A Nintendo eShop card is redeemed on the console: open Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, choose Enter Code and type the 16-character code. The region rule is tight. Nintendo's support for the Americas says eShop Cards are specific to one country and can only be redeemed on Nintendo Accounts set to that same country, so buy the card that matches your Nintendo Account's country.
How to redeem a Nintendo eShop card on Switch
Nintendo's article on redeeming codes covers Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite and the OLED model, and says eShop Cards follow the same process.
- Connect the console to the internet.
- Select Nintendo eShop on the HOME Menu.
- Select the account you want to use. If you have turned on user verification, you may be asked for your password or PIN.
- Select Enter Code on the left side of the screen.
- Enter the 16-character code from your order.
- Select OK to confirm.
Two details from Nintendo make typing easier. Codes never use the letters O, I or Z, or hyphens, and the on-screen keyboard disables those characters.
Redeeming in a browser
Nintendo also runs a web page for redeeming download codes, ec.nintendo.com/redeem. Nintendo says the account must have opened Nintendo eShop on a console at least once. That article is about download codes; the console article is the one that names eShop Cards, so use the console for a card.
Which region to buy
Are Nintendo eShop cards region locked?
Yes. Nintendo says it several ways:
- eShop Cards are specific to a particular country. They can only be redeemed on systems or Nintendo Accounts set to that same country.
- eShop cards are compatible only with the Nintendo eShop country or region where they were intended to be sold.
- If you bought a card for a different country or region, Nintendo cannot replace it, exchange it or refund it.
Nintendo's own examples are close neighbours: a US card bought for an account in Mexico, or a Canadian card for a system in the US. Neither works.
Europe: the currency rule
Nintendo's UK support page describes the rule for its region differently. There, an eShop Card can be used in any country that uses the same currency as the card. Its example is a card bought in France being redeemed in the Netherlands or Germany.
| Nintendo support page | Rule it gives |
|---|---|
| Americas | Card country must equal the Nintendo Account country |
| UK and Europe | Card works in countries with the same currency as the card |
Changing your account's country
Nintendo lets people who relocate change the country in their Nintendo Account settings. It warns that the eShop balance does not carry over when you change country. Redeeming a card and then switching country therefore loses the funds you just added.
How that maps to our cards
Our Nintendo cards are listed per country, and there is an EU card as well. These are the Nintendo cards in our catalogue today:
| Card | Made for | Currency | Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Japan | Japan | JPY | 1,500–9,000 |
| Nintendo EU | All | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo USA | United States of America | USD | 5–200 |
| Nintendo UK | United Kingdom | GBP | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Canada | Canada | CAD | 10–99 |
| Nintendo Germany | Germany | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo France | France | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Austria | Austria | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Belgium | Belgium | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Brazil | Brazil | BRL | 50–500 |
| Nintendo Denmark | Denmark | DKK | 150–1,000 |
| Nintendo Finland | Finland | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Ireland | Ireland | EUR | 15–50 |
| Nintendo Italy | Italy | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Mexico | Mexico | MXN | 100–1,000 |
| Nintendo Netherlands | Netherlands | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Norway | Norway | NOK | 150–1,000 |
| Nintendo Poland | Poland | PLN | 70–500 |
| Nintendo Portugal | Portugal | EUR | 15–100 |
| Nintendo Spain | Spain | EUR | 15–100 |
From the KryptoMate catalogue on 11 Oct 2026. Each card's page has its "Redeemable in" line and its Terms. The catalogue has 67 more Nintendo cards: see the Nintendo page.
Choose by your Nintendo Account's country: Nintendo USA, Nintendo Canada, Nintendo Japan, or, for a euro account, Nintendo EU if its Terms name your country. Read the Redeemable in line and the Terms tab, above all for the EU and single-country euro cards. The brand page also holds Nintendo Switch Online membership cards; those are membership products with their own terms. We can't exchange a card for another country.
If the code doesn't work
What Nintendo lists
Nintendo's article "Nintendo eShop Card Is Not Working" gives two checks:
- The number. Verify you are entering it correctly and try similar characters. Nintendo's example: a 5 might look like a G or an S.
- The country. Make sure your Nintendo Account country and Nintendo eShop are set to the correct region. A card bought for one country can only be redeemed by accounts set to that country.
There is also the message This Code Has Already Been Used. Nintendo's advice is to verify the code, to try different characters where you are unsure what one is, and, if it still fails, to check with the seller.
What to do on our side
Read the code again from your order page, character by character, and check which account you selected on the console and the country it is set to.
If the countries match and the eShop still refuses the code, contact our support with the order number and a photo of the console's message. Don't type the code into the chat. An invalid or undelivered code is reviewed under the Refund Policy when reported within 48 hours of delivery. A card you chose for the wrong country can't be refunded, and a redeemed code is final. See also Why can I not use my gift card in my country?.
Bought it with crypto?
The eShop accepts the code like any other; the payment method leaves no trace on it. Ordering is explained in How to buy a Nintendo eShop card with crypto, and paying in How to pay On-Chain.
Frequently asked questions
On your Switch or Switch 2, open Nintendo eShop from the HOME Menu, select your account, choose Enter Code on the left, type the 16-character code and select OK. The console needs an internet connection.
Ready? Pick the card for your Nintendo Account's country on the Nintendo page.
Get startedLast checked: 11 Oct 2026. Prices, products and payment options change; the checkout shows what applies to your order.
Official pages this guide was checked against
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22429
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1983
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3101
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22283
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16906
- en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2193
- www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Support/Purchases-Subscriptions/Purchased-Foreign-Nintendo-eShop-Card-1379028.html