$495 for a Metal Brick: The Disastrous Cardless-Bilt Palladium Launch
I am writing this to warn anyone considering the Bilt Palladium card issued by Column N.A. and serviced by Cardless Inc. I applied and was approved in early February 2026, receiving my card on February 2nd. What followed has been the single worst "premium" banking experience I have ever encountered.
The Timeline of Failure:
Feb 4: Before the official launch, Bilt / Cardless restricted my card for "unusual activity" before I even had the chance to use it.
Feb 7 (Launch Day): Tried to activate the card. I received a "Failed to activate" error. I opened my first support ticket immediately.
Feb 7–15: Multiple phone calls and emails. Cardless Support admitted to a "mass technical failure" but provided no timeline for a fix.
Feb 16–Present: The error message changed to "Invalid CVC," making the card a literal paperweight. I cannot use the digital wallet, the physical card, or access the benefits I am paying for.
After a few days of trying to activate the card it went back to the "Failed to activate" error.
Broken Promises and Missing Benefits:
Despite paying a $495 annual fee, I have been denied every advertised benefit of this tier:
Expired Promotions: Due to their technical lockout, I missed the deadlines for the 5X Activation Offer and the Digital Wallet 3 day activation boost bonus.
The worst part is the 90 day time window I have to meet the SUB are already counting since February 7th.
Zero Accountability: I have contacted Cardless support over 10 times via phone, email, and chat. I have spoken to nearly a dozen different representatives. Every single time, I am told it is being "escalated" and to "keep waiting."
The Verdict:
Bilt / Cardless launched a "premium" product without the infrastructure to support it. They are happy to charge a high annual fee but are seemingly incapable of providing a functional credit card or basic customer service. As of February 24, nearly three weeks after receiving the card, it remains a brick. I smell a class action lawsuit coming soon....
The worst part is that if I cancel my credit card now my credit score has already taken a hit due to the hard pull it received when I applied for the card, and to make matters worst Bilt/Cardless have not offered me any kind of compensation, being bilt points, bilt cash or a $495 statement credit.
If you value your time and expect a high-end card to actually work, stay far away from the Bilt Palladium issued by Column N.A. and serviced by Cardless Inc. They have held my credit line and my money hostage with zero resolution in sight.
7 febbraio 2026
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