What Is a Fiat On-Ramp?

A fiat on-ramp is a service, usually an exchange or crypto ATM, that lets you buy cryptocurrency with traditional money like dollars, euros, or pesos. In other words, it’s the entry point where cash meets crypto.

Common ways to acquire crypto include:

• Mining

  – contributing computing power to a blockchain in exchange for coins.

• Accepting crypto as payment

  – selling goods or services and getting paid in digital currency.

• Buying through an on-ramp

  – simply swapping fiat for crypto through an exchange or ATM.

That third option is the most accessible for everyday users. On-ramps quote prices based on the current market rate and give you instant access to the wider crypto ecosystem.

The name “on-ramp” fits perfectly. It’s like merging onto a highway. Once you’re on, you can explore DeFi apps, NFTs, staking, or whatever else the crypto world has to offer.

Related term: Fiat Off-Ramp – A service that allows users to convert cryptocurrency back into fiat money, acting as the “exit ramp” from the crypto ecosystem.