Pavel Paramonov argues that crypto cards are a temporary fix, not a sustainable solution for integrating cryptocurrency into everyday payments. He highlights that crypto cards still rely on traditional banking systems, which contradicts the decentralized ethos of crypto. Instead of replacing Visa and Mastercard, crypto cards serve to reinforce their dominance by adding layers of abstraction and fees. Despite the appeal of convenience, the underlying processes remain tied to traditional financial institutions, undermining the promise of a permissionless system. Paramonov points out that many crypto card companies merely slap their branding on cards without offering genuine value. He notes that people mistakenly believe using a crypto card means they're unbanked, but these cards are still linked to banks with obligations to report user data. This reality limits accessibility, especially for residents of countries like Russia, Ukraine, and several African nations, who struggle to use crypto for daily expenses. Authentic crypto transactions, like those enabled by Trip.com for booking flights with stablecoins, represent a more direct approach to using crypto without the middleman. He also compares self-custodial crypto cards to liquidity bridges, emphasizing that they facilitate transactions between crypto and fiat more effectively than centralized exchange (CEX) cards. The real opportunity lies with Card-as-a-Service (CaaS) platforms that enable businesses to create their own branded cards, but this aspect often goes overlooked in discussions about crypto cards. Overall, Paramonov's critique underscores the limitations of crypto cards while highlighting the need for more genuine crypto use cases.