Strike Fees for Lightning Remittance: Zero Fees or Hidden Costs?

Q: Does Strike really charge zero fees for international transfers?

Strike charges no explicit transfer fee and applies no stated FX markup. However, there is an implicit bid-ask spread of 0–0.5% on the BTC conversion, and your recipient will pay off-ramp fees at their local exchange (typically $0.50–$2.50 on a $500 transfer). Total cost is usually $1–$5 on $500, compared to $10–$20 for Remitly or Western Union.

Q: Is Bitcoin volatility a problem when using Strike for remittances?

No, in practice. Strike converts your USD to BTC and back to local currency in the same atomic Lightning transaction — Bitcoin exposure lasts only seconds. Unless Bitcoin moves dramatically in that window (extremely rare), you receive the current spot rate. The main variability is the FX spread Strike uses at the moment you execute the transfer, not multi-hour volatility.

Q: What countries can receive Strike Lightning transfers?

Strike app users can receive directly in the US, El Salvador, Argentina, and a growing number of European and Latin American countries. For India, Nigeria, Philippines, Indonesia, and most of Africa, recipients use a local BTC exchange (CoinDCX, Quidax/Luno, Coins.ph, Indodax) to off-ramp. Check strike.me for the current supported country list.

Q: How does Strike compare to Wise for a $500 transfer?

On a $500 USD-to-MXN transfer, Strike's total cost is approximately $1.25–$3.75 (off-ramp fee only, no FX markup). Wise charges $4.50 in transfer fees with no FX markup, for a total of $4.50. Strike is cheaper, but requires more setup — your recipient needs a Bitso account and must complete KYC. Wise pays directly to a Mexican bank account with no recipient setup required.

Q: Can I use a credit or debit card to fund Strike transfers?

Strike accepts debit card funding, which is instant. However, your card network may classify this as a cash advance, triggering a 1–3% fee from your bank — not from Strike. US bank ACH funding is free but takes 1–3 days to clear. For the best total cost, fund via ACH and plan transfers a few days in advance.

What Strike's zero-fee model actually means

~$0.01 — Lightning Network routing fee on a $500 transfer

The off-ramp fee: what your recipient pays

< 60 seconds — Typical Lightning Network settlement time

Full cost comparison: $500 USD to MXN via Strike vs alternatives

Provider	Transfer Fee	FX Markup	Off-Ramp / Receiving Fee	Total Cost	Speed
Strike (Lightning via Bitso)	$0.00	0–0.5%	~$1.25	~$1.25–$3.75	< 30 min
Wise	$4.50	0%	$0	$4.50	1–2 days
Remitly (Express)	$3.99	1.5–2%	$0	$11–$14	Minutes
Western Union (bank deposit)	$5.00	2–3%	$0	$15–$20	Minutes–1 day
USDC on Stellar (Coinbase → Bitso)	$0.50	~0.2%	~$1.25	~$2.00–$3.00	< 1 hour
Bank wire (SWIFT)	$35–$50	2–4%	$10–$25 intermediary	$55–$80	2–5 days

Bitcoin price volatility: is it a real risk?

Strike availability is limited outside the US and El Salvador

1. Check if Strike supports your corridor end-to-end

2. Set up your sender and recipient accounts

3. Fund your Strike account and send

4. Recipient sells BTC and withdraws to bank

0% — Strike's stated fee on Lightning transfers

When Strike Lightning is (and isn't) the best choice

Strike Lightning vs USDC on Stellar: which crypto rail wins?

Factor	Strike (Lightning / BTC)	USDC on Stellar
Network fee	< $0.01	< $0.01
Volatility during transfer	Seconds exposure (negligible)	Zero (stablecoin)
Recipient setup	BTC exchange or Strike app	USDC-capable exchange
Off-ramp availability	Bitso, Coins.ph, CoinDCX, Luno, VALR	Quidax, Bitso, CoinDCX, VALR
FX spread (sender side)	0–0.5%	~0.2% (USDC peg)
Speed to recipient bank	< 2 hours typical	< 2 hours typical
Best for	BTC-friendly corridors (MXN, PHP, INR)	NGN, ZAR, IDR corridors

See live Strike vs Wise vs USDC costs for your corridor

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Does Strike really charge zero fees for international transfers?

Strike charges no explicit transfer fee and applies no stated FX markup. However, there is an implicit bid-ask spread of 0–0.5% on the BTC conversion, and your recipient will pay off-ramp fees at their local exchange (typically $0.50–$2.50 on a $500 transfer). Total cost is usually $1–$5 on $500, compared to $10–$20 for Remitly or Western Union.

Is Bitcoin volatility a problem when using Strike for remittances?

No, in practice. Strike converts your USD to BTC and back to local currency in the same atomic Lightning transaction — Bitcoin exposure lasts only seconds. Unless Bitcoin moves dramatically in that window (extremely rare), you receive the current spot rate. The main variability is the FX spread Strike uses at the moment you execute the transfer, not multi-hour volatility.

What countries can receive Strike Lightning transfers?

Strike app users can receive directly in the US, El Salvador, Argentina, and a growing number of European and Latin American countries. For India, Nigeria, Philippines, Indonesia, and most of Africa, recipients use a local BTC exchange (CoinDCX, Quidax/Luno, Coins.ph, Indodax) to off-ramp. Check strike.me for the current supported country list.

How does Strike compare to Wise for a $500 transfer?

On a $500 USD-to-MXN transfer, Strike's total cost is approximately $1.25–$3.75 (off-ramp fee only, no FX markup). Wise charges $4.50 in transfer fees with no FX markup, for a total of $4.50. Strike is cheaper, but requires more setup — your recipient needs a Bitso account and must complete KYC. Wise pays directly to a Mexican bank account with no recipient setup required.

Can I use a credit or debit card to fund Strike transfers?

Strike accepts debit card funding, which is instant. However, your card network may classify this as a cash advance, triggering a 1–3% fee from your bank — not from Strike. US bank ACH funding is free but takes 1–3 days to clear. For the best total cost, fund via ACH and plan transfers a few days in advance.

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