RemitRoutes Data Desk · Published 2026-10-02 · Q3 2026
2.94pp
In Q3 2026, crypto rails delivered 1.18% above mid-market on average versus 1.76% all-in for traditional providers across 462 corridors — crypto was cheaper at or below mid-market in 41.8% of corridors and delivered above mid-market via P2P premium routes in a further 56.1%.
Q3 2026 average all-in cost (%) by provider type (462 corridors with both types; 494 total coverage)
| Provider Type | Corridors | Avg All-In Cost (%) | Median Cost (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto rails | |||
| Traditional |
Monthly cost breakdown, Q3 2026
| Month | Crypto Avg (%) | Traditional Avg (%) | Crypto Corridors | Trad Corridors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | ||||
| 2026-08 | ||||
| 2026-09 |
Top 10 corridors: largest crypto saving vs traditional (Q3 2026 avg)
| From | To | Crypto Cost (%) | Traditional Cost (%) | Saving (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEK | PLN | |||
| NOK | PLN | |||
| CAD | PLN | |||
| DKK | PLN | |||
| NZD | PLN | |||
| EUR | PLN | |||
| SGD | PLN | |||
| CHF | PLN | |||
| USD | PLN | |||
| AUD | PLN |
Top 10 corridors: smallest crypto saving (or traditional cheaper), Q3 2026
| From | To | Crypto Cost (%) | Traditional Cost (%) | Gap (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPY | UAH | |||
| BHD | THB | |||
| KRW | THB | |||
| EUR | EUR | |||
| SAR | PHP | |||
| BHD | KRW | |||
| KRW | KRW | |||
| JPY | TWD | |||
| BHD | IDR | |||
| KRW | IDR |
It is a quarterly aggregate of all-in transfer costs (fees + FX markup) measured across live provider quotes on RemitRoutes. Unlike survey-based indices, every figure comes from real API quotes scraped every 6 hours.
All-in cost = (mid-market exchange rate − effective rate received by recipient) / send amount × 100. It captures both explicit fees and the hidden FX markup in a single comparable number.
Only corridors with data for both provider types (crypto and traditional) in the measurement window are included in the comparison tables.
Yes. The underlying corridor-level CSV is available for download on this page. The methodology is described at remitroutes.com/methodology. The data is CC BY 4.0 — cite RemitRoutes and link back.
In 56.1% of corridors where crypto beat traditional in Q3 2026, the "win" came from crypto delivering above mid-market (all-in cost < 0%). This happens in emerging-market corridors where local crypto exchange rates trade at a premium to the official mid-market rate — often called the P2P premium or parallel-market premium. It is not a mistake: the recipient genuinely receives more local currency than the mid-market rate would predict, because local demand for crypto drives exchange prices above the global benchmark. However, this premium can be volatile and may reverse. Senders relying on it should monitor rates closely.
RemitRoutes daily corridor cost aggregates (2026-07-01–2026-09-30, 92 days; first date with non-NULL all-in cost in Q3 2026). Comparable corridors (both types present): 462; total corridors covered: 494. Outlier exclusion: rows outside [-25%, 50%] excluded (91/85213 rows, 0.11%). Crypto win-rate split: 41.8% of comparable corridors cheaper at/below mid-market (of 462), 56.1% cheaper via P2P/above-mid delivery (of 462). Provider quotes scraped every 6 hours; daily aggregates built by aggregateAndPurge(). All-in cost includes fees + FX markup vs ExchangeRate-API (open.er-api.com) mid. Mid-market reference: ExchangeRate-API (open.er-api.com) daily USD rates, published once a day around 00:00 UTC; cross rates are derived via USD. Intraday currency moves between publications add noise to all-in cost estimates. See remitroutes.com/methodology.
Full methodology: /methodology.
RemitRoutes Data Desk. (2026). Cross-Border Cost Index — Q3 2026 [Dataset]. RemitRoutes. https://remitroutes.com/data/studies/cost-index-2026-q3
Download CSV · CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution.