We know what you’re thinking, “How can I turn my hard-earned dollars into digital assets like Bitcoin?” The answer is simpler than you think. We’ll unpack all the top options for you, including their features, supported currencies, payment methods what’s to love, and more, to help you find the best fiat to crypto exchange. Get ready to get swapping.
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Move Between Worlds With the Best Fiat to Crypto Exchanges
Switching between traditional money and digital assets is no longer a complicated process. The crypto gateway is evolving, and many of the world’s leading exchanges allow you to make these swaps quickly and easily. Here is a quick summary of our handpicked top 5 best fiat to crypto exchanges.
Exchange
Fiat Currencies Supported
Disclaimer
Fiat deposit fees
4
Free (Wire transfers and third-party transfers may incur additional costs)
8
Free ($3 for select SWIFT transactions)
1
Free (for most transactions)
30+
Free (fees may vary for credit, debit, and third-party payment methods)
8
Free (for most transactions)
What is the Best Exchange to Buy Digital Assets With Traditional Currency?
Choosing the right exchange depends on what you’re looking for and will best suit your needs. We’ll unpack each exchange option, what they offer, what they are best for, and more, to help you make your decision.
Coinbase – Best for Beginners
Coinbase is well-known within the industry for being an extremely easy-to-use, and this great UI carries over to the platform’s Instant Buy functionality. It provides you with access to real-time data, such as status updates, simplified payment instructions, and geo-specific suggestions, during the fiat to crypto exchange process.
Supported currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, AUD
Payment methods: ACH bank transfers, Wire Transfers, SEPA, debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal
Why we love Coinbase’s beginner-friendly interface: Depositing should never be a hassle, and Coinbase makes it easy through quick-click steps that allow you to deposit instantly (in most cases)
Kraken – Best for Easy Conversions
Kraken supports various cash deposit methods, with easy conversions through the “Instant Buy” dashboard. Minimum deposit amounts range from 1 USD to 150 USD (depending on the method you select) and the transfers typically happen near-instantly.
Supported currencies: USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, GBP, CHF, JPY, BRL
Payment methods: ACH (plaid), Fed Wire, CUBIX, and even SWIFT bank transfers
Why we love Kraken’s straightforward swaps: This is the best fiat to crypto exchange if you’re looking to get buying within minutes of signing up. Minimum deposit amounts are fairly low (typically $1) and you have over 430 tokens to choose from.
Binance.US – Best For P2P
Here, users can fund their accounts with fiat currency and trade with over 160 different cryptocurrencies. Although your payment methods are somewhat limited on this exchange, fiat deposits are cheap and typically happen within one to three business days. You also have the options to trade exclusive USD pairs and to automate your buying with the recurring Buys feature.
Supported currencies: USD
Payment methods: ACH bank transfers, Binance P2P also supports payments through PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, Revolut and more
Why we love Binance.US’s automation features: Buying with fiat currency on Binance means that you are buying in to the Binance ecosystem. This means gaining access to things like peer-to-peer trading, trading pairs, and even recurring purchase options.
Uphold – Best Exchange to Cash Out Crypto
Moving from fiat to crypto on Uphold could not be easier. In fact, it can even be considered the best crypto to fiat exchange, since you can trade effortlessly between national currencies and tokens within minutes.
Supported currencies: USD, GBP, CAD, CNY, EUR, JPY
Payment methods:Bank transfers, debit cards, credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay
Why we love Uphold’s quick deposits: Fiat deposits typically happen within just a few business days, with the exchange ensuring that users do not have to complete any unnecessary steps during the transaction process. You can swap your fiat to crypto, and convert crypto to fiat, all within just a few simple steps.
Crypto.com – Best For Cash Accounts
Whether you prefer to go via the website or the mobile app, there are various ways to deposit traditional currencies on Crypto.com. This platform even offers access to on-platform fiat wallets for easier access to your funds. Fiat deposits usually reflect within 5 business days, with credit and debit card deposits happening almost instantly.
Supported currencies: USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, BRL, TRY, SGD
Payment methods: Bank transfer, debit cards, credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay
Why we love Crypto.com’s cash accounts: Digital assets are all about convenience and flexibility, and with this platform’s easy-to-access cash account system, you will be able to access your fiat funds easily, at a moment’s notice.
Not Sure Where to Start? Use This Quick Checklist to Find the Best Platform
Picking the right exchange is not only the first step in this process, it is also one of the most important. Finding the right options for you means weighing up privacy, limits, trading fees, speed, reputation, and more.
Here’s a handy rundown of all the important factors you should consider, before you sign up:
1. Assess the privacy on the exchange platform
Privacy refers to how much personal information you will need to provide to the exchange. If you are doing a fiat to crypto exchange, you will most likely need to have your identify verified. This will likely mean completing the KYC process and providing photos of your ID and documents that prove where you live.
2. Investigate the transaction limits
If you intend to buy a large amount of crypto with your fiat, you will have to make sure the exchange supports bigger order sizes. Likewise, if you intend to withdraw a lot of fiat after converting your crypto, you will need to take into account the withdrawal limits.
3. Consider which crypto exchange charges the lowest fees for fiat conversions
Fees can add up quickly. Fortunately, the best fiat to crypto exchanges charge minimal fees for these conversions. Check out our list of the best no fee crypto exchanges if you really want to cut down on those costs. Some of our favorite platforms for budget-conscience users, include:
Platform
Fiat Deposit Fees (USD)
Free (no additional fees for bank transfers)
Free (no additional fees for bank transfers)
Free or up to $3 (via the SWIFT Bank Frick route)
0.100% fee (for wire transfers)
Free (0.10% fee for international wire deposits)
1.5% – 3.5% (depends on the payment method)
CryptoVantage tip: Keep in mind that even if the exchange does not charge you for conversions, your bank or third-party provider may still charge you an additional fee per transaction. Be sure to do your research before you finalize your transaction.
4. The processing speed is a crucial factor
Speed refers to how fast your tokens will be delivered once you have paid. These days, most exchanges have very fast deposit speeds, especially for credit card purchases, though withdrawal times are almost always at least one day.
5. Security and reputation are essential for success
There is a good reason why some names in the crypto world are so well-known. Established platforms usually feature strong security protocols, streamlines processes and more stringent regulatory compliance. The exchanges we have chosen to highlight have all been around for years and continue to gain new users, because of their stellar reputations.
Avoid Confusion With These Simple Explanations of Fiat-to-crypto Terms
Moving between the worlds of Web3 finance and traditional finance remains tricky. Let’s break down some of the more confusing terms you might come across during this journey:
- Crypto gateway – A crypto gateway acts as a bridge between traditional money and digital assets. It describes the entire technical system that allows users to buy, sell, or convert fiat money into cryptocurrency.
- Crypto on-ramps – A crypto on-ramp is the process or system that allows you to convert traditional money or cash into cryptocurrencies.
- Crypto off-ramps – The opposite of the on-ramp. A crypto off-ramp is the process that allows you to withdraw fiat money from a mostly coin-based service.
- KYC – The Know Your Customer (KYC) process verifies users’ identity in order to prevent fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities.
What is a Fiat to Crypto Exchange?
Fiat currency, or fiat money, is government-issued currency that has no physical commodity, like gold or silver, backing it. Instead, it is backed by the issuing government. The value of the currency is generated through supply and demand within the markets. The US Dollar, Euro, Canadian Dollar, and Japanese Yen, are all examples of fiat currencies.
A fiat to crypto exchange is quite simply a platform that allows its users to convert their government currencies into cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin and more). Our What’s Wrong With Regular Money? page and discussion on the Bitcoin-gold correlation uncover why so many enthusiasts choose to make this switch.
What is a crypto to fiat exchange?
Much like the fiat to crypto exchange system we discussed above, the best crypto to fiat exchanges allow users to convert their valuable (though perhaps not as widely accepted) crypto tokens, back into traditional currencies (which can be used almost everywhere). All the exchanges that made our top list allow users to use on-ramps and off-ramps for fiat currencies with ease.
How to Turn Real Money into Tokens: A Step-by-step Guide
The good news is that converting your fiat to crypto is really not much more complicated than setting up any other payment method. The exact steps might shift slightly depending on the platform you choose, but in general, all you need to do is:
- Step 1: Choose the best fiat to crypto exchange for your needs (make sure it supports your local currency).
- Step 2: Sign up to the platform and verify your identity by completing the KYC process.
- Step 3: Set up fiat deposits as your preferred payment method and link your bank account, debit card, credit card, or third-party payment method.
- Step 4: Deposit the fiat currency into your account by entering the amount and confirming the transaction.
Once the exchange has confirmed your fiat deposit, you can then convert it into virtual assets. There are generally two ways to do this with an exchange. There are generally two ways to do this with an exchange. The first way is through an “Instant” buy or sell option. This option is the fastest, but will also cost you the most in terms of fees. The second option is to use their spot markets, this option is slower, but will have much lower fees than Instant options, so you’ll get more crypto for your fiat this way.
Before You Go, Make Sure You Remember These Key Takeaways
By now, you should have a good idea as to what the leading fiat-to-crypto exchanges have to offer, how to find the exchange that will suit your needs best, how to go about converting your cash to coins, and how to understand those tricky terms that can sometimes slow down the process.
All that is left to do is to choose a platform, set up your payment method, and get to buying, selling, trading and staking, with your new seamless crypto on-ramping and off-ramping.
FAQs
The best crypto to fiat exchange if you are looking for low deposit fees, include platforms like Crypto.com, Binane.US and Kraken. These sites all offer no-fee cash deposit options to keep the costs involved in your conversions as low as possible. Moreover (and part of the reason why they made it onto our list), new users get to experience state-of-the-art security protocols, intuitive interface designs, a huge variety of tokens to invest in, and so much more.
The lines between traditional finance and virtual assets are continuing to blur. These days, you can exchange fiat for crypto on many different platforms. Of course, we recommend sticking to the standout platforms we have discussed above, as they all boast impressive infrastructure to facilitate quick and stress-free swaps.
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are always popular choices, since these coins are so widely accepted and well-known. USDT (Tether) or Litecoin (LTC) are also gaining traction, as they typically involve lower fees and faster transaction times.
Bank transfers are the most popular ways for users to swap between traditional money and digital assets, but it all depends on your priorities. Consider the regulations in your region, the fees involved, the supported tokens, transaction limits and timeframes, before you make your final choice.
Your mileage will vary, but once again, crypto exchanges are typically the best choice for buying and selling crypto with cash. They offer the most competitive fees and typically accept various payment methods, including credit or debit cards and bank transfers.
Crypto exchanges are the most popular way to exchange cash for crypto, but there are a few other options including Bitcoin ATMs, and instant conversion apps like Cash App or Strike. Unfortunately, these options typically have much higher fees compared to a crypto exchange.
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