Strike charges ~0.3% to buy Bitcoin and supports full Lightning Network payments. Here's who should use it — and how it compares to Cash App and River.
Strike is a Bitcoin-only financial app built on the Lightning Network. Founded by Jack Mallers in 2019, Strike does something most financial apps don't: it makes Bitcoin instant, cheap, and practical for everyday payments — not just investment.
If you've thought of Bitcoin as too slow and expensive for daily use, Strike demonstrates what's possible when you build on Lightning.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 |
| CEO | Jack Mallers |
| Focus | Bitcoin payments + Lightning |
| US Available | Yes (48 states) |
| International | 100+ countries |
| Buy Bitcoin Fee | ~0.3% |
| Lightning Payments | Instant, near-zero fee |
| SWIFT/ACH | Yes (bank-linked) |
| Self-custody | No (custodial) |
| Our Rating | 4.5 / 5 |
Strike isn't primarily an exchange where you speculate on price. It's a payments network built on Bitcoin and Lightning. The distinction matters:
Traditional Bitcoin exchange: You buy Bitcoin, it sits in your account, you might sell it later. The focus is price.
Strike: You use Bitcoin as rails for moving value. Strike lets you send dollars to someone, who receives them in their local currency — with Bitcoin handling the settlement underneath. The recipient never needs to touch Bitcoin.
This makes Strike useful in ways most Bitcoin apps aren't: international remittances, merchant payments, and Lightning-native apps.
Strike supports the Lightning Network natively. You can:
username@strike.me) to receive paymentsLightning fees on Strike are near-zero — typically a few satoshis per transaction, regardless of amount. Sending $100 via Lightning on Strike costs less than a penny.
Strike charges approximately 0.3% on Bitcoin purchases — making it one of the cheapest places to buy Bitcoin in the US for retail-sized purchases.
Fee comparison for buying Bitcoin:
| Platform | Buy Bitcoin Fee |
|---|---|
| Strike | ~0.3% |
| River | 0.2% (recurring only) |
| Cash App | ~1.5-2% (spread) |
| Coinbase Basic | 1.49% |
| Gemini Basic | 1.49% |
| Bitcoin ATM | 10-20% |
For small, frequent purchases — the kind of DCA strategy many Bitcoiners run — Strike's 0.3% fee is excellent. River is slightly cheaper at 0.2% for recurring buys, but Strike wins on Lightning integration and broader payment utility.
This is Strike's killer feature. Strike enables near-instant, near-free international money transfers using Bitcoin as settlement rails.
How it works:
For comparison, Western Union charges 3-8% for international transfers and takes 1-5 business days. Wire transfers can cost $25-45 flat.
Strike processes remittances to 100+ countries. For the global Bitcoin community — and for anyone sending money internationally — this is a compelling value proposition.
Strike offers a business product (Strike Business) that allows merchants to:
Point of sale: Strike integrates with Square and Shopify for in-person and online merchants. This is how Bitcoin payments have started appearing at physical retail — the merchant sees USD, the customer pays with Bitcoin or Lightning.
No self-custody. Strike holds your Bitcoin. Your funds are in Strike's custody, not your own keys. If you want to truly own your Bitcoin, withdraw to a hardware wallet.
No altcoins. Bitcoin and Lightning only. No Ethereum, no staking, no DeFi.
Not a savings vehicle. Strike is built for movement — paying, sending, receiving. It's not designed for long-term storage. The right flow: buy on Strike → transfer to cold storage (Coldcard, Foundation Passport) for holding.
Not in all US states. Strike isn't available in Hawaii or New York (the usual suspects for regulatory holdouts).
No debit card. Unlike Coinbase or Gemini, Strike doesn't offer a Bitcoin rewards card. You can't spend from Strike at arbitrary merchants — it's Lightning-first.
Cash App is Strike's most direct competitor for casual Bitcoin buyers in the US. Both are mobile-first, both sell Bitcoin.
| Feature | Strike | Cash App |
|---|---|---|
| Buy Bitcoin fee | ~0.3% | ~1.5-2% (spread) |
| Lightning support | Full | Basic (receive only) |
| International transfers | Yes (100+ countries) | US-only |
| Self-custody withdrawal | Yes | Yes |
| Altcoins | No | Yes (limited) |
| Debit card | No | Yes (Cash App Card) |
| Stock trading | No | Yes |
| Focus | Bitcoin payments | General fintech |
For a committed Bitcoin buyer, Strike wins on price (0.3% vs ~1.5-2%) and Lightning capability. Cash App wins on breadth — it's a general financial app with more features.
Both are Bitcoin-only apps with serious Lightning support. The comparison:
| Feature | Strike | River |
|---|---|---|
| DCA fee | ~0.3% | 0.2% |
| Lightning | Full (send + receive) | Full |
| International | Yes | US only |
| Bitcoin mining | No | Yes |
| Business product | Yes | Limited |
| Limit orders | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2019 | 2019 |
For US-based DCA buyers, River's 0.2% is cheaper. Strike wins for international use and business payments. Read our full River review for the detailed comparison.
Strike is a licensed money services business with state money transmission licenses. As of 2026, no security breaches or significant incidents have been publicly reported.
However, remember: Strike is custodial. Not your keys, not your coins. For amounts you're holding long-term, move Bitcoin to self-custody. Strike is best treated as a payment layer — money flows in, Lightning moves it, and anything you're saving moves to cold storage.
Jack Mallers is one of the most recognizable figures in Bitcoin. He's been a regular at major Bitcoin conferences (Bitcoin Magazine, Bitcoin Miami), has appeared on mainstream financial media, and has made bold predictions about Bitcoin price.
Mallers' public persona is polarizing — his confident style attracts fans and critics equally. But the product he's built is substantive: Strike's Lightning integration, international remittances, and fee structure are genuinely best-in-class.
Strike is the best Bitcoin payments app available. Its 0.3% buy fee, full Lightning Network support, and international remittance capability put it ahead of everything else in its category.
The limitations are real: custodial (don't store savings here), not in all states, no card product, no limit orders for active traders. But within its focus — moving money with Bitcoin and Lightning — Strike executes better than anyone.
Strike is the right choice if:
Use alternatives if:
Is Strike safe? Strike is a licensed MSB with a clean track record as of 2026. It's custodial, which means Strike holds your Bitcoin — not you. For safety, withdraw to a hardware wallet rather than holding large amounts in Strike long-term.
What is Strike's fee for buying Bitcoin? Approximately 0.3% — one of the lowest in the US market for retail Bitcoin purchases. Some Bitcoin-only competitors like River are slightly cheaper at 0.2% for recurring buys.
Can I use Strike outside the US? Yes. Strike is available in 100+ countries for international transfers. Availability for buying Bitcoin directly varies by country. The international remittance feature (USD → local currency via Bitcoin rails) is the primary international use case.
Does Strike support Lightning?
Fully. Strike supports sending and receiving Lightning payments, has native Lightning addresses (username@strike.me), and can pay any Lightning invoice. This is a core differentiator vs. other retail apps.
Is Strike Bitcoin-only? Yes. Strike supports Bitcoin and Lightning only — no Ethereum, no altcoins, no staking, no DeFi. This is by design.
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