, and KYC is not optional. See
[AML, CTF and KYC](/legal/aml-kyc).

**Availability varies by jurisdiction**, and is restricted where local law or sanctions require.
See [Sanctions and prohibited jurisdictions](/legal/sanctions).

## What this is not

<div class="callout">
<span class="callout-label">Not a bank</span>
Despite the name, this is not a bank account. It is not a deposit, not e-money, and not a
banking product. Balances are <strong>not insured or guaranteed by any deposit protection
scheme</strong>. There is no overdraft, no credit and no interest. If the value of the asset you
hold falls, so does your spending power. See the <a href="/legal/terms">Terms of Service</a>.
</div>

## Tax

**Spending a digital asset is a disposal in most jurisdictions**, which means a card payment can
be a taxable event in a way that spending fiat is not. A year of everyday purchases can generate
a year of disposals to report.

Vision Makers does not provide tax advice and in most cases does not provide tax reporting. You
are solely responsible for your position. See
[Risk Disclosures](/legal/risk-disclosures).

## Risks

**Volatility affects spending power.** The balance funding your account can fall between the
moment you check it and the moment you use it.

**Settlement depends on network conditions.** Congestion can affect authorisation.

**Card network rules apply**, including merchant category restrictions and chargeback procedures
that differ from on-chain transactions.

**It links your identity to your on-chain activity.** Issuance requires KYC, which creates a
verified link between you and the addresses the account draws from. Consider which wallet funds
it, and see [Vision VPN](/platform/vpn) on the related network-level question.

## Related

[vDEX](/platform/vdex) · [Vision VPN](/platform/vpn) ·
[Risk Disclosures](/legal/risk-disclosures)