Researched and last reviewed September 2026 · Written by the GiftMeCrypto research desk
A perfectly good gifting route if both parties already use the app — in-app transfers are instant and free. Its gift cards are merchant credit rather than crypto, and the recurring 'locked bonus' question is a promotion-terms issue rather than a product fault.
- Best for
- Gifts between existing Crypto.com users
- In-app transfer cost
- Free — no network fee
- External withdrawal
- Normal network fee
- Gift cards
- Merchant credit, not crypto
- Locked bonus
- An unmet promotion condition
Three different products, constantly conflated
Almost all the confusion about Crypto.com in this niche comes from three separate things sharing one brand. Separating them answers most questions immediately.
| Product | What it is | Recipient ends up with |
|---|---|---|
| In-app transfer | Sending crypto to another user | Cryptocurrency |
| External withdrawal | Sending to any wallet address | Cryptocurrency they control |
| Gift cards in the app | Merchant gift cards bought with crypto | Shopping credit, not coins |
| Sign-up / promo credit | A conditional promotional balance | Value, once conditions are met |
Swipe sideways →
App-to-app transfers as a gift
This is the good part. A transfer between Crypto.com users settles inside the platform: instant, no network fee, and no address to copy incorrectly. For a gift between two people who both already use the app, it is genuinely the simplest option available anywhere.
- Confirm the recipient uses the app If they do not, this route is not available and a gift card code is a better shape.
- Choose the asset and amount Consider a stablecoin if the recipient is new and volatility would be unwelcome.
- Send in-app Instant, free, and confirmable by both parties immediately.
- Send the cost-basis note separately Asset, amount, your acquisition date and cost, the gift date. Nothing in the app records this for the recipient.
For a recipient outside the platform, withdrawing to their wallet address works normally — send a small test amount first, and choose a cheap network. See our network guide.
What its gift cards actually are
Crypto.com's in-app gift cards are merchant gift cards — retail, food and travel brands you buy with cryptocurrency. They belong in the same category as everything in our gift-card hub, and the recipient receives shopping credit rather than coins.
They are worth knowing about and rarely worth choosing over a dedicated platform:
- Smaller catalogue than Bitrefill or Coinsbee
- No standing rebate comparable to Bitrefill's sats-back
- Regional availability varies more than on dedicated platforms
- Account and verification required, so no no-KYC option
If you already hold funds in the app and the brand you want is there, it is convenient. If you are choosing where to buy a gift card with crypto from scratch, our platform reviews point elsewhere.
The locked bonus, explained
"Crypto.com sign up bonus locked" is one of the most searched phrases in this niche, so here is the mechanism rather than speculation.
What to do about it, in order:
- Find the terms of the specific promotion you signed up under — not a general help page. The condition will be named there.
- Check the deadline. Many promotional credits expire if the condition is not met within a stated window.
- Price the condition. If unlocking a $25 credit requires trading volume that costs $30 in fees, the credit is not worth unlocking.
- Contact support with the promotion name if the terms are genuinely unclear. Support cannot waive a condition, but it can tell you which one applies.
The volume of searching around the locked bonus tells you something useful about promotional design across this whole industry. A credit displayed as a balance before its conditions are met reads to most people as money they own, and then feels like money being withheld. Technically everything was disclosed; in practice it generates a large amount of avoidable frustration.
The habit I would recommend for any exchange promotion, not just this one: before signing up, find the qualifying condition and write down what it will cost you to satisfy. Half the time the answer makes the bonus not worth pursuing, and knowing that in advance is worth more than the bonus.