Claude charges on our cards grew almost 10x in 30 days. What people pay for AI with USDT now.

The finding: in the last 30 days, successful Claude charges on our prepaid virtual cards grew almost tenfold compared with the 30 days before. ChatGPT charges grew 55%, all successful card charges 83%, and the number of cards in active use 64%. ChatGPT is still the biggest single merchant: about 6 in 10 successful charges.

Disclosure: I am on the Pink Card team (pinkcard.cc), a prepaid virtual card topped up with USDT or USDC. Figures compare Sep 16 – Oct 16, 2026 with Aug 17 – Sep 15, 2026, on our own cards. Percentages only.

What changed in 30 days

Two things stand out:

1. Claude is catching up fast. It grew from a small base, and it is the fastest-growing of the AI services we track (ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor).
2. Charges grew faster than cards. All charges +83% vs active cards +64%: each card is used for more payments than a month earlier.

If you pay for AI from USDT: what works

• One reloadable card, several subscriptions. Top up the same number; renewals keep working.
• Load plan price + 25%. ChatGPT Plus is $20 but often charged around $24 after tax. Claude Pro is $20 before tax; Max plans are $100 or $200.
• Subscribe in the browser, not inside the iPhone or Android app (those are billed by Apple or Google).
• Wait for the top-up confirmation before paying. Reloads are usually available within 30 minutes, not instantly.
• Cancel subscriptions before you stop using a card, or the service keeps retrying it.

Full guide with fees: pinkcard.cc/en/guides/ai-gift-card-usdt. Per service: ChatGPT Plus with USDT, Claude Pro card declined fix, Cursor without a bank card.

Your turn: how many AI subscriptions do you pay for now, and which one would you drop first? Tell me in the comments.

Already have a Pink Card? Invite a friend: they get $2.50 off their first card ($100+) and you get $2.50 on your card 7 days after their card is issued: pinkcard.cc/en/invite.