Frequently Asked Questions

Individuals

Getting Started

What is Beam and how does it work?
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Beam is a payments solution enabling individuals to quickly convert selected cryptocurrencies and stablecoins to US dollars and receive those funds in a personal bank account or debit card.

How it works:

  • Sign up for an account and complete onboarding steps, including identity verification, wallet screening.
  • Connect your bank account or debit card.
  • Cash out directly from the Beam app or send supported crypto assets to the Beam address we provide you.
  • We convert your crypto into cash and deposit it in your bank account or debit card.
Who can use Beam?
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Any individuals residing in our supported regions (see below!) with an SSN.

What regions do you support?
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We currently support users residing in all states within the US, except: New York, Louisiana, and Alaska. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to expand coverage! 

What do I need in order to use Beam?
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To cash out with Beam, you’ll need crypto stored in a wallet. You can then off-ramp your crypto to your saved payout destination, either a US bank account or Visa or Mastercard debit card.

Can I sign my business up?
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We are currently accepting a limited number of businesses for our beta launch. If you have interest in being added to the waitlist for your business, please fill out our Beam for Business waitlist form or drop us a line at [email protected].

Why do I need to provide my crypto wallet address?
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We will perform a quick screening of the sending wallet address for each transaction. 

Why use Beam versus an exchange?
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Using Beam is fast, secure, and seamless, and in many cases, cheaper than using an exchange.

  • Fast: cash-outs are near instantaneous
  • Seamless: after signing up and onboarding for the first time, cashing out takes just one step - sending crypto to your Beam address
  • Secure: we perform KYC and wallet screening to ensure all deposits are safe and work with licensed, US-based partners for custody, liquidity, and settlement to ensure all deposits are secure at every step of the transaction
  • Cheaper: transaction fees of 3% for crypto, 1% for stablecoins are well-below most alternatives
Do you offer on-ramp?
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This is not open to the public just yet, but is coming soon! Stay tuned for updates.

How do I change my payout destination?
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In the Beam app, navigate to the “Bank Account” section and add a new bank account or debit card. Make sure to toggle “prefered” for the account or debit card you’d like to use as your default.

Onboarding

How do I create an account?
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Why do I have to verify my identity? 
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Identity verification, or Know Your Customer (KYC), standards are designed to protect against fraud, corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing. Compliance is a fundamental pillar of the Beam platform and KYC is just one of the measures we have in place to ensure our platform remains as safe and secure as possible. 

What information will I need to provide to verify my identity? 
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We will ask for: Name, Birthdate, Address, SSN. We work with an accredited verification partner, Persona, to run the KYC screening. In some cases, we may require an uploaded government-issued ID or selfie if the previous information doesn’t authenticate upon first submission.

How do I know that my data is safe? 
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Your PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is encrypted and/or tokenized. Your data will not be used for any purposes outside of identity and transaction verification. You can learn more in our Privacy Policy.

Cashing Out

What chains and assets do you support?
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Chains we support: Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche, Bitcoin, Arbitrum, Ripple, Stellar, Optimism, and Doge

Assets we support on the above chains:

  • MATIC.POLYGON (Native)
  • USDC.POLYGON (Polygon)
  • XLM (Stellar) /USDC.XLM (Stellar)
  • BTC (Bitcoin)
  • SOL (Solana) USDC.SOL (Solana)
  • XRP (Ripple)
  • ETH (Ethereum) / USDC.ETH (Ethereum)
  • MATIC.ETH (Polygon)- DOGE (Dogecoin)
  • AVAX (Avalanche)/ USDC.AVAX (Avalanche)
  • USDC.ARBITRUM (Arbitrum)
  • USDC.OPTIMISM (Optimism)
  • ETH.OPTIMISM (Optimism)

Please note: we support native USDC only (not bridged). For more information about the difference between native and bridged USDC, feel free to reference this article: https://www.circle.com/blog/native-usdc-now-available-on-polygon-pos

Where does my money deposit?
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You have two options: you can choose to cash out to your personal bank account or to a debit card. We currently support Visa and Mastercard debit cards.

How long does it take to cash out?
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This will be near instantaneous for most transactions, but will differ based on your selected method of payment and your bank:

  • Debit card (Visa or Mastercard only): <5 mins
  • Bank Account - if your bank supports RTP: <5 mins
  • Bank Account - if your bank supports ACH only: same day if sent before 4PM ET; on the next business day if sent after 4PM ET
What are the fees?
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We charge a transaction fee of 3% for cryptocurrencies and 1% for stablecoins on each transaction. Gas fees, where applicable, are a separate fee and are estimated within our app when making a transfer.

How does Beam convert the crypto? 
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Behind the scenes, we work with a custodian and liquidity partner, who converts the crypto by selling it. After conversion, we immediately transfer USD to our bank partner. Our bank partner then transfers the deposit to your bank account or debit card, depending on the method of payment you choose.

Will I receive one Beam address for all chains?
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No, you will receive one address for each chain, which you can copy within the app and paste into your wallet of choice to send crypto from the corresponding chain. You can also initiate a cashout directly in the Beam app.

Can I connect multiple payout methods? 
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Yes, you can connect multiple bank accounts and multiple cards. You will see a toggle which indicates which account or card you have selected as your default payment. You can change this at any time.

Do I need to use the app every time I want to cash out?
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No! After you have onboarded onto the app (created your account, verified your identity, and selected your bank or card details), the Beam address we give you can be used separately in your wallet for all future transactions, without needing to return to the Beam app.

What does it mean if the transaction status is In Review?
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Our team is reviewing the transaction in more detail and you will receive an email when it has been approved.

What does it mean if the transaction status is Processing?
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Your transaction is currently being converted and a payment to your destination bank account will be initiated soon.