Ramp Protocol

Definition:

Ramp Network (formerly Ramp Protocol, not to be confused with blockchain DeFi products named “Ramp”) is a fintech infrastructure company founded in 2018 in London that provides fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat payment infrastructure for Web3 businesses — offering a developer-facing SDK and embedded widget that enables wallets, exchanges, DeFi applications, and blockchain games to integrate crypto purchasing for their users without handling payments, KYC, or regulatory compliance themselves, operating in 150+ countries with support for debit/credit cards, bank transfers, Apple Pay, and regional payment methods, with particular strength in European SEPA Instant rails enabling near-real-time bank transfers. Ramp distinguishes itself in the competitive on-ramp market through API-first design, competitive fee structures for bank transfers, and its use of open banking in European markets.


Background and Founding

Founding: Ramp Network was founded in 2018 by Szymon Sypniewicz and Przemek Kowalczyk in Warsaw, Poland, with a London headquarters.

Name distinction: The product is now consistently branded as “Ramp Network” (ramp.network) to distinguish it from:

  • Ramp Protocol (an older DeFi protocol on Polygon for token-backed stablecoin loans, unrelated company)
  • “Ramp” used as a common noun for on-ramp services generally

Funding:

  • Raised approximately $53M in funding through multiple rounds (2019–2022)
  • Investors include Balderton Capital, Seedcamp, and others

Core Products

Ramp Onramp (SDK):

An embeddable widget and JavaScript SDK enabling users to purchase crypto within any Web3 application. Integration requires a few lines of code; Ramp handles the entire user flow:

  • KYC verification (document upload, selfie)
  • Payment processing (card, bank transfer, Apple/Google Pay)
  • Crypto delivery to specified wallet address
  • Fraud screening and compliance flagging

Ramp Offramp:

Allows users to sell crypto and receive fiat via bank transfer. Particularly strong in European markets where SEPA Instant provides near-real-time settlement.

Ramp for Business:

Compliance-as-a-service offering for businesses that want to add crypto payments or conversions to non-crypto applications (corporate treasury, payroll, fintech).


Technical Differentiators

Open banking (PSD2 in Europe):

Ramp uses open banking APIs in Europe to execute bank transfers with fewer intermediaries, enabling:

  • Lower fees than card on-ramps (typically ~0.5–1% for SEPA transfers vs. ~3–5% for cards)
  • SEPA Instant support: transfers settling in under 10 seconds in supported European countries

API-first design:

Ramp offers more granular API control than some competitors, making it popular with developers who want to customize the integration beyond a standard popup widget.

White-label:

Ramp offers white-label branding for enterprise clients where the Ramp brand is not visible to end users.


Supported Scope

Cryptocurrencies:

90+ cryptocurrencies including:

  • Major chains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Optimism
  • Stablecoins: USDC, USDT, DAI
  • Native tokens: for gas funding in supported networks

Countries/regions:

150+ countries — with strongest coverage and bank transfer support in:

  • Europe (SEPA, SEPA Instant)
  • United Kingdom (Faster Payments, Bacs)
  • United States (ACH, card)
  • Brazil (PIX)
  • Additional Asia-Pacific and LatAm markets

Payment methods:

  • Credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard)
  • SEPA / SEPA Instant (Europe)
  • Faster Payments (UK)
  • ACH (USA)
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay
  • Open banking bank authorization flows

Key Integrations

  • Wallets: Trust Wallet, Argent, Stacks wallets, game wallets
  • DeFi: Integrated into multiple DeFi frontends for gas acquisition and initial position entry
  • Blockchain ecosystems: Official on-ramp partner for several Layer-2 networks (featured in their bridge/onboarding documentation)
  • NFT platforms: NFT marketplace checkout in supported regions

Regulatory Compliance

Licenses held:

  • UK FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) registration as a cryptoasset business
  • EU VASP registrations
  • U.S. state money transmitter licenses (expanding coverage)
  • FinCEN MSB registration (USA)

The Warsaw/London dual-HQ structure provides EU market access (post-Brexit EU entity) while maintaining UK FCA standing.


Competitive Positioning

Ramp occupies a similar market position to MoonPay and Transak but with specific advantages:

Advantage Description
European bank transfer rates Lowest card alternatives in SEPA area
SEPA Instant Near-real-time bank transfers in Europe
Open banking PSD2 bank authorization — less friction than card entry
API control More granular developer customization
Transparent fees Fee structure clearly disclosed in documentation

Fee structure:

  • Debit card: ~3.9% (varies by region)
  • Credit card: ~4.9%
  • Bank transfer (SEPA/ACH): ~0.5–1% base + spread
  • Fees are disclosed to users before transaction completion

Related Terms


Sources

Last updated: 2026-04