On/Off-Ramp
An on-ramp converts fiat currency into crypto; an off-ramp converts crypto back into fiat. Together they are the bridge between the banking system and blockchain networks, and they are the exact point where a crypto business most needs, and most often loses, a banking relationship.
Fiat on/off-ramps are where crypto flow meets the bank, and it is precisely here that de-risking bites: a bank uncomfortable with crypto exposure will close the account that clears these flows. Structuring on/off-ramp banking with a VASP-aware provider is what keeps the fiat side of a crypto business running.
A Virtual Asset Service Provider is a business registered or licensed to exchange, custody, or transfer crypto assets on behalf of customers, a classification introduced by the FATF Travel Rule and adopted into national registration regimes across most jurisdictions that touch fiat rails.
The Travel Rule is a FATF requirement that obliges virtual asset service providers to collect and pass on originator and beneficiary information alongside crypto transfers above a set threshold, mirroring the data long required for traditional wire transfers under FATF Recommendation 16.
Chain analytics is the analysis of blockchain transactions to trace the origin, destination, and risk of crypto funds, using tools that score wallets and flag exposure to sanctioned addresses, mixers, or illicit sources.
Correspondent banking is the arrangement where one bank holds accounts for and executes payments on behalf of another bank, usually to reach currencies or jurisdictions the first bank cannot access directly.