How to Pay With Crypto: A Step-by-Step Guide
Last updated August 30, 2026
Paying with crypto sounds harder than it is. Stripped of the jargon, it is one transfer: you send a fixed number of dollar-pegged tokens to an address we show you, on the network we name, and the order confirms itself once the transfer lands. This guide walks through it as if you have never done it, and flags the two places people go wrong.
Why crypto is offered
Crypto payments are self-custodial: the money moves from your wallet to ours with no card network in between, so there is no processor fee added to your total, no card details for anyone to store, and no account to open with us. That is also why crypto is the cheapest way to pay here — the other rails route through a provider that charges its own fee.
What you need first
You need some USDC or USDT. Both are stablecoins: tokens designed to hold a value of one US dollar. That is the whole reason we quote in them rather than Bitcoin or ETH — the number you send is the number you owe, and it cannot drift between the moment you check out and the moment it arrives.
You can get them in either of two ways:
- An exchange account — Coinbase, Kraken, Binance and the rest let you buy USDC with a card or bank transfer, then withdraw it to an address. Most people already have one of these.
- A wallet app — Phantom or Solflare (Solana), MetaMask, Rainbow or Coinbase Wallet (Ethereum). These install in a couple of minutes and can buy stablecoins with a card inside the app.
Already hold SOL, ETH or BTC?
Paying, step by step
At checkout, choose USDC / USDT · Solana or USDC / USDT · Ethereum. The payment page then shows three things: a QR code, the exact amount, and the wallet address.
- Copy the wallet address. Use the Copy wallet address button — never retype it by hand. Paste it into the “send to” field in your wallet, or the “withdraw to” field on your exchange. On a phone the QR code is faster: open your wallet app, tap scan, point it at the code, and the address and amount fill themselves in.
- Check the ends. After pasting, compare the first six and last six characters against the address on screen — they are highlighted for exactly this reason. Wallets and explorers display those same ends, and address-swapping malware is the one attack this catches.
- Pick the network. If your wallet or exchange asks which network to send on, choose the one named on the payment page. This is the step that matters most, and it has its own section below.
- Enter the exact amount. Use the Copy exact amount button and paste it, decimals included. The payment is matched to your order by that precise figure, so a rounded or altered amount will not settle automatically.
- Send, and come back to the page. Leave the payment page open. Solana payments are detected on their own within seconds; on Ethereum, press I've paid — verify once your wallet shows the transaction.
Paying from an exchange
Sending from Coinbase, Kraken or Binance works the same way, with one difference in vocabulary: what a wallet calls “send” an exchange calls withdraw. Find USDC in your balances, choose withdraw, paste our address, and — the key part — pick the network from the dropdown the exchange shows you.
Two exchange-specific things to watch. First, exchanges charge their own withdrawal fee, and some deduct it from the amount sent; if yours does, raise the amount so the figure that arrives is the one on the payment page. Second, a first withdrawal to a new address sometimes triggers a hold or an extra confirmation step on the exchange's side — that is between you and them, and the payment page will keep waiting.
Choosing the right network
This is the one that costs money to get wrong
| If you chose | Send on | Typical network fee | Confirms in |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDC / USDT · Solana | Solana | A fraction of a cent | Seconds |
| USDC / USDT · Ethereum | Ethereum mainnet (ERC-20) | Varies with congestion | A minute or two |
Networks that look tempting because they are cheap — BSC, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, TRON — are not watched by these two rails. If your holdings are on one of those, either bridge or swap them first, or use the Pay with any crypto option at checkout, where a hosted invoice covers 300+ coins and networks and quotes you an address for the one you pick.
Solana is the better default for most people: the fee is negligible and confirmation is close to instant.
After you send
The payment page watches the chain for you. Once the transfer confirms, the order flips to paid and the confirmation email goes out — no further action needed. Give it a moment; block confirmations are not instant on Ethereum.
If the page still says nothing was found and your wallet clearly shows the transaction sent, use the “Already paid? Submit your transaction link” field on the payment page. Paste the transaction hash or the explorer URL from your wallet and it is recorded against your order and re-checked on-chain. If anything is still unclear, email hello@peptuvia.com with your order number and the transaction ID.
Never send a second payment
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong network | Funds do not arrive and usually cannot be recovered | Match the network dropdown to the one named on the page |
| Rounded or altered amount | Not matched automatically; needs manual handling | Paste the amount with the copy button |
| Address typed by hand | An invalid address is rejected; a valid wrong one is lost | Copy or scan, then check the highlighted first and last six characters |
| Exchange fee deducted from the amount | Slightly less arrives than the page expects | Check whether the fee comes off the top, and add it if so |
| Closing the page immediately | Nothing is lost, but you miss the live confirmation | Leave it open, or re-open the order page later |
If you would rather not use crypto
Crypto is offered, not required. Depending on which rails are live when you check out, you can also pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or with a cash app — Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Revolut, Wise, N26 or PayPal — through a hosted checkout. Those add the provider's own fee, shown before you confirm. There is more on the trade-offs in the FAQ, and you can see the live options on any order from the catalog.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to understand crypto to pay with USDC?
No. USDC and USDT are dollar-pegged stablecoins: 1 USDC is 1 US dollar, so the amount you send is the amount you owe. You buy it once on an exchange or in a wallet app, then send it to the address shown at checkout, the same as any other transfer.
What is a wallet address?
A wallet address is a long string of letters and numbers that identifies where a payment goes, like an account number. Copy it with the copy button rather than typing it, and check that the first and last few characters match after you paste it.
What happens if I send crypto on the wrong network?
The payment will not arrive and, in most cases, cannot be recovered by anyone. USDC exists on many networks, so pick the one named at checkout: Solana for the Solana option, Ethereum mainnet for the Ethereum option, when you withdraw from an exchange.
What if I send the wrong amount?
Automatic detection matches the exact amount shown, so an altered or rounded amount will not settle on its own. Submit your transaction ID with the “Already paid?” field on the payment page, or email hello@peptuvia.com, and it gets matched by hand.
How long does a crypto payment take to confirm?
Solana transfers usually confirm in seconds and the payment page updates on its own. Ethereum takes a few block confirmations, typically under a minute or two at normal network load.
Can I buy without cryptocurrency at all?
Yes. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and cash apps such as Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Revolut and Wise are offered at checkout alongside the crypto rails, subject to which options are live at the time.
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