How to Buy Crypto with a Bank Transfer

Key Takeaways

• Bank transfers follow banking cutoffs, processing windows, and intermediary banks, so “sent” doesn’t mean “received.”
• If the amount arrives lower than you sent, it’s usually because a bank or intermediary fee was taken along the route.
• Funding your KAST balance is easiest when you treat it like a normal bank transfer and follow the deposit details in the app exactly.

If your money is already in a bank account, you’re already set. You don’t need to move it somewhere else first. You just send it.

But when you hit “send,” things don’t always play out the way you expect.

You expect the balance to update quickly and for the full amount to show up. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn’t. So you check the app. Then your bank. Then back to the app, trying to figure out where the delay is coming from.

Here’s what’s actually happening.

Funding your crypto balance from a bank account runs on normal banking rules. Cutoff times, processing windows, and intermediary banks all play a role. The transfer moves through those steps before it reaches your balance.

At this stage, everything is still happening inside the banking system. That’s why transfers pause around weekends, why timing shifts depending on when you send, and why the final amount can be slightly lower if fees were taken along the way.

Once you account for that, the process becomes predictable.

This guide focuses on funding your KAST balance from your bank account. That’s what controls when your balance updates and what you can spend. It also covers what happens when you move crypto back to a bank account and how card spending works, so you’re not left guessing.

How to Fund Your Crypto Balance From Your Bank Account

Your account balance is what you actually spend from. Once the bank transfer lands, your account balance updates automatically.

How the Transfer Works

You start by getting the correct deposit details inside the app. That’s the account information you’ll send to.

Then you initiate a bank transfer from your bank using those details. After that, you wait. Banks process transfers in windows, not continuously.

Once the transfer clears, your balance updates. Your spending limit follows immediately.

Most of the confusion stems from that waiting period. The transfer is moving through the bank’s process, even though it seems like nothing is happening.

Why Transfers Don’t Always Match Your Expectations

When you send money, you expect it to show up quickly and for the full amount to arrive.

Here’s what actually happens.

If your bank says “sent,” that means the transfer left your account. It doesn’t mean the receiving side has processed it yet. If you sent it late in the day or on a weekend, it waits for the next processing window.

If the final amount is less than what you sent, it is usually because of fees from intermediary banks or your own bank. The platform rarely changes the amount on arrival. Somewhere along the chain, a fee was applied.

If it’s your first time sending to that destination, banks often run extra checks. New beneficiary, new route, larger amount than usual. All of those can slow things down slightly. After that, future transfers tend to move faster.

Choosing the Right Funding Method

Even if the interface shows one simple option, there are different rails underneath.

If you want consistency, use a bank transfer. It takes longer than onchain transfers, but it behaves in a predictable way. You know what to expect, and it usually doesn’t change.

If you want speed, stablecoins are faster. You control when you send, and it can arrive quickly. That also means you need to get every detail right. Network selection matters. One wrong choice and the funds don’t land where you expected.

Most people use bank transfers when they’re moving money out of their everyday account and into crypto for the first time. It’s slower, but straightforward.

How to Move Money From Your Bank Account Into KAST

This is the simplest way to do it:

• Your bank sends money to the KAST deposit details you see in the app.
• KAST credits your balance once the bank transfer clears.
• Your card spending limit updates automatically from that balance.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open KAST → Add funds / Deposit → Bank transfer.
2. Choose the rail shown for you (for example: local transfer, ACH, SEPA, SWIFT). The rail determines the timeline and possible intermediary fees.
3. Copy the deposit details exactly (beneficiary name, account/IBAN, routing/SWIFT, and the reference/memo if one is provided).
4. Initiate the transfer from your bank using those details.
5. Wait for the bank processing window to complete. “Sent” at your bank means it left your account — it can still be processing on the receiving side.

If your transfer is delayed, the most common reasons are: cutoff time, weekends/holidays, first-time beneficiary checks, or an intermediary bank in the route.

Where the Fees Come From

You’re not dealing with a single fee here. A few different parts of the transfer can each take one.

You might see a receiving fee depending on the rail. Your bank can charge a transfer fee. Intermediary banks sometimes take a cut, especially on international routes. Local systems may apply their own charges depending on the region.

If the final amount is slightly lower than what you sent, assume a banking layer applied a fee. That’s the most common explanation.

KAST charges $2 for an ACH deposit and $15 for a FedWire deposit. As for local deposits, ARS and SPEI transfers have a 0% fee, while PIX transfers have a 1% fee.

Quick Checks Before You Start Troubleshooting

If something looks off, run through this quickly.

Make sure you used the exact deposit details shown in the app. Double check the rail your bank used, since domestic and international transfers behave differently. Look at the timing. If you sent it near a cutoff or outside business hours, it’s likely waiting for the next window.

If it’s your first transfer to that destination, expect additional checks. And finally, check your bank confirmation for any mention of fees or intermediaries.

Most issues come down to timing and fee stacking, rather than anything not working as intended.

Route 2: Moving Stablecoins to a Bank Account

This isn’t part of funding from a bank, but it’s worth clearing up.

When you want stablecoins to end up in a bank account, two things happen. First, the stablecoins is converted into fiat. Then that fiat is sent through bank rails.

Banks don’t receive stablecoins. They receive fiat currencies.

Once you keep that in mind, the process becomes straightforward.

Route 3: Spending With a Crypto Funded Card

When you spend using a crypto card funded by stablecoins, the flow stays simple.

You fund your balance with crypto behind the scenes. The card payment runs on standard card rails. The merchant receives fiat like any other card transaction.

If a payment shows as pending, that’s due to authorization and settlement timing. The transaction is approved first, then finalized later. That gap is part of how card systems work.

What to Keep in Mind Before You Hit Send

If your goal is to move money from your bank into crypto, focus on one thing. Treat it like a bank transfer.

That means paying attention to timing, understanding that transfers process in windows, and expecting fees to come from different points along the way.

Once you do that, the process stops surprising you.

You send the transfer. You know roughly when it will arrive. You understand why the amount might differ slightly.

And most importantly, you stop guessing what’s happening in the background.