How do crypto vouchers work?

A crypto voucher is a prepaid code that you buy for a set amount and then redeem for cryptocurrency. You enter it on the issuer's website, or scan it in a wallet app, and the crypto is sent to an address you control.

How do you use a crypto voucher?

You need a wallet first, because the voucher only delivers coins. Redemption then follows the issuer's steps.

Azteco, a bitcoin voucher brand, sells two kinds as of October 2026:

• Lightning vouchers. These carry a QR code or a 16-digit code. You scan the QR code from the Receive screen of a bitcoin wallet that supports Lightning, or enter the code at Azteco's redeem page to generate one.
• On-chain vouchers. These always have a 16-digit code. You enter it on Azteco's redeem page along with your bitcoin address, and the payment then waits for normal network confirmation.

Azteco says no account or app is needed to redeem, and that it does not verify identity at redemption. For the difference between the two delivery methods, see what is the Lightning Network.

Crypto Voucher, a separate brand, works through its own website. According to the reseller Eneba's support page, you enter the code and an email address, choose a cryptocurrency, paste your wallet address and confirm. The crypto usually arrives within about 30 minutes, the page says.

How does a bitcoin voucher differ from a crypto gift card?

The terms overlap, but a voucher code is generally tied to a crypto issuer and converts straight into coins. A crypto gift card can also mean a store card bought with crypto, or a card for an exchange account. Those cases are covered in how crypto gift cards work and buying crypto with a prepaid or gift card.

Where can you buy crypto vouchers?

Azteco says its vouchers are available in more than 190 countries through approved online retailers, approved shops in some countries, and some online orders paid in cash or by card.

Costs vary. Bitcoiner Guide notes that retailers add their own commission, and on-chain vouchers include a network fee. Check the total before buying, and buy only from sellers the issuer lists, since a code sold second-hand may already have been redeemed.

What is a crypto voucher scam?

The common scam is not a fake voucher. It is a stranger asking you to pay with one. The FTC warns in July 2026 that scammers contact people unexpectedly, claim there is a problem or a prize, and insist on payment by crypto, gift card, wire or payment app. Anyone who says you can only pay one of these ways is probably a scammer, the FTC says.

Once you share a voucher code, whoever has it can redeem it, and the money is very hard to get back. Treat a voucher code like cash. Never read it out over the phone or send a photo of it to someone you do not know. If you have been targeted, our guide to common crypto scams covers other warning signs.