How to Buy USDT with Apple Pay

How to Buy USDT with Apple Pay

Summary: Apple Pay is one of the fastest ways to fund a USDT purchase, but availability is patchy and the 2% to 4% checkout fee is the real cost to weigh. 

From our testing, Bybit gives you the cleanest Apple Pay experience with a transparent quote before you confirm. Binance and OKX are worth checking if Bybit isn't available in your country, but always verify Apple Pay shows at checkout before you start KYC.

Can I Buy USDT With Apple Pay?

Yes, but you're not buying USDT inside Apple Pay. You're using it as a card checkout on a regulated exchange or fiat on-ramp, then purchasing USDT once the fiat payment clears.

When it fails, it usually looks like this: Face ID approves, then you hit a generic "Payment declined" or get bounced back to the checkout screen. That's your bank or card processor blocking a crypto merchant code, not an Apple Pay issue.

The fix is straightforward. Complete ID verification first, then start with a small test buy before increasing size. If it still fails, try a different card in your Apple Wallet, attempt the same card as a manual entry, or switch to bank transfer if your bank consistently blocks crypto purchases.

How to Buy Tether (USDT) With Apple Pay

One of the best ways to buy Tether (USDT) with Apple Pay is through Bybit. Bybit is available in 160+ countries, has 70M+ registered users, and lists 2,000+ crypto assets, including USDT. 

On Bybit, Apple Pay sits inside the One Click Buy flow. Apple Pay is only the checkout method, the card in your Apple Wallet still approves the charge. If Face ID succeeds but the payment fails, it is usually the issuer or payment processor blocking a crypto merchant.

Step by step guide to buying USDT with Apple Pay on Bybit:

  1. Sign Up: Create a Bybit account and complete identity verification first.
  2. Open One Click Buy: Go to Buy Crypto and enter your spend amount.
  3. Select USDT: Choose USDT as the asset you want to receive.
  4. Select Apple Pay: Pick Apple Pay as the payment method and confirm the supported fiat currency shown on screen.
  5. Buy USDT: Confirm the quote, approve with Face ID or Touch ID, then check One Click Buy history.
Buy Tether (USDT) With Apple Pay

Apple Pay to USDT Fees

Buying USDT with Apple Pay costs more than bank transfer, typically 2% to 4% all-in once you factor in the processor fee and the rate spread. On Bybit, you see the full quote before confirming, so there are no surprises at the end.

Speed is what you're paying for. If the fee matters more than the wait, bank transfer is the cheaper route. Just know that Apple Pay approval still depends on your card issuer, so Face ID completing doesn't guarantee the charge goes through.

Transaction Type
Method
Fee Structure
Notes
Deposit
Apple Pay (Best for speed)
Typically 2% to 4% all in
Includes processor fees plus the Apple Pay checkout rate. Issuer declines are common on first buys.
Deposit
Bank Transfer
0% to low bank fee
Usually the cheapest route, but slower settlement.
Trading
Spot Market
About 0.1%
Trading fee is usually minor compared with Apple Pay checkout costs.
Withdrawal
Crypto Transfer
Variable network fee
Network choice changes cost. Always confirm on the withdrawal screen.
Withdrawal
P2P Sell
0% platform fee on many listings
Your final rate depends on the counterparty spread and payout method.

Apple Pay USDT Policies

Apple Pay is purely a card checkout layer. It doesn't store or send USDT; it just charges your linked Visa or Mastercard via Face ID when an exchange has Apple Pay enabled and approved for crypto transactions. That approval varies by platform and country, which is why some exchanges show the Apple Pay button and others don't.

When a payment fails, treat it like any card decline. Face ID can complete successfully and the charge still gets rejected because your card issuer or the processor is blocking the crypto merchant code. 

Apple's own guidance confirms that declines are the issuer's call, not Apple's. The fix is usually a different card, a smaller opening purchase to test the limit, or switching to bank transfer if your bank consistently blocks it.

Best USDT Exchanges That Support Apple Pay

Apple Pay support is inconsistent across exchanges and can change by country and payment partner. Before you complete verification, open the Buy Crypto screen and confirm Apple Pay is actually available as a payment method for your fiat currency.

The table below compares top exchanges for buying USDT with Apple Pay, focusing on checkout availability, fees, verification friction, and core trading features.

Exchange
Trust Score
Supported Cryptocurrencies
Trading Fees
Apple Pay Support
Key Features
Bybit
9.8/10
2,000+
0.10%
Yes (supported regions)
Spot, derivatives, earn, bots, copy trading
Binance
9.6/10
400+
0.10%
Sometimes (depends on provider and country)
Spot, futures, earn, P2P
OKX
9.3/10
250+
Maker 0.08% taker 0.10%
Yes (where supported)
Spot, derivatives, earn, wallet
Coinbase
9.1/10
250+
Varies by product
Yes (where supported)
Simple buy flow, strong compliance, easy withdrawals

Apple Pay USDT Purchase Limits by Exchange

Apple Pay itself doesn't set limits; your exchange verification tier and the payment processor behind the checkout do. Here's how the main exchanges compare:

  • Bybit: Limits tied to KYC tier and shown transparently before you confirm in One Click Buy. Start with a sub-$100 test purchase on a new account, as issuers decline larger first transactions more often.
  • Binance: Verified limits are competitive but vary by country because Apple Pay routes through multiple third-party processors, making the ceiling less predictable.
  • OKX: Requires full KYC before Apple Pay is available via Express Buy. Once verified, limits scale by tier and verification typically completes in under 10 minutes.
  • Coinbase: Clearest limit structure for verified users, with a $25,000 daily deposit cap. Best choice if transparency on limits matters more than speed of access.

If you're buying a meaningful amount, confirm your limit at checkout before completing KYC on a new exchange.

Final Thoughts

Buying USDT with Apple Pay works well when you pick the right exchange and go in with the right expectations. 

The convenience is real, but so is the 2% to 4% cost and the risk of an issuer decline on your first attempt. Our advice: verify your account before you need to buy, run a small test purchase to confirm your card clears, and treat bank transfer as your backup if Apple Pay consistently fails.

If speed matters, Apple Pay is hard to beat. If cost matters more, bank transfer wins every time.

Written by 

Antony Bianco

Head of Research

Antony Bianco, co-founder of Datawallet, is a DeFi expert and active member of the Ethereum community who assist in zero-knowledge proof research for layer 2's. With a Master’s in Computer Science, he has made significant contributions to the crypto ecosystem, working with various DAOs on-chain.