ether.fi Card Spending Now Earns a Third of the Membership Points
Since 15 September, ether.fi card spend earns 1,000 membership points per $1,000, a third of the old rate. Reaching Luxe by spending takes $5,000 a month.
ether.fi has changed how its Cash Card earns membership points. Since 15 September 2026, card spending earns 1,000 points per $1,000. ether.fi's own example shows 9,999 points under the old rate becoming 3,333, so spending now counts for a third of what it did. The change applies to spending already made in September as well.
ether.fi describes the update as making points "easier to follow", with one consistent rate for card spending. It announced the change on 13 August.
What it takes to reach each level now
Points reset every month and don't carry over. By card spending alone:
- Luxe: 5,000 points to activate and 5,000 a month to keep, so $5,000 of spending a month (about $1,670 at the old rate)
- Pinnacle: 25,000 points, so $25,000 a month (about $8,330 at the old rate)
- VIP: no points route; it needs a $500,000 Liquid balance or 500,000 ETHFI staked
Other ways to qualify
Spending isn't the only route, and for most people it is now the most expensive one:
- Hold a Liquid balance: $15,000 for Luxe, $100,000 for Pinnacle, $500,000 for VIP
- Stake ETHFI, with no lock-up: 30,000 for Luxe, 150,000 for Pinnacle, 500,000 for VIP
- Buy the level for a year: $199 for Luxe, $999 for Pinnacle
- Earn points in other ways: 10 points per $1,000 in Liquid a day, 1.5 per $1,000 staked a day, 5 per 1,000 ETHFI staked a day, plus points from trading and borrowing
Why the level matters
The cashback rate is 3% at every level except VIP (4%), but the level sets how much spending earns that rate each month: the first $2,000 at Core, $10,000 at Luxe and $50,000 at Pinnacle. Past that, the rate steps down to 1% and then 0.5%. If you spend under $2,000 a month, Core already gives you the full 3%, and the change doesn't affect you.
New: Category Cashback
ether.fi has also added Category Cashback for its paid levels, on top of normal cashback:
- Luxe: 10%, up to $10 a month
- Pinnacle: 20%, up to $20 a month
- VIP: 30%, up to $30 a month
You choose one category, such as AI and productivity tools, streaming, or food-delivery memberships, and can change it every 30 days. It applies only to the named services on ether.fi's list: for food, that means memberships like Uber One, DashPass and Deliveroo Plus, not restaurant spending. Subscriptions billed through an app store don't qualify.
Our view
For a Luxe member already paying $199 a year, Category Cashback can return up to $120 of that over a year ($10 a month), if they already pay for eligible subscriptions. For someone who planned to reach Luxe by spending, the bar is now three times higher, so the $199 annual option or a Liquid balance will usually be cheaper. Our ether.fi Cash review scores the card on the free Core level, so its score doesn't change. For how capped cashback works across cards, see how cashback caps work.
Sources: ether.fi Help Center, [How do Membership levels work?](https://help.ether.fi/en/articles/303625-how-do-membership-levels-work) (points update dated 15 September 2026) and [How does Category Cashback work?](https://help.ether.fi/en/articles/823083-how-does-category-cashback-work), checked 18 September 2026.
Common questions
How many ether.fi membership points does card spending earn now?
1,000 points per $1,000 spent on the Cash Card, applied from 15 September 2026, including to spend already made in September. ether.fi's own example shows 9,999 points under the old rate becoming 3,333.
How much do I need to spend to reach ether.fi Luxe?
Luxe needs 5,000 points to activate and 5,000 a month to keep, so by card spending alone that is $5,000 a month. Points reset monthly. You can also qualify with $15,000 in Liquid, 30,000 ETHFI staked with no lock-up, or a $199 annual membership.
Does the change affect ether.fi's Core cashback?
No. Core, the free level, still pays 3% on the first $2,000 of spending a month. The points change only affects how quickly spending moves you up to Luxe and Pinnacle.
Cards mentioned in this article
Card figures referenced here come from each issuer's published terms and each card page shows when its data was last verified — see our methodology for how, and the changelog for what has changed since. Rewards and availability vary by region and move often. Not financial advice.