Blue review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Blue suits travellers in Iraq who hold several currencies and want a prepaid card for spending away from home. Its overall score is 8.1, with the savings sitting in what conversion costs, the charge regulars abroad pay most often, and a card built around travel.
Key facts
- Best for
- Travellers in Iraq who hold several currencies and spend abroad.
- Currency conversion fee
- 0%↗
- Card type
- Prepaid↗
- Card network
- Visa↗
- Legal entity
- Ishtar Gate Company for E-Payment Systems and Services↗
- Headquarters
- Iraq↗
- Features
- Multi-currency, Travel
- Official website
- blue.com.iq
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 1 source
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
Pros and cons
Pros
- Blue is prepaid, so the balance on the card is the limit on what can be spent.
- The features listed are multi currency and travel, which is an account set up for travel and for holding more than one currency.
- The card runs on visa, so it is accepted wherever Visa is accepted.
Cons
- Blue is prepaid, so there is no credit line and spending stops when the balance stops.
- The features listed are multi currency and travel, so Blue does not cover savings, credit or investing alongside the card.
- It is run by Ishtar Gate Company for E-Payment Systems and Services and based in Iraq, so it sits outside the UK and European providers most readers here compare.
Who it suits
- Travellers in Iraq who hold more than one currency and pay in it abroad.
- People who want spending tied to a balance they load rather than to a credit line.
- Readers who have their money converted already and simply need a card to spend it on.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a debit card for everyday spending, where Varo Believe Secured Credit Card is debit based.
- Readers who want more than holding and converting, since the features listed for Blue are multi currency and travel.
The company behind it
Blue is run by Ishtar Gate Company for E-Payment Systems and Services, a company for e-payment systems and services headquartered in Iraq, IQ. It is a payments operator rather than a branch of a large bank, and it sits outside the UK and Europe, which matters for readers who expect the same oversight they get at home. Its base is the Iraqi market, and the products follow that.
How Blue compares
Where Blue is available
- Available
- Iraq
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What kind of card is Blue?+
Blue issues a prepaid card, so money is held on the account and spent down from the balance rather than drawn on credit. That suits people who want spending capped by what they have loaded, and it means there is no interest to pay on the balance.
What does Blue charge to convert currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, which is the standout number on the cost side for Blue. Cardholders can hold and spend in several currencies without a per-conversion charge, and the card is built for travel spending.
What is Blue designed for?+
The features listed for Blue are multi currency and travel, so the account is built around holding several currencies at once and for travel spending. There is no savings, credit or investing side to it, which keeps the product narrow and the costs simple.
Which card network does Blue use?+
The Blue card runs on visa, so it is accepted wherever Visa is accepted, at home and abroad on a trip. The card is issued by Ishtar Gate Company for E-Payment Systems and Services and sits in the prepaid card category.
Who runs Blue?+
Blue is operated by Ishtar Gate Company for E-Payment Systems and Services, a company for e-payment systems and services, and it is headquartered in Iraq, IQ. It is a payments operator rather than a branch of a large bank, and its products are aimed at customers in that market.
How does Blue compare with Wise and bunq on conversion?+
Blue's conversion fee is 0%, against 0.1% at Wise and 0.5% to 3% at bunq. On this measure Blue comes out ahead, which is why it ranks 1 of 258 brands on currency conversion fee.
Is Blue right for everyday spending?+
Not as the main card, since Blue is prepaid and built for travel. For local spending, Varo Believe Secured Credit Card is debit based, which is the closer fit. Blue earns its place for trips and for anyone holding several currencies.
Sources
- newsroom.b2press.com/press-release/3185/blue-to-debut-a-f... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Features, Currency conversion fee, Headquarters, Legal entity, Card network
“the first platinum prepaid card that Bluepay launched in Iraq in partnership with Visa International”
Compiled from 1 source page, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.