Strike Review 2026: Zero-Fee Lightning Transfers, but Who Pays?

Strike uses Bitcoin and the Lightning Network to power near-instant international transfers with 0% on-ramp fees from USD. No FX markup on the crypto leg — costs come from the off-ramp exchange in the destination country.

Verdict: Best for Lightning-powered zero-fee USD on-ramp

RemitRoutes Score: 97/100 — our computed editorial rating (cost 100, transparency 100, speed 100, coverage 79, crypto rails 100, each out of 100). How we score.

Fees

Strike charges 0% to convert USD into Bitcoin and send over the Lightning Network. The cost of the transfer comes from the off-ramp exchange in the destination country, where a spread of 0.1-1.5% may apply depending on BTC liquidity in the local market. Total all-in cost is typically under 1% for supported corridors.

FX markup

Strike applies no FX markup on the USD-to-BTC conversion. The effective exchange rate depends on the off-ramp: exchanges like CoinDCX (INR) or Bitso (MXN) may trade BTC at a slight premium or discount to the global price. RemitRoutes calculates the true all-in cost including the off-ramp spread.

Pros

• Zero-fee USD on-ramp — no percentage or flat fee
• Lightning Network settlement in seconds
• No FX markup on the crypto conversion leg
• Simple mobile-first interface for Bitcoin payments

Cons

• Limited to Bitcoin and Lightning — no USDC or stablecoin option
• Off-ramp availability depends on BTC exchange liquidity per country
• USD-only on-ramp (no EUR, GBP, AED support)
• Recipient needs access to a local exchange to convert BTC to fiat

Best for

• USD senders wanting the cheapest possible on-ramp
• Corridors with liquid BTC off-ramp exchanges (INR, MXN, BRL)
• Users comfortable with Bitcoin and Lightning technology

Not great for

• Senders from EUR, GBP, or AED (USD-only on-ramp)
• Corridors where BTC trades at a significant discount to global price
• Recipients who want to receive stablecoins instead of volatile BTC

Frequently asked questions

How does Strike charge 0% fees?

Strike earns revenue from its broader payments ecosystem and premium services, not from individual transfer fees. The 0% applies to the USD-to-Bitcoin on-ramp. Costs arise at the off-ramp exchange in the destination country, where a spread of 0.1-1.5% may apply.

How fast are Strike transfers?

The Lightning Network leg settles in seconds. End-to-end speed depends on how quickly the recipient converts BTC to local currency at the off-ramp exchange. If the off-ramp supports instant withdrawal, the total time can be under 10 minutes.

Is Strike cheaper than Wise?

For supported corridors, yes. Strike charges 0% on the on-ramp vs Wise's 0.33-2.5%. Even with off-ramp spreads of 0.1-1.5%, the total cost is usually lower than Wise. RemitRoutes compares the true all-in cost for your specific corridor.

What countries does Strike support?

Strike supports 65+ countries for sending and receiving Bitcoin over Lightning. However, the practical remittance use case depends on liquid BTC off-ramp exchanges in the destination country. Corridors like USD-to-INR, USD-to-MXN, and USD-to-BRL have the best off-ramp liquidity.

Is Strike safe to use?

Strike is a US-regulated financial services company registered with FinCEN. Funds are held in FDIC-insured accounts before conversion. The Lightning Network itself is a mature Bitcoin layer-2 protocol. The main risk is BTC price volatility during the transfer window, though Lightning's speed minimizes exposure.

Compare live rates across 370+ corridors on RemitRoutes · methodology.