30 COUNTRIES CRYPTO NATIVE
Strike and crypto
Lightning-Network-native fiat-to-Bitcoin rail
The verdict
7.5 / 10 · CONSIDER
Strike (Chicago, founded 2020) is a Lightning-Network-native app — buy BTC instantly with USD/EUR/USDT, send via Lightning. Pioneered Bitcoin Lightning-Network adoption; founder Jack Mallers was a vocal advocate of El Salvador's Bitcoin legal-tender rollout in 2021 (the country's Chivo Wallet was built by AlphaPoint, not Strike). Integrated as a Lightning rail by Cash App and Twitter (legacy).
◆ BUY IT IF
- Lightning-Network native — instant + free transfers
- Lightning-Network production-tested (Cash App + Strike-API B2B)
- Free fiat-to-BTC buy (no spread on USD)
- Powers cross-border remittance corridors
◇ SKIP IT IF
- BTC-only (no altcoins, no stablecoins beyond USDT)
- Lightning UX still requires user education
- Limited markets (US, UK, EU, LATAM, AFRICA)
- Smaller scale than Cash App
§ 01 SCORE BREAKDOWN
Five axes, weighted.
DIMENSION WEIGHT RATING SCORE
Crypto support
Native · 2 assets
Coverage
30 countries
Fees
Lightning-Network native — sub-cent transaction fees. Fee structure is published in-app and can change.
Speed
Instant transfers supported
Trust & safety
FinCEN MSB. State Money Transmitter Licences in 35+ states. EU operations under Lithuanian VASP licence.
§ 02 SPECIFICATIONS
Everything, in one table.
Coverage
- Countries
- 30
- Strong regions
- LATAM, AFRICA
- Weak regions
- GCC
Crypto features
- Buy / sell
- Yes
- Withdraw to wallet
- Yes
- Merchant payments
- Yes
- Supported assets
- BTC, USDT
Fees
- Friends & family
- Free via Lightning
- Receiving
- Free
- Currency conversion
- Mid-market FX (no spread on USD-BTC)
Speed
- Typical transfer
- Instant via Lightning; fiat 1-3 days
- Instant transfer
- Yes
- Crypto settlement
- Instant
§ 03 FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Strike support crypto? +
Yes, Strike supports crypto. You can buy and sell BTC, USDT directly. Withdrawals to external wallets are supported.
How many countries is Strike available in? +
Strike is available in 30 countries. Strong regions include: LATAM, AFRICA. It has limited availability in: GCC.
What are Strike's fees for sending money? +
Send to friends/family: Free via Lightning. Receiving: Free. Currency conversion: Mid-market FX (no spread on USD-BTC). Lightning-Network native — sub-cent transaction fees. Fee structure is published in-app and can change.
How fast are Strike transfers? +
Strike offers instant transfers in most cases. Crypto settlement: Instant.