Single Euro Payments Area transfer. Used across Europe for standard bank transfers.
Transfer speed: 1-2 business days
Available in: FR, DE, IT, ES, UK
Kraken, Coinbase, Binance, Gemini, and Crypto.com all support SEPA-based EUR deposits in supported European countries. The key is to follow the IBAN and reference instructions exactly, since many exchanges auto-match on the reference.
Standard SEPA credit transfers commonly take 1 to 2 business days, then trading is available once credited. If you send late in the day or before a weekend, "1 day" can feel like 2 to 3 calendar days.
SEPA limits are exchange-defined and typically tied to your verification level. Gemini documents that limits vary by tier, and other exchanges show your EUR deposit caps inside the funding screen.
Missing the reference code is the big one, followed by sending from a third-party account and getting bounced by bank beneficiary checks. Some exchanges also require the sending bank account name to match your verified identity.
Use SEPA Instant if you want near-real-time funding and your exchange supports it. Use standard SEPA when cost is the priority or your bank does not support SEPA Instant to that recipient.