Instant purchases using your bank debit card. Higher fees but immediate.
Transfer speed: Instant
Available in: US, UK, AU, CA
Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, Crypto.com, and Gemini all support card purchases in many regions, usually with 3DS or issuer verification. Availability depends on your country, and some banks block exchange MCCs even if the exchange supports cards.
Card buys are close to instant for trading once approved, but many exchanges apply withdrawal friction on newly purchased funds to manage chargeback risk. Kraken explicitly applies time-based withdrawal holds for certain funding methods and scenarios.
Card limits are typically lower than bank transfer limits and vary by exchange, region, and verification tier. Gemini publishes limits by tier, and most exchanges show your card caps at checkout before you confirm.
Issuer declines (risk controls), failed 3DS challenges, and cards being treated like cash advances are the big three. If your bank blocks that merchant category, switching to a bank transfer method is usually the fix.
Use debit card if you need instant exposure and can stomach higher fees and higher decline risk. Use bank transfer if you want better reliability, higher limits, and fewer "payment failed" loops.