Fiat to Crypto Payment Gateway: Top Providers Compared

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A fiat-to-crypto payment gateway converts dollars, euros, and other traditional currencies into cryptocurrency — allowing users to buy crypto with credit cards, bank transfers, or Apple Pay without leaving your app. These gateways (called "on-ramps") handle the messy parts: payment processing, KYC verification, exchange execution, and regulatory compliance.

If you're building a DeFi protocol, NFT marketplace, Web3 game, or crypto wallet, an on-ramp integration is often the difference between users who convert and users who bounce at the "first, go buy ETH on Coinbase" step.

How Fiat-to-Crypto Gateways Work

The flow looks simple to the end user but involves multiple systems working together:

1. User selects cryptocurrency and amount: They want to buy $100 worth of ETH. Your app displays a buy widget powered by the on-ramp provider.
2. KYC verification: First-time users complete identity verification — typically a government ID photo + selfie. Takes 1-5 minutes with automated verification. Returning users skip this step.
3. Payment method: User pays with a credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard), bank transfer (ACH, SEPA, Faster Payments), Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
4. Exchange execution: The on-ramp provider buys the requested cryptocurrency from their liquidity pool or exchanges (Binance, Kraken, market makers).
5. Delivery: Crypto is sent to the user's wallet address — typically within 1-10 minutes for card payments or 1-3 business days for bank transfers.

Behind the scenes, the provider handles payment fraud screening, chargeback management, exchange rate hedging, and blockchain transaction broadcasting. That complexity is why these services charge 1.5-5% per transaction.

On-Ramp vs Off-Ramp: Key Differences

Most on-ramp providers also offer off-ramp services, but not all. MoonPay and Transak cover both directions. Some newer entrants focus exclusively on on-ramps.

Top Fiat-to-Crypto Gateways Reviewed

1. MoonPay — Market Leader

MoonPay powers the buy-crypto experience for over 500 platforms including MetaMask, Ledger, Bitcoin.com, and OpenSea. They process more than $6 billion annually and hold licenses in 40+ US states plus EU, UK, and other jurisdictions.

• Supported Crypto: 100+ cryptocurrencies across 30+ blockchains
• Payment Methods: Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), bank transfers (SEPA, Faster Payments, PIX, ACH), mobile wallets
• Countries: 180+ countries. Excludes sanctioned regions and select US states
• KYC: Automated ID verification in under 2 minutes. Powered by Onfido and Jumio. Document + selfie match
• Fees: 1% network fee + 4.5% for card payments, 1% for bank transfers. Minimum fee $3.99. Volume discounts for large integrations
• Integration: Widget (embed in 10 minutes), SDK (React, React Native, Swift, Kotlin), REST API for full custom builds
• Off-Ramp: Yes — sell crypto and receive fiat to bank account
• Standout: Highest conversion rates in the industry due to optimized KYC flow. Concierge onboarding for partners with $100K+/month volume

2. Transak — Best Developer Experience

Transak focuses on developer-friendly integration and covers more payment methods globally than any competitor. Used by MetaMask (alongside MoonPay), Aave, Lens Protocol, and 350+ dApps.

• Supported Crypto: 170+ cryptocurrencies on 75+ blockchains
• Payment Methods: Credit/debit cards, bank transfers, UPI (India), GCash (Philippines), iDEAL (Netherlands), and 20+ local payment methods
• Countries: 160+ countries with local payment methods in 50+ countries
• KYC: Tiered — Level 0 ($30/day limit, email only), Level 1 ($1,500/day, ID verification), Level 2 ($25,000/day, enhanced due diligence)
• Fees: 1% network fee + 3.5-5% for cards, 0.99-1.5% for bank transfers. Competitive for non-US markets
• Integration: Widget, React SDK, REST API. Excellent documentation with sandbox environment
• Off-Ramp: Yes — 60+ countries for crypto-to-fiat
• Standout: Best local payment method coverage globally. If your users are in Southeast Asia, India, or Latin America, Transak handles local rails that MoonPay doesn't

3. Ramp Network — Best for European Integration

Ramp Network is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, and holds an FCA registration (UK) plus EU payment institution authorization. Strong focus on European markets with excellent SEPA integration.

• Supported Crypto: 90+ assets on 30+ networks
• Payment Methods: Open Banking (instant bank transfers in UK/EU), credit/debit cards, Apple Pay
• Countries: 150+ countries. Strong EU and UK coverage
• KYC: Open Banking-based verification in the UK (uses bank data instead of document upload, resulting in faster verification)
• Fees: 0.49-2.49% for Open Banking (UK/EU), 2.49-3.99% for cards. Among the lowest for European bank transfers
• Integration: Widget, SDK (JavaScript, React Native, iOS, Android), API
• Off-Ramp: Yes — UK and EU markets
• Standout: Open Banking integration means lower fees and instant settlement in the UK. No chargebacks on bank transfers = lower fraud costs

4. Alchemy Pay — Best for Asia-Pacific

Alchemy Pay bridges crypto and traditional payments in Asian markets, supporting local payment methods like GrabPay, Alipay, Dana, and GCash that Western-focused providers miss.

• Supported Crypto: 50+ cryptocurrencies
• Payment Methods: Cards, local wallets (GrabPay, Alipay, Dana, TrueMoney, GCash, PayNow), bank transfers
• Countries: Focus on APAC with 170+ countries supported
• KYC: Automated verification with regional ID document support
• Fees: 2.5-5% for cards, varies by local payment method (typically lower)
• Integration: Widget, SDK, REST API
• Off-Ramp: Yes — select APAC markets
• Standout: Unmatched Southeast Asian payment method coverage. If your users pay with GrabPay or Dana, this is your provider

5. Banxa — Best for Compliance-Focused Platforms

Banxa is publicly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (BNXA) and positions itself as the most regulated on-ramp provider. Holds licenses in Australia, Canada, EU, and the US.

• Supported Crypto: 50+ cryptocurrencies
• Payment Methods: Cards, bank transfers, Apple Pay, Interac (Canada), POLi (Australia)
• Countries: 130+ countries with multi-jurisdictional licensing
• KYC: Full automated verification with ongoing transaction monitoring
• Fees: 1.5-3.5% for bank transfers, 3.5-5% for cards
• Integration: Widget, API. White label available for enterprise clients
• Off-Ramp: Yes — Australia, Canada, EU, UK
• Standout: Publicly traded = audited financials and regulatory transparency. Best choice if your compliance team needs a provider with clear regulatory standing

Fee and Feature Comparison

Compliance Requirements (KYC/AML)

Fiat-to-crypto gateways operate in one of the most regulated corners of crypto. Every provider must handle:

Know Your Customer (KYC)

Minimum requirements for most jurisdictions:

• Tier 1 (Basic): Full name, date of birth, email, phone number. Good for limits of $500-1,500/day
• Tier 2 (Standard): Government-issued photo ID + selfie liveness check. Typical limits: $5,000-25,000/day
• Tier 3 (Enhanced): Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement), source of funds declaration. For limits above $25,000/day

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

• Transaction monitoring: Flag unusual patterns — rapid successive purchases, amounts just below reporting thresholds, purchases from high-risk jurisdictions
• Blockchain analytics: Screen destination wallets against known blacklists (OFAC, stolen fund addresses, mixer services). Most providers use Chainalysis or Elliptic
• Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs): File with FinCEN (US), FCA (UK), or equivalent regulator when suspicious activity is detected

For platforms integrating an on-ramp: the KYC/AML burden falls on the on-ramp provider, not on you. Your platform passes the user to MoonPay or Transak's verification flow, and they handle compliance. This is a major advantage — you get compliant fiat-to-crypto conversion without building a compliance department.

Integration Methods: Widget, API, SDK

Widget (Easiest — 30 Minutes to Live)

An embeddable iframe or popup that handles the entire purchase flow: coin selection, amount entry, KYC, payment, and delivery confirmation. You add a "Buy Crypto" button to your app, and it opens the widget.

Pros: Zero backend work. The provider handles everything. Ship in under an hour.

Cons: Limited UI customization. Users see the provider's interface (though it can be color-themed). Feels like leaving your app.

SDK (Balanced — 1-2 Days)

Native libraries (React, React Native, Swift, Kotlin) that give you modular components — price quotes, KYC screens, payment forms — that you compose into your own flow.

Pros: More control over the user experience. Components match your app's look. Better conversion rates than widget.

Cons: More development work. Need to handle component lifecycle and state management.

REST API (Maximum Control — 1-2 Weeks)

Direct API access for full control over every step. You build the entire UI and use the API for quotes, KYC submission, payment processing, and status tracking.

Pros: Complete design freedom. Best possible UX integration. Can combine multiple providers and route to the cheapest.

Cons: Significant engineering investment. You're responsible for PCI compliance if handling card data directly (use tokenization to avoid this). Need your own error handling, retry logic, and monitoring.

Use Cases and Who Needs This

• Crypto Wallets: MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom — users need to fund their wallet with crypto, and most start with fiat
• DeFi Protocols: Aave, Uniswap — reduce the "first, buy ETH somewhere" friction that kills new user onboarding
• NFT Marketplaces: Let buyers purchase NFTs with credit cards. The on-ramp converts fiat to crypto behind the scenes
• Web3 Games: Players buy in-game tokens directly with cards instead of navigating exchanges
• Crypto Exchanges: Smaller exchanges use on-ramp providers instead of building their own fiat rails — faster and cheaper than getting banking relationships
• Merchant Gateways: Some crypto payment gateways integrate on-ramps so customers without crypto can still pay merchants in fiat, with auto-conversion

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the cheapest way to buy crypto with fiat?

Bank transfers through Ramp Network (0.49% for UK Open Banking) or Transak (0.99% for SEPA). Card payments always cost more (3-5%) due to interchange fees and chargeback risk.

Do I need a license to integrate an on-ramp?

No. The on-ramp provider holds the licenses and handles compliance. You're directing users to a licensed financial service, not operating one yourself. This is the same model as embedding Stripe — Stripe holds the payment licenses, not every website that uses Stripe.

Can users buy crypto without KYC?

Limited. Some providers allow small purchases ($30-100) with just an email address (Transak Level 0). For meaningful amounts, KYC is required by regulation in most countries. For no-KYC payment processing, see our guide on non-custodial options.

What about Wyre?

Wyre shut down operations in 2023 after a failed acquisition by Bolt. It's no longer available. The market has since consolidated around MoonPay, Transak, and Ramp Network as the leading providers. Former Wyre customers migrated primarily to these three.

How do chargebacks work?

The on-ramp provider absorbs chargeback risk on card payments. They use fraud detection, 3D Secure verification, and velocity checks to minimize chargebacks. This risk is priced into the 3-5% card fee. Bank transfers (SEPA, ACH) have much lower chargeback rates, which is why they're cheaper.