# Why a gift card does not work in your country, and which one to buy > Gift cards lock by country of purchase (Apple, PlayStation), account country and currency (Google Play) or currency (Netflix, Steam). Which card to buy. - URL: https://giftswithcrypto.com/guides/why-gift-card-does-not-work-in-my-country/ - Last updated: 2026-10-21 - Publisher: Gifts With Crypto (https://giftswithcrypto.com) **Quick answer** A gift card from another country usually fails because the brand locks it to the country or currency it was issued for. Apple cards redeem only in their country of purchase. Google Play needs the account country and currency to match. Netflix and Steam check the currency of your bill or wallet. The fix is to buy the card for your account's country: Gifts With Crypto sells cards per country, at face value, for crypto. ## Which rule does each brand use? | Brand | What is locked | What to buy | | --- | --- | --- | | [Apple](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/apple/) | Country of purchase | The card of your Apple Account's country | | [Google Play](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/google-play/) | Account country and currency | The card of your Play country, in its currency | | [PlayStation](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/playstation/) | PlayStation account country | The card of your account's country | | [Netflix](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/netflix/) | Billing currency | A card in the currency Netflix bills you in | | [Steam](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/steam/) | Steam Wallet currency | A code in your wallet's currency | | [Xbox](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/xbox/) | Account country and currency | The card valid for your account's country | | [Amazon](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/amazon/) | Amazon site (marketplace) | The card of the Amazon site you shop on | *Prices checked on October 21, 2026.* Issuer sources and dates for our 45 top brands are in the [region-lock table](https://giftswithcrypto.com/data/gift-card-region-lock-table/). ## Why does an Apple gift card not work in my country? Apple cards cannot be redeemed outside the country or region where they were bought. Apple's own example: a card bought in France cannot be redeemed in the US App Store. Changing your shipping address or using a VPN does not change this. Buy the card of your Apple Account's country, for example [Apple US](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/apple/united-states/) for a US account. ## Why does Google Play say the code can only be used in another country? Google Play redeems a code only in the country where it was bought, and the card currency must match your payment profile. Google shows errors such as "This code can only be used in [country]". If you are travelling, Google says to redeem when you return home. If you have moved, you may need to change your Google Play country first. See [Google Play values by country](https://giftswithcrypto.com/data/google-play-country-denominations/). ## Why does a Netflix or Steam card ask for another currency? Netflix accepts a card bought in another country when its currency matches your Netflix billing currency, so a USD card suits an account billed in USD. Steam limits redemption to the currency of your Steam Wallet. A new wallet takes its currency from your address; an existing wallet keeps its currency. Read our [Steam Wallet guide](https://giftswithcrypto.com/guides/steam-wallet-with-crypto-after-retail-cards/). ## Do euro gift cards work in every euro country? Not as a rule. Apple, PlayStation and Amazon lock by country or site, so a French card is for France even though Germany also uses euros. Some brands are more flexible: Nintendo's European support allows a euro eShop card from France on a German or Dutch eShop with the same currency. Check the brand before relying on a shared currency. ## What should I check before I buy? Check three things: the country of the account that will redeem the code, its currency, and the brand's rule. Every Gifts With Crypto product page shows the issuer's region rule with its source and check date. A delivered, valid code cannot be returned, so this check matters before payment. If a code already fails, our guide to a [gift card code that does not work](https://giftswithcrypto.com/guides/gift-card-code-not-working/) separates region errors from typos, activation and prior redemption. ## Region-lock questions ### Can I use a US gift card in another country? Usually not. A US Apple card needs a US Apple Account, and a US Google Play card needs a US Play account in USD. Netflix and Steam check currency instead. See the [region-lock table](https://giftswithcrypto.com/data/gift-card-region-lock-table/). ### Does a VPN make a foreign gift card work? No. Brands check the account's country, currency or billing setup, not just your IP address. Buy the card for your account's country. ### Can I change my account country to use the card? Sometimes, under the brand's own rules. Google says you may need to change your Play country after moving. Existing balances may not follow, so read the brand's help first. ### Does paying in crypto change where a card works? No. The payment coin has no effect on the card. Only the card's country and currency matter. See [how it works](https://giftswithcrypto.com/how-it-works/). ### Which Amazon card do I need in Germany? An [Amazon Germany](https://giftswithcrypto.com/gift-cards/amazon/germany/) card for Amazon.de. An Amazon.com card works on Amazon.com, not on another national Amazon site. ## Official sources 1. [If you can't redeem your Apple Gift Card or App Store & iTunes Gift Card](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108285) — Apple (2026-10-21) 2. [Fix problems with Google Play gift cards & codes](https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/11564359?hl=en) — Google (2026-10-21) 3. [Netflix Gift Cards](https://help.netflix.com/en/node/32950) — Netflix (2026-10-20) 4. [Steam Support: Steam Wallet](https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/78E3-7431-1E88-AD59) — Valve (2026-10-21) 5. [PS Store voucher code problems](https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/store/ps-store-voucher-code-problems/) — Sony Interactive Entertainment (2026-10-14) 6. [Microsoft gift cards terms and conditions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/accounts-billing/microsoft-gift-cards-terms-and-conditions) — Microsoft (2026-10-14) 7. [Purchased a Nintendo eShop card from another European country](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Purchases-Subscriptions/Purchased-Foreign-Nintendo-eShop-Card-1379028.html) — Nintendo (2026-10-19) 8. [Amazon Pay help: Amazon.com gift cards](https://pay.amazon.com/help/5967) — Amazon (2026-10-19) --- Gifts With Crypto: Gifts With Crypto (giftswithcrypto.com) is operated by cardcrrr LLC (Delaware, USA) and sells digital gift cards at face value for BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL or LTC, with no KYC up to US$1,000 per order and the code delivered in your account within 24 hours of payment confirmation.