How to Buy Crypto

Mar 14, 2026

3 min read

"Buying crypto" traditionally meant opening an exchange account, going through KYC, waiting for verification, and then withdrawing to a wallet. With on-chain protocols like Relay, once you have any crypto in a wallet, you can swap it for anything else — instantly, without an account, without KYC.

This guide covers how to buy any crypto token from whatever starting asset you have.

What Relay Does

Relay is non-custodial crosschain infrastructure. If you already have any crypto — ETH, USDC, SOL, or anything else — you can use Relay to convert it into any other supported token on any of 85+ chains. The process takes under 3 seconds.

If you're starting from zero (no crypto at all), you'll need to fund your first wallet through a centralised exchange or on-ramp service first. Once you have any crypto in a self-custodial wallet, Relay handles all subsequent swaps.

What You Can Buy

Relay supports hundreds of tokens across 85+ chains, including:

• ETH — Ethereum's native asset, used for gas across the EVM ecosystem
• USDC — Circle's dollar-stablecoin, used widely in DeFi
• SOL — Solana's native token
• USDT — Tether's stablecoin, highest volume stablecoin globally
• WBTC — Wrapped Bitcoin on EVM chains
• Any ERC-20 token on any supported chain

How to Buy Crypto with Relay

Step 1: Go to Relay

Open relay.link in your browser. No account creation or email required.

Step 2: Connect your wallet

Connect any EVM wallet (MetaMask, Rainbow, Coinbase Wallet) or Solana wallet (Phantom, Backpack). Relay is non-custodial — your assets stay in your wallet throughout.

Step 3: Select what you want to receive

Choose the token you're starting from (your current holdings) and select the token you want to buy. Pick the destination chain.

Step 4: Confirm and receive

Review the exact amount you'll receive and confirm. Relay's intent-based execution settles in seconds.

Common Swaps

• ETH → USDC on Base — Move to stablecoins on a low-fee chain
• USDC → ETH on Arbitrum — Get ETH for DeFi without touching a centralised exchange
• SOL → USDC on Ethereum — Move Solana assets to Ethereum DeFi
• ETH on Arbitrum → SOL on Solana — Cross-ecosystem in a single step

Why Use Relay Instead of a Centralised Exchange?

No account required. CEXes require email, KYC, and often days of verification. Relay requires only a wallet.

Non-custodial. On a CEX, the exchange holds your funds. With Relay, you remain in control throughout — assets go from your wallet to your wallet.

Faster for on-chain assets. Once you have any on-chain balance, swapping through Relay is faster than withdrawing from and depositing into a CEX.

Available 24/7 without downtime. On-chain protocols don't have maintenance windows or withdrawal halts.

The trade-off: Relay doesn't accept bank transfers or credit cards. It works with existing on-chain balances. For first-time crypto buyers, a centralised exchange or fiat on-ramp is still the starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy crypto with a credit card on Relay?

Yes. Relay has an onramp service powered by MoonPay.

Do I need to pay fees?

Yes. All swaps have a protocol fee that's included in the quote. What you see before confirming is exactly what you receive.

Is there a minimum buy?

Small amounts (under ~$5) may not route efficiently. There's no effective maximum.

Can I buy obscure tokens?

Relay supports hundreds of tokens. For very small-cap tokens, liquidity may be thin — check that your desired token is listed at relay.link.