An onramp is a payment gateway that lets you convert traditional money (sometimes called fiat) into cryptocurrencies, such as USDC or Ethereum.

They serve as an easy way to get into crypto because often all you need is a credit or debit card. However, the best onramps accept a wider range of payment methods. RT APP, for example, accepts wires, Apple Pay, Google Pay,and more.

If you’re wondering how an onramp might help your business, let’s run through an example.

Say you have a user who wants to swap some USD for USDC. With a crypto onramp like RT APP, you can offer a way to do that straight from your website or app. All your user would need to do is specify the amount of USDC to purchase, and then pay using their preferred payment method. The onramp service would handle the rest and deliver the USDC to their crypto wallet. Easy.

You mostly see onramps being used on centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

Fiat onramps are online platforms that handle fiat to crypto conversion. They tend to do everything from processing payments to delivering crypto wallets.

In the crypto space, fiat currency is the term given to traditional currencies such as USD, EUR, and JPY.

Even if you’re not interested in new cryptocurrencies such as USDC, there are often stablecoin equivalents of most popular fiat currencies. And by buying these, you can still access a wealth of web3 projects.

The best fiat onramps make the process of paying in fiat and getting crypto totally seamless. That’s why RT APP lets you use popular payment methods like credit cards and wire transfers.

After using a fiat onramp to purchase crypto, you can store it in a wallet, or trade it for other tokens on a crypto exchange.

Crypto onramps are services that let apps and websites offer a way to exchange fiat currency for cryptocurrency. If you’ve ever purchased crypto before, you’ve probably used one.

Popular examples include RT APP — which is the leading provider in the space. But wallets like MetaMask, decentralized exchanges such as Uniswap, and centralized exchanges like Binance, all offer onramp functionality too.

There are many fiat onramp providers out there, so it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you and your business. Here are some factors to consider:

Onramp reputation: Before selecting a fiat onramp, you should research a provider’s customer reviews and ratings on external ratings sites like Trustpilot. MoonPay, for instance, is rated ‘Great’ with 4.2 stars out of 5. If you want an onramp to crypto, always make sure to choose one that has a great reputation and strong security practices. RT APP follows best-in-class security, KYC, and anti-fraud measures to protect our users and their data.

Payment methods: Different fiat onramps offer varying payment methods, such as cards and bank transfers. And not all providers have the kind of international coverage you might require. RT APP offers a wide range of payment methods around the world.
Those include credit and debit cards, bank transfers, mobile options like Apple Pay and Google Pay. It also offers local options such as SEPA in the EU, Open Banking in the UK, YellowCard in Nigeria, and PIX in Brazil.

Transaction fees: All fiat onramps will include transaction fees for users to onramp crypto.
These fees will depend on things like the payment method, order size, and market conditions.
RT APP charges a small processing fee, as well as a dynamic fee that's based on network activity.

Transaction speed: Choosing a fiat onramp could come down to how quickly you need your crypto. Centralized exchanges allow you to make instant deposits and trades, though you’ll need to wait if you want to withdraw any crypto. RT APP’s fiat to crypto onramp allows you to buy crypto in minutes using a card — so you don’t need to wait days for funds to settle on an exchange.

Supported cryptocurrencies: If you’re looking to convert fiat to crypto, you’ll need to find a fiat onramp that supports the specific cryptocurrency you want to purchase. Most onramp options will offer popular tokens like USDC and Ethereum, but if you’re looking to buy more niche tokens then you’ll have to look for onramps that offer greater coverage. RT APP offers more than 100 cryptocurrency tokens, including USDC, ETH, USDC, BNB, and USDC.

Fiat currency and country coverage: Depending on where you live, you may be limited in your options to convert fiat to crypto. Some fiat onramps may have limited token offerings based on regional restrictions, and may not have coverage at all in certain countries. RT APP offers coverage in more than 160 countries and most US states.