The first step of any crypto remittance is buying stablecoins or Bitcoin on a regulated exchange — the "on-ramp." Fees vary meaningfully between exchanges and payment methods. This tool compares on-ramp costs across Coinbase, Gemini, Strike, Kraken, and Rain.
Select the asset you plan to buy (USDC, USDT, or BTC) and your funding method.
The tool shows on-ramp fees across supported exchanges for that asset.
Combine this with the crypto-path or currency-converter tools to see the full remittance cost, on-ramp through off-ramp.
Strike charges 0% trading fees for BTC purchases, making it the cheapest option for the Lightning Network rail.
Coinbase, Gemini, and Kraken charge roughly 0.4% for stablecoin (USDC/USDT) purchases — about $2 on a $500 purchase.
Deposit method affects total cost: ACH, SEPA, and FPS bank transfers are typically free, while card-funded deposits usually carry an additional fee.
USDC (on Stellar or Solana) is cheaper to move than USDT (on Tron) at the network-fee layer: under $0.01 versus roughly $1 per transfer.
Buying $500 of USDC via ACH deposit on an exchange charging a 0.4% trading fee costs about $2 in on-ramp fees — versus $0 in on-ramp fees for a Strike-funded BTC purchase used for Lightning-rail remittances, though the two paths differ in network and off-ramp costs downstream.
A crypto on-ramp is a service (usually a centralized exchange) that lets you deposit fiat currency (USD, EUR, etc.) and buy cryptocurrency like USDC, USDT, or BTC. For remittances, the on-ramp is the first step: you buy stablecoins, send them over a cheap blockchain, and the recipient sells them for local currency.
Strike offers 0% trading fees for BTC purchases, making it the cheapest option if you are sending via the Lightning Network. For stablecoin purchases (USDC/USDT), Coinbase, Gemini, and Kraken all charge around 0.4% (or $2 on a $500 purchase). The deposit method matters too — ACH, SEPA, and FPS are typically free.
USDC (on Stellar or Solana) is generally cheaper to send — network fees are under $0.01. USDT (on Tron) costs about $1 per transfer. Both are stablecoins pegged to USD. USDC is issued by Circle and considered more transparent; USDT by Tether has more trading pairs globally. For most remittance corridors, USDC on Stellar is the cheapest end-to-end option.
If your exchange account is already set up and verified, the entire process takes 5-15 minutes: deposit fiat (instant via ACH/FPS), buy stablecoins (instant), withdraw to recipient's exchange (3-60 seconds depending on blockchain). The slowest step is usually the initial account verification, which is a one-time process.
Buying stablecoins (USDC/USDT) and sending them is generally not a taxable event in most jurisdictions, since there is no capital gain — you buy at $1 and send at $1. However, tax rules vary by country. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
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