Deposit crypto

Cryptocurrency is digital money that lives on a public network instead of inside a bank. You don't get a paper bill or a bank statement; instead you get a wallet address and a private key that proves you own the coins.

There are two main ways people hold crypto:

• Exchange accounts: an online service (like a crypto broker) holds the coins for you. Easy to use, but the company controls the keys.
• Non-custodial wallets: an app on your phone or computer that stores the keys locally. You fully control the funds, but you're also fully responsible for backups.

To deposit at QuiKash you just need some crypto in a wallet you control. The steps below walk you through both common paths.

This is the path most newcomers take. You sign up on a regulated exchange, verify your identity, pay in with a bank transfer or card, and buy crypto at the current market price. Fees are usually low and the experience is pretty polished.

1. Pick a regulated exchange available in your country. Well-known options include Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, Bitstamp and Gemini. Do your own research and check user reviews.
2. Create an account and verify your identity (KYC). You'll upload an ID document and a selfie. This usually takes a few minutes, sometimes a day or two.
3. Deposit local currency via bank transfer (SEPA, ACH, Faster Payments) or a debit/credit card. Bank transfers are cheaper, cards are faster.
4. Buy the crypto you want. Any of BTC, ETH, SOL, LTC or BNB will work on QuiKash. If you're not sure, SOL and LTC have lower network fees.
5. Move it to a wallet you control (recommended). Install a non-custodial wallet (Phantom for SOL, MetaMask for ETH and BNB Chain, Electrum for BTC, Litecoin Core for LTC) and send the coins from the exchange to your wallet address.
6. You're ready to deposit. Skip ahead to "How to deposit once you have crypto" below.

Tip: always send a small test amount first when moving coins between a new wallet and an exchange. If it arrives, send the rest.

If you'd rather not hand over ID documents, you can buy crypto peer-to-peer or swap between coins on a decentralized exchange. It's a bit more work, fees are usually higher, and you get less consumer protection, so be careful and only risk what you can afford to lose.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces

• Bisq: a desktop app that matches buyers and sellers of Bitcoin directly. Payments happen off-chain (bank transfer, cash, gift cards), and the trade is locked by a multi-signature escrow on Bitcoin itself.
• Hodl Hodl: a browser-based non-custodial P2P marketplace for Bitcoin. Again, escrow is enforced on-chain; the platform never holds your coins.
• AgoraDesk / LocalMonero: P2P for BTC and Monero with a wider selection of payment methods. Good if Bisq doesn't cover your region.
• LocalBitcoins is shut down. Don't use copycat domains claiming to be it. Treat any "LocalBitcoins" result with extreme suspicion.

Decentralized exchanges (DEXs)

DEXs only work if you already own some crypto on a wallet. They let you swap one coin for another without an account. Useful if you want to convert, say, some ETH into SOL without going through a centralized exchange.

• Uniswap: swap ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum. Connect your MetaMask, pick the pair, confirm the transaction.
• Jupiter: aggregated SOL swaps. Connect Phantom and pick the best route.
• PancakeSwap: equivalent on BNB Chain if you want to swap into BNB.

Things to watch out for

• No chargebacks. If you're scammed on a P2P trade, you usually can't get your money back.
• Higher spreads and fees than regulated exchanges.
• Verify trader reputation (number of trades, rating) before committing.
• Never share a seed phrase, never sign a transaction you don't understand, and always double-check the receiving address.