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Crypto network guide
The Internet Computer, Explained
Quick answer
The Internet Computer (ICP) is DFINITY's network for running full applications — front ends included — entirely on-chain in 'canisters.' Launched May 2021, it uses a reverse-gas model where apps pre-pay computation in cycles, so users transact without fees. ICP is the asset that funds it all.
Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Anytime Capital trading desk
Internet Computer at a glance
- Launched
- 2021
- Consensus
- Proof of Stake variant (chain-key cryptography across subnets)
- Block time
- ~1 second per subnet
- Typical transfer time
- Under 1 minute
- Typical network fee
- Under a cent – cents
- Native asset
- Internet Computer (ICP)
Network fee: A flat 0.0001 ICP per ledger transfer — fractions of a cent. Third-party network figures, not Anytime Capital pricing — our pricing is on the fees & limits page.
How long does a Internet Computer transfer take?
ICP ledger transfers finalize in about 1–2 seconds. Exchange deposits use long hexadecimal account identifiers and credit within minutes; the network itself is never the wait.
Compare every chain on one page: how long crypto transfers take on every major network.
Apps that live entirely on-chain
Every other major chain hosts contracts while front ends live on ordinary web servers. The Internet Computer's canisters serve the whole application — logic, data, even the web page — from the network itself, addressed by chain-key cryptography that lets a single public key validate the entire system. It's the most architecturally ambitious design among major networks, and the least like the others.
Reverse gas: users don't pay
On ICP, applications pre-purchase computation as 'cycles' (minted by burning ICP, priced stably against a fiat basket), so end users interact without paying per-transaction fees. Ledger transfers of ICP itself cost a flat 0.0001 ICP. For consumers the takeaway: no gas anxiety, and the burn side of cycles ties network usage to ICP's supply.
Chain-key Bitcoin and the twins
ICP's chain-key cryptography lets the protocol itself custody assets from other chains: ckBTC and ckUSDC are on-ICP twins of Bitcoin and Ethereum-USDC, redeemable 1:1, held by the network's threshold cryptography rather than a custodial bridge company. They're the safest form of bridged asset design — while still being representations, not native issuance. For plain dollar transfers between platforms, native stablecoin rails remain the standard.
Stablecoins on Internet Computer
| Stablecoin | Standard | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} USDCckUSDC | Chain-key twin | Supported | ckUSDC is the Internet Computer's cryptographic twin of Ethereum USDC — held by the protocol, not a custodial bridge; still not Circle-native issuance |
What does a Internet Computer address look like?
| Format | Looks like | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Account identifier | 64 hex characters | What exchanges use for ICP deposits |
| Principal ID | Dashed groups, e.g. xxxxx-xxxxx-… | The identity format used inside apps and modern wallets |
Buy ICP or stablecoins on Internet Computer — the #1 place to buy crypto with a debit card, wire, Apple Pay & more
Anytime Capital is a US-based money services business with thousands of customers. Debit and credit cards from every major US bank work here, verification takes minutes, and delivery goes straight to the Internet Computer address you choose.
- Wire transfer
- Cash in person
Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value. Availability and limits subject to identity verification and compliance review.
Internet Computer network questions
About ICP
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