> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payreque.st/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Crypto Payments (USDC)

> Accept USDC payments on the Base network through WalletConnect — zero chargebacks, instant settlement, worldwide reach

# Crypto Payments (USDC)

PayRequest supports **USDC payments on the Base network** — a fast, low-cost stablecoin payment method that works worldwide. Customers pay with USDC from their own wallet and funds go directly to your connected wallet via an on-chain smart contract. No intermediary holds your money.

<Info>
  Crypto payments are available on your payment page alongside your existing payment methods (iDEAL, credit card, bank transfer, etc.). Enable it once in your settings and it appears on all your payment pages automatically.
</Info>

## Why Add Crypto Payments

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Worldwide reach" icon="globe">
    Crypto works everywhere — no country restrictions, no currency conversion issues. Anyone with a wallet on Base can pay you in seconds.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Zero chargebacks" icon="shield-check">
    USDC payments are irreversible once confirmed on-chain. No disputes, no chargeback fees, no refund fraud.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Instant settlement" icon="lightning-bolt">
    Funds arrive in your wallet within seconds of the customer confirming the transaction. No 2–3 day bank delays.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Own your wallet" icon="wallet">
    PayRequest never holds your funds. An on-chain smart contract splits the payment atomically: 98% goes directly to your wallet, 2% covers the platform fee — all in one transaction.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect your wallet">
    Go to **Provider Settings** and find the **Crypto (USDC)** card. Click **Connect Wallet** and scan the QR code with your wallet app (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or any WalletConnect-compatible wallet).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign to verify ownership">
    Your wallet asks you to sign a short message. This confirms you own the wallet address. No gas fee — no transaction is sent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Your wallet is connected">
    You'll see your wallet address displayed with a green **Connected** badge. Crypto is now available as a payment method on all your payment pages.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customers pay with USDC">
    When a customer selects "Pay with Crypto" on your payment page, a WalletConnect QR code appears. They scan it with their wallet, confirm the USDC amount, and the transaction is signed and sent to the Base network.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Smart contract splits the payment">
    PayRequest's FeeSplitting contract receives the transaction and atomically sends **98% directly to your wallet** and 2% to the PayRequest fee address — in a single on-chain transaction. No manual forwarding, no escrow.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **First time using crypto?** You'll need a wallet app like MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet. See the [supported wallets guide](/payment-processing/crypto-supported-wallets) for setup instructions.
</Tip>

## Wallet Balance

Once your wallet is connected you can see your live balances directly in **Provider Settings → Crypto (USDC)**:

* **USDC balance** — your current USDC on Base, ready to spend or send to an exchange
* **ETH balance** — your ETH available for gas fees on Base (\~\$0.001 per transaction)

Balances are read directly from the Base blockchain (no sign-in required) and cached for 5 minutes. Hit **Refresh** at any time to see the latest figures.

<Info>
  ETH is only needed when you initiate transactions yourself (e.g., sending USDC from your wallet). Customers pay the gas when they send payments to you — you don't need ETH to receive.
</Info>

## Customer Experience

Your customers don't need an account or prior crypto knowledge — just a wallet with USDC on Base.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Scan & pay" icon="qr-code">
    A WalletConnect QR code appears on the payment page. Customers scan it with their phone wallet app or click to open their browser extension.
  </Card>

  <Card title="See the exact amount" icon="coin">
    The total is shown in USDC (converted from EUR at the current rate). No surprise fees.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fast confirmation" icon="clock">
    Base confirms transactions in under 1 second. The payment page updates automatically once confirmed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Works on mobile" icon="device-mobile">
    WalletConnect works on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. No app switching required on most devices.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Fees & Costs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What does it cost?">
    PayRequest charges a **2% platform fee** on each crypto payment, enforced by the on-chain FeeSplitting contract.

    **Example:**

    * Customer pays 100 USDC
    * 98 USDC goes directly to your wallet
    * 2 USDC goes to PayRequest (platform fee)

    The split happens atomically in one transaction — there is no intermediate step where funds are held. The customer also pays a small Base network gas fee (typically under \$0.01).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are there any hidden costs?">
    No hidden costs. The 2% fee is the only PayRequest charge, and it's enforced by an immutable smart contract — it cannot be changed after deployment.

    Unlike credit cards, there are no monthly minimums, no statement fees, no chargeback fees, and no currency conversion costs.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why 2%?">
    The 2% fee covers infrastructure, WalletConnect integration, on-chain payment monitoring, and support. This fee only applies to crypto payments — your other payment methods (iDEAL, cards, etc.) are unaffected.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## How the FeeSplitting Contract Works

PayRequest uses an **immutable smart contract on Base** to split payments on-chain:

1. Customer approves the contract to spend their USDC (one-time per wallet)
2. Customer calls `splitPayment(merchant, amount)` on the contract
3. The contract atomically transfers **98% to your wallet** and **2% to PayRequest** in a single call
4. The transaction is verifiable by anyone on [Basescan](https://basescan.org)

The contract has no admin keys, no upgrade mechanism, and no ability to move funds — it can only split incoming payments at the fixed 2% rate.

<Info>
  The USDC contract address on Base is `0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913`. This is the native USDC issued by Circle on Base — not a bridged or wrapped version.
</Info>

## Supported Wallet Apps

Any wallet supporting **WalletConnect on the Base network** works. Popular choices:

| Wallet                     | Platform         | Best for                        |
| -------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------- |
| MetaMask                   | Mobile + browser | Most popular, wide support      |
| Coinbase Wallet            | Mobile + browser | Easy USDC purchase via Coinbase |
| Rabby                      | Mobile + browser | Multi-chain power users         |
| Rainbow                    | Mobile           | Clean, beginner-friendly UX     |
| Trust Wallet               | Mobile           | Built-in dApp browser           |
| Kraken Wallet              | Mobile           | Kraken exchange users           |
| Blockchain.com DeFi Wallet | Mobile           | DeFi-focused users              |

See the [full supported wallets guide](/payment-processing/crypto-supported-wallets) for setup instructions and tips.

## Refunds

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I refund a crypto payment?">
    Cryptocurrency payments are irreversible on-chain. If you need to refund a customer, send USDC directly from your wallet to their address. The customer's wallet address and transaction hash are available in your PayRequest transaction history.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What about disputes?">
    Because crypto payments are final, there are no chargebacks or disputes. This is a key advantage — once a customer pays, the transaction is settled permanently. For customer service issues, handle refunds directly with the customer.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is USDC?">
    USDC is a **stablecoin** — a cryptocurrency always worth exactly \$1 USD. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, the value doesn't fluctuate. It's issued by Circle and backed by real dollar reserves, making it ideal for invoicing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is Base?">
    Base is a blockchain network built by Coinbase. It's fast (under 1 second confirmation), cheap (gas under \$0.01), and widely supported. PayRequest chose Base for its speed, cost, and wallet ecosystem.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to buy crypto to accept crypto payments?">
    No. You just need a wallet to receive USDC. You don't need to hold or buy any crypto in advance. To convert received USDC to euros, send it to an exchange like Coinbase or Kraken and withdraw to your bank.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does it take for the money to reach my wallet?">
    The FeeSplitting contract sends your 98% in the same transaction the customer signs. Base confirms it in under 1 second. Total time from customer click to USDC in your wallet: **under 5 seconds**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What network does USDC need to be on?">
    USDC must be on the **Base network** (native USDC, contract `0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913`). Not bridged or wrapped versions. Most major wallets support Base out of the box.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use this outside the Netherlands?">
    Yes. Crypto payments work worldwide — no country restrictions. Anyone with an internet connection and USDC on Base can pay. Especially useful for international customers who don't have access to iDEAL or SEPA.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is this safe?">
    All transactions are publicly verifiable and cryptographically signed on the Base blockchain. PayRequest never holds your private keys or seed phrase. The FeeSplitting contract is immutable — no one can change the split ratio or redirect your funds.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Crypto for Subscriptions (Recurring Billing)

Crypto works for **recurring subscriptions** too. When a subscription uses USDC as its payment method, an invoice is generated each billing cycle and the customer pays it from their wallet — 98% goes directly to your wallet, just like one-time payments.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Crypto Recurring Payments" icon="coins" href="/subscriptions/crypto-recurring-payments">
    Read the full guide on using USDC for subscription billing — setup, customer experience, and FAQs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Methods for Subscriptions" icon="credit-card" href="/subscriptions/payment-methods">
    See all subscription payment methods and how to switch between them.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Supported Wallets" icon="wallet" href="/payment-processing/crypto-supported-wallets">
    See all supported wallets and how to get USDC on Base for both you and your customers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Methods Overview" icon="list-check" href="/payment-processing/payment-methods-overview">
    See all payment methods PayRequest supports — crypto, iDEAL, credit cards, and more.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Share Your Crypto Address" icon="share-nodes" href="/payment-processing/share-wallet-address">
    Get a branded link with your wallet address, QR code, and copy button — great for giveaways and tips.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>