Crypto still needs a bit of maturing to do before it serves as a go to option in situations like these. Am glad you found an alternative with the Big banks anyway. There is too much hassle involved with not having a financial identity in a foreign land
"financial identity in a foreign land" is a great way of putting it. I had been just using my Thai banks when I first moved here but this was during a time when I wasn't sure if my time here was going to be permanent or not. Crypto is alive and well here but it is forbidden to accept it as payment. Trading and liquidating is perfectly ok though and I have made transfers to and from my banks here without anyone so much as even asking a question about it. So that's a start!