Paying with Ethereum (ETH)
Last updated: 31 July 2026
Ethereum settles in one to three minutes and costs one to eight dollars in gas depending on how busy the network is. That makes it a reasonable second choice after USDT on Tron if you already hold ETH. The costly mistake is sending from a layer-2 such as Arbitrum, Optimism or Base: those are separate networks, and the payment will not arrive.
- Typical fee
- $1–8, driven by network congestion
- Confirmation
- 1–3 minutes
- Delivery after payment
- 41 min median
How Ethereum gas is priced
Gas is priced per unit of computation, quoted in gwei, and multiplied by how complex your transaction is. A plain ETH transfer is the cheapest kind. The total moves with demand for block space, so the same payment might cost a dollar at a quiet hour and eight during a busy one.
As with Bitcoin, the fee does not scale with the amount sent — moving $24 and $2,400 cost roughly the same. That is why gas is a real consideration on a small purchase and an afterthought on a large one.
The layer-2 trap
This is the mistake worth reading twice. Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, zkSync, Linea and Scroll all use Ethereum addresses that look identical to mainnet addresses — the same 0x string, the same length. They are separate networks. ETH sent over a layer-2 to a mainnet address does not arrive, and recovery ranges from difficult to impossible.
If your ETH sits on a layer-2, bridge it to Ethereum mainnet before paying, or pay with a different coin. When your wallet or exchange asks which network to withdraw over, the answer here is always Ethereum mainnet — never an L2.
ETH and USDT-on-Ethereum are different options
We accept both native ETH and USDT on the ERC20 standard, and they are separate choices on the invoice. Native ETH is a plain transfer and cheaper in gas; USDT on ERC20 is a token transfer, which costs more gas but removes price volatility. If you hold USDT and can withdraw over Tron instead, that is cheaper than either.
When ETH is the right pick
- You already hold ETH on mainnet and would rather not convert it first.
- Your exchange cannot withdraw over Tron.
- Gas is currently at the low end and you want faster settlement than Bitcoin.
If none of those apply, USDT on TRC20 costs less and settles just as quickly.
What happens after you send
- Your wallet broadcasts the Ethereum transaction to the network.
- The payment processor sees it as unconfirmed and marks the invoice as detected.
- Once it reaches the required number of confirmations, the invoice settles.
- We are alerted automatically and prepare your code — 41 minutes on median, guaranteed within 12 hours.
- The code and its redemption instructions arrive at the email you gave at checkout.
You do not need to keep the payment page open. Your order has a private status link that we send by email, and it updates on its own as the payment confirms.
If something goes wrong
| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| You sent less than the quoted amount | The invoice shows partially paid and we hold the order for review rather than delivering. Reply to us with the transaction hash and we resolve it. |
| You sent more than the quoted amount | The order is fulfilled normally. The difference is refundable on request. |
| The invoice expired before you sent | Nothing was charged. Start a new order — the rate is re-quoted at the current price. |
| You sent on the wrong network | Contact us immediately with the transaction hash. Recovery is often impossible, but it costs nothing to ask and the answer depends on the chain. |
Questions about paying with Ethereum
Can I pay from Arbitrum, Base or Optimism?
No. Those are layer-2 networks with addresses that look identical to Ethereum mainnet but are not interchangeable. Bridge to mainnet first, or pay with another coin. This is the most common way people lose an Ethereum payment.
Why is gas sometimes one dollar and sometimes eight?
Gas is set by demand for block space at that moment. It has nothing to do with the size of your payment — it reflects how busy Ethereum is when you send.
Should I send ETH or USDT on ERC20?
Native ETH is a simpler transfer and uses less gas. USDT on ERC20 costs more gas but is dollar-pegged. If you can withdraw over Tron, USDT on TRC20 beats both on cost.
Do I need extra ETH beyond the invoice amount?
From a self-custody wallet, yes — gas is paid in ETH and comes out of the same balance, so a wallet holding exactly the invoice amount cannot send it. From an exchange, the withdrawal fee is charged separately but still deducted from what you send.
How many confirmations do you need?
The payment processor decides, and it is typically a small number that clears in one to three minutes under normal conditions. Your order page updates on its own as it progresses.
Other coins we accept
| Coin | Typical fee | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| USDT (USDT) | ~$1 on TRC20 · $3–12 on ERC20 | 1–2 minutes on TRC20 |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $1–5, higher when the network is busy | 10–40 minutes |
| BNB (BNB) | Under $0.50 | About 1 minute |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Under $0.10 | 3–10 minutes |
| Toncoin (TON) | Under $0.05 | Under 1 minute |