From sign-up to first order in ten minutes

Opening an account takes about ten minutes, and most of that is spent on the one step that protects everything else: linking an authenticator app. Below is the whole route with rough timings, so you know what to have ready and where people usually get stuck.

Before you start (1 minute)

Have three things within reach:

• An email address you check regularly and have secured with its own two-factor sign-in.
• Your phone, with an authenticator app installed or ready to install.
• Somewhere to store recovery codes: a password manager, or paper and a pen.

If you do not have an authenticator app yet, our comparison will help you pick one in a couple of minutes.

Minute 1–2: Create the account

On the sign-up page, enter your full name, your email and a password of at least ten characters with letters and numbers. Use a password you do not use anywhere else; a password manager can generate one. Accept the terms after reading them. The Terms of Service, Refund Policy and Privacy Policy are each worth a few minutes, especially the refund rules.

Minute 3: Confirm the email

We send a confirmation link straight away. Open it on any device; it works once and expires after an hour. If nothing arrives within a few minutes, check spam and promotions folders, then use the "Send a new link" button. Only the newest link works, so do not hunt for an older one.

Minute 4–7: Link the authenticator app

This is the step that makes your account yours. After the email is confirmed, the dashboard shows a QR code and a text key. In your authenticator app, choose to add an account and scan the code. If your camera will not cooperate, type the key instead; it is the same information.

From then on the app displays a fresh six-digit BuyVCC code every thirty seconds. Type the current code into the setup page. If it is rejected, the most likely cause is your phone's clock. Authenticator codes depend on accurate time, so make sure the phone sets its date and time automatically, then try the newest code.

Do not screenshot the QR code or the key. Anyone who has either can produce your codes. Our article on why screenshots are risky explains where photos tend to end up.

Minute 8: Save the recovery codes

Once the app is linked, the page shows a set of recovery codes. Each one lets you sign in once without the app, which matters if your phone is lost, broken or replaced. This page is the only time they are displayed. Save them by copying them into a password manager, downloading the text file or writing them down. Keep them away from the phone itself; a backup stored on the device you might lose is not much of a backup.

If you ever need fresh codes, you can make new ones under Profile & security. Doing so cancels the old set.

Minute 9–10: Place your first order

You are now in the dashboard. Press "Get a card", type the balance you want, and read the receipt beside the field: balance, a top-up charge of 15% and an issue fee of $5.00, adding up to the total. Confirm the terms checkbox and press "Continue to payment". The hosted checkout opens and you pay in USDT, USDC, BTC, ETH or Binance Pay.

The checkout confirms payment automatically. After that, a person reviews the order. Paid orders are usually checked and issued within a few hours. You can close the tab; we email you when the card is ready.

Where people lose time

The confirmation email went to spam

Mark it as "not spam" so later order and security emails arrive in your inbox. They matter.

The authenticator code keeps failing

Nine times out of ten this is phone time. Turn on automatic date and time, close the app, reopen it and use a fresh code.

Recovery codes were skipped

If you clicked past them, generate a new set from Profile & security as soon as you can. Without them, a lost phone means a slower recovery through support.

The checkout tab was closed early

Nothing is lost. Open My Orders, choose the order marked "Awaiting payment" and press "Pay now" to return to the checkout.

After setup: three habits

1. Every sign-in asks for a code from the app. Keep the phone with you when you plan to use the dashboard.
2. If you get a "new sign-in" email you do not recognize, follow the steps in our response plan.
3. When you change phones, move the authenticator before wiping the old one. This guide shows a safe order of steps.

The how it works page covers everything that happens after your first order, from payment to review to the card appearing in My Cards.

Quick answers

Can I change my email address later?

Yes, through a support ticket. We confirm ownership first, because the email address protects password resets and receives security alerts.

Can I turn two-factor sign-in off once I am set up?

No. It stays on for every account, customers and staff alike.

Once your account is ready, the pricing calculator shows what any card will cost before you order it.