Docs / Card-to-crypto channel
The card-to-crypto channel explained: customers pay by card, you receive stablecoins
Let customers pay by card while you still receive stablecoins. This guide explains how it works, its limits, and what a merchant has to do.
The short version: once the card channel is enabled, customers can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or bank transfer. A regulated third-party provider converts the fiat into stablecoins and you receive stablecoins directly. Merchants do not need KYC / KYB to enable it, and customers complete a one-time basic KYC check with the provider on their first purchase. Which payment methods are available depends on the customer's region.
1. How it works
The official name for this feature is Card-to-Crypto, also called a fiat onramp. It lets a merchant accept payment from customers in fiat while settling in crypto, so you do not need to go to an exchange to convert. The flow:
- The customer chooses to pay by card or another fiat method on the payment page.
- The system automatically creates a self-custodial PayRam wallet for the customer, which the customer can also use to hold and move assets.
- A regulated third-party provider converts the customer's fiat into stablecoins and deposits them into that wallet.
- The customer uses the funds in the wallet to pay the merchant. The merchant receives stablecoins, which are swept to the cold wallet in the usual way.
Throughout, the merchant's funds stay non-custodial: the stablecoins go straight into your own wallet.
The official documentation says customers have access to more than 175 payment methods across more than 190 countries, with smart routing that matches each customer to the best option for their region, amount and preference. The methods include credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer (ACH, SEPA and local equivalents) and RevolutPay, whichever are actually available where the customer is.
2. Which chain each of the three providers settles on
The official documentation lists three methods. Each is enabled separately and settles on different chains and coins:
| Provider | You receive on | Coins |
|---|---|---|
| PayRam Wallet | Base | USDC, ETH |
| Changelly | Ethereum | USDC, ETH |
| Wert | Ethereum | ETH, USDC, USDT |
| Base | ETH, USDC | |
| Polygon | USDC, USDT, POL |
Before enabling a method, make sure the chain it settles on is enabled in your project. For example, if you only enabled Polygon you cannot use a provider that settles only on Base. Also, the card channel is available on mainnet only. On testnet, stablecoin purchases cannot be completed.
3. Who completes KYC
| Who | Required? |
|---|---|
| Merchant (enabling the card channel) | No KYC / KYB |
| Customer (first purchase with fiat) | A one-time basic KYC check with the provider, after which paying takes fewer steps |
| Customer paying directly in stablecoins | Not affected, and does not go through this flow |
The customer's verification is carried out by the third-party provider and is not information the merchant collects. For the full meaning of "no KYC" and what you remain responsible for, see what a no-KYC payment gateway means.
4. How fees work
- According to the official documentation, PayRam applies no additional fees or markups on onramp transactions.
- All onramp-related charges are applied directly by the third-party providers, and what the customer sees at checkout is authoritative.
- Provider fees, available regions and limits are decided by the provider and can change.
- How PayRamHost's service fee applies to payments through the fiat channel is as confirmed in writing at onboarding.
Merchants can also choose to sponsor gas for customers, which lowers the barrier to paying and improves conversion.
5. How a merchant enables it
- In the dashboard go to Settings → Payment Channels.
- Click Activate next to Cards, then click Activate again in the pop-up. It is enabled immediately. If you cannot find this entry in the dashboard, contact us.
- Confirm that the network the provider settles on is enabled.
- Create a payment link as usual. The customer sees the fiat option on the payment page.
The detailed steps are in the merchant guide.
6. Limits and things to watch
- Not available everywhere. If a customer's region is not covered, they can first buy USDC on an exchange or in a wallet app and then pay directly in stablecoins.
- Mainnet only. Stablecoin purchases cannot be completed on testnet, so verify the card channel in your live environment.
- The provider decides the coin. Through the card channel you mainly receive USDC and ETH, and some providers also support USDT and POL. You cannot pick any coin you like.
- The customer faces a hurdle. A first purchase needs KYC, which means a few more steps than sending stablecoins directly. Tell customers in advance.
7. FAQ
Can a customer without a crypto wallet pay?
Yes. The system creates a self-custodial wallet for the customer automatically, and the customer completes payment after buying with fiat.
Do I receive fiat or stablecoins?
Stablecoins. The customer pays in fiat, a third-party provider does the conversion and you receive on-chain stablecoins directly in your own wallet.
Is there chargeback risk?
What you receive is stablecoins settled on-chain, so there is no card-style chargeback on your side.
Can I enable cards without accepting crypto?
The card channel is an extra way to pay layered on top of crypto acceptance, so you first need to finish the wallet and contract setup. See the PayRam tutorial.
Related reading
- No-KYC gateway: What "no KYC" means for a crypto payment gateway: PayRam's own definition is that there is no PayRam account to verify, not that you have no compliance obligations. Who does and does not complete KYC, and what you remain responsible for.
- Supported networks and coins: Every network and coin PayRam supports: paying directly in crypto, paying from Solana via a bridge, and paying by card, with what the merchant receives in each case, plus what PayRamHost currently offers.
- PayRam tutorial: A PayRam tutorial for merchants: what PayRam is, self-hosting versus a hosted service, how a payment flows, choosing a chain and coin, five steps to your first USDT / USDC payment, and how to let customers pay by card.