How to accept USDC payments
A dollar-pegged stablecoin with sub-cent fees — for human checkout and for AI agents paying per request. Here's the practical path for both.
How do I accept USDC payments?
Pick a settlement network (Base for sub-cent fees, Solana for the cheapest/fastest option), get a wallet to receive funds, then choose a method: a hosted crypto checkout for human customers, or an x402 endpoint for machine and AI agent payments. Verify each payment on-chain — directly or via a facilitator — before fulfilling.
Four steps
Choose a network
Pick where USDC settles: Base (low fees, EVM), Solana (sub-second, cheapest), or Ethereum. For agent payments, Base and Solana are the common picks.
Get a receiving wallet
Create a wallet to receive USDC — a self-custody wallet, or a programmable wallet (e.g. Coinbase CDP) if a server or agent needs to manage it.
Pick how customers pay
For humans: a hosted checkout or processor that supports USDC. For machines/agents: expose an x402 endpoint so they pay per request automatically.
Verify & reconcile
Confirm the on-chain payment (directly or via a facilitator) before delivering, and record it. With x402 a facilitator handles verification for you.
Which method fits you
For machine and agent payments, the per-request row is what x402 standardizes.
Which network to settle on
Common mistakes to avoid
USDC is dollar-pegged — price it and account for it exactly like a card payment, not like accepting Bitcoin.
Always confirm the on-chain transfer landed (or get a facilitator’s settlement confirmation) before delivering the product or API response.
Gas fees there can exceed the payment itself. Use Base or Solana for anything under a few dollars.
A wallet used for testing on a testnet is not a receiving address you want real customer funds landing in — swap it deliberately when you go live.
Frequently asked questions
How do I accept USDC payments?
Pick a network (Base, Solana or Ethereum), get a wallet to receive funds, and choose a payment method: a hosted crypto checkout for human customers, or an x402 endpoint for machine/agent payments. Then verify each payment on-chain (or via a facilitator) before fulfilling. No volatile token is involved — USDC is a dollar-pegged stablecoin.
Can I accept USDC on Shopify?
Yes, indirectly — Shopify supports crypto payments through third-party apps and processors (e.g. Coinbase Commerce and others) that can settle USDC. Shopify itself does not natively hold USDC for you; the app/processor handles conversion and payout per its terms.
Does Stripe support USDC?
Stripe has added stablecoin capabilities, including USDC settlement in supported regions. It is well suited to human checkout and subscriptions. For autonomous agents paying per API call, an x402 endpoint is the better fit — and you can run both side by side.
What are the fees to accept USDC?
On-chain network fees are tiny — well under a cent on Base or Solana — which is what makes micropayments viable. Any processor or checkout you use on top adds its own fee; direct wallet-to-wallet and x402 keep overhead minimal.
How do AI agents pay me in USDC?
Expose an x402 endpoint: return HTTP 402 with the price in USDC, the agent’s wallet pays, and a facilitator confirms settlement before you serve the response. See our x402 tutorial and api paywall guide.
Do I need to handle crypto volatility?
No — USDC is pegged to the US dollar, so $1.00 of USDC is meant to stay ~$1.00. That stability is exactly why it is the default for predictable per-request pricing.
Which network should I pick, Base or Solana?
Base is the default for x402 and most agent-payment tooling today, with sub-cent fees and broad facilitator support. Solana is even cheaper and faster and is gaining x402 support — pick it if your ecosystem (wallets, facilitators) already leans Solana. Avoid Ethereum mainnet for anything under a few dollars; gas fees there can exceed the payment.
Do I need a business bank account or KYC to accept USDC?
Receiving USDC to a self-custody wallet needs neither — you just need a wallet address. KYC/business requirements only kick in if you use a regulated processor (like Stripe or Coinbase Commerce) to convert USDC to fiat in your bank account; direct wallet-to-wallet and x402 payments don’t require that step.
See also: USDC payments overview · Stablecoin payment APIs · Build an API paywall · x402 tutorial