Paying with USDT (Tether)
Last updated: 31 July 2026
USDT is the default way to pay Claude Store, and TRC20 is the network to use: a transfer costs about one dollar and confirms in one to two minutes. USDT on ERC20 also works but can cost three to twelve dollars in gas, which is disproportionate on a $24 order. Because USDT is dollar-pegged, the amount cannot move against you while it confirms.
- Typical fee
- ~$1 on TRC20 · $3–12 on ERC20
- Confirmation
- 1–2 minutes on TRC20
- Delivery after payment
- 41 min median
Why USDT is the default for this kind of payment
USDT is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, so the amount you send is the amount that arrives in value terms. With Bitcoin or Ethereum the price can move between broadcasting and settling; our invoices lock a rate for a window to protect you from that, but with USDT the question does not arise at all.
It is also what the peer-to-peer market actually uses. If you buy crypto on Binance P2P in Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt or Pakistan, the quote is almost always in USDT. That means no second conversion between buying and paying, and no second spread taken out of your money.
TRC20 or ERC20: which network should you pick?
| Network | Typical fee | Confirmation | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRC20 (Tron) | About $1 | 1–2 minutes | Almost always. This is the right default for a payment of this size. |
| ERC20 (Ethereum) | $3–12, sometimes more | 2–5 minutes | Only if your exchange cannot withdraw over Tron. |
On a $24 order, ERC20 gas can be a quarter of the purchase price. The two networks carry the same USDT and arrive in the same place; the only difference to you is cost and speed. Pick TRC20 unless something prevents it.
The mistake that actually loses money
USDT is issued on Tron, Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Solana, TON, Avalanche and several more. The invoice quotes one specific network. If you withdraw on a different one, the funds go to an address that either does not exist on that chain or is not ours — and they are usually unrecoverable.
Your exchange asks you to choose a network on the withdrawal screen. Read the invoice, select the matching network, and check it again before confirming. This one step prevents the most expensive mistake on this page.
Watch the withdrawal fee, not just the amount
Exchanges deduct their withdrawal fee from the amount you send, not on top of it. Ask to withdraw exactly the invoice total and the payment arrives short, which marks the invoice partially paid and holds your order for manual review. Add the fee on top — a dollar or two of headroom on TRC20 is enough, and any excess is refundable.
What happens after you send
- Your wallet broadcasts the USDT 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 USDT
Is TRC20 or ERC20 better for a $24 payment?
TRC20, clearly. It costs roughly one dollar against three to twelve on ERC20 and confirms faster. Use ERC20 only when your exchange cannot withdraw over Tron.
What happens if I send USDT on the wrong network?
Funds sent over an unsupported network are usually unrecoverable. Copy the network from the invoice rather than assuming, and if the amount matters to you, send a small test first. Contact us with the transaction hash regardless — asking costs nothing.
Do I need TRX in my wallet to send USDT on Tron?
If you are withdrawing straight from an exchange, no — the exchange covers it and charges you a flat withdrawal fee. If you are sending from a self-custody wallet, you need a small amount of TRX to pay for the transaction, and a wallet holding only USDT cannot move it.
Can the price move against me while the payment confirms?
No. USDT is dollar-pegged, so a payment quoted at 24 USDT settles at 24 USDT. That is one of the main reasons to prefer it over Bitcoin for this.
Where do people in my country usually buy USDT?
Peer-to-peer on Binance is the most common route across North and West Africa and South Asia, paying in local currency by bank transfer or a local wallet. Local cash exchangers are the other common option. Our country guides go into the specifics.
Other coins we accept
| Coin | Typical fee | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $1–5, higher when the network is busy | 10–40 minutes |
| Ethereum (ETH) | $1–8, driven by network congestion | 1–3 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 |