Loan Sim · 9,800+ Cards · 3 AI Lenders
Card Loan Office
Need cash but don't want to sell? Borrow against your cards. Three AI lenders with different LTV ratios and APRs compete for your business. Repay on time, get your card back. Default, and it's gone. Educational finance simulator — no real money.
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Step 1 · Pick Collateral
Choose a card with estimated value $10+. The lender will fund a percentage of this value as a cash loan. Higher-value cards qualify for larger loans.
Popular Collateral
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a card-collateralized loan?
You pledge a card as collateral and borrow cash against its value. Unlike selling, you keep ownership IF you repay the loan on time with interest. If you default, the lender keeps the card. Real-world services like Provenance Capital, Chronos, and private collector lenders offer this, and it gives HODL-ers access to liquidity without triggering a taxable sale.
What is LTV and why does it matter?
LTV (Loan-to-Value) is the percentage of the card's value the lender will front you. Conservative lenders offer 30-40% LTV, mid-tier offer 50%, aggressive offer 70%+. Lower LTV means smaller loan but lower default risk and usually lower interest. Higher LTV gives you more cash but higher rates and more chance you walk away owing more than the card is worth if prices drop.
How is APR different from monthly interest?
APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the yearly cost of the loan. A 30-day loan at 2% monthly equals roughly 24% APR — it sounds cheap monthly but expensive annualized. This simulator shows both so you can see how a "just 3% per month" loan is actually a 36% APR product. Short-term collector lending is typically 18-36% APR, sometimes higher.
What happens if I miss a payment?
In the simulator, missed payments trigger a grace period with late fees, then default. Default means the lender keeps the card as full satisfaction of the debt — you walk away owing nothing but the card is gone forever. In the real world, repossession may also damage your borrowing history with that lender and others on shared blacklists.
When does a card loan make sense?
A card loan makes sense when: (1) you need short-term cash for a better opportunity (flipping another deal, grading submission, tax deadline), (2) you believe card values will rise above the total repayment amount, (3) you have a clear repayment plan. It does NOT make sense when you have no repayment plan, the loan covers a non-returning expense, or the card is already declining in value.