How to send USDC

If you've already bought USDC, sending it to someone else is the next step. Whether you're paying a friend, moving funds between your own wallets, or sending money to family overseas, the process is straightforward — but there are a few things you need to get right.

This guide walks through exactly how to send USDC, which network to use, and the mistakes to avoid.

To send USDC you need three things: USDC in a wallet or exchange account, the recipient's wallet address (a long string of letters and numbers), and a small amount of the network's native token to cover the gas fee — for example ETH on Ethereum, ETH on Base, or SOL on Solana.

If you're sending from a centralized exchange like Coinbase, the exchange handles the gas fee for you. If you're sending from a self-custody wallet, you'll need to have the native token in the same wallet.

USDC exists on multiple blockchains, and you must send it on the same network the recipient expects. Sending USDC on Ethereum to a Solana address will result in lost funds.

Here's a quick guide to the most common networks:

Base — Very low fees (under $0.01), fast confirmations, great default choice

Solana — Extremely low fees, fast, popular for peer-to-peer payments

Arbitrum — Low fees, fast, Ethereum-compatible

Polygon — Low fees, widely supported

Ethereum — Most established but expensive ($1–10+ per transaction depending on congestion)

When in doubt, ask the recipient which network they want to receive on. If you're sending to yourself, pick the cheapest option that both wallets support.

The exact steps depend on your wallet or exchange, but the general flow is the same everywhere:

1. Open your wallet or exchange and find your USDC balance 2. Tap or click "Send" 3. Paste the recipient's wallet address — never type it manually 4. Select the network (make sure it matches what the recipient expects) 5. Enter the amount of USDC you want to send 6. Review the transaction details, including the network fee 7. Confirm and send

Most wallets will show you a confirmation screen with the total amount, the fee, and the destination address. Double-check everything before confirming — crypto transactions are irreversible.

Confirmation times vary by network:

Base — A few seconds

Solana — A few seconds

Arbitrum — A few seconds

Polygon — A few seconds to a minute

Ethereum — 1–5 minutes

If you're sending from an exchange, the exchange may add processing time on top of the network confirmation — sometimes a few minutes, sometimes longer depending on their security checks.

Sending to the wrong network is the most common and most costly mistake. If someone gives you a Solana address and you send USDC on Ethereum, those funds are gone. Always confirm the network before sending.

Sending to the wrong address is equally dangerous. Wallet addresses are long and random — a single wrong character means your USDC goes to someone else (or nowhere). Always copy-paste the address and verify the first and last few characters match what the recipient gave you.

Forgetting gas fees can leave your transaction stuck. If your wallet doesn't have enough of the native token (ETH, SOL, etc.) to pay the network fee, the transaction won't go through. Make sure you have a small balance of the native token before sending.

Sending to a smart contract address instead of a wallet can also cause issues. Unless you know what you're doing, only send USDC to addresses that belong to people or exchange deposit addresses.

If you're sending from a centralized exchange like Coinbase, the process is streamlined — the exchange handles the gas fee and usually lets you choose the network from a dropdown. Some exchanges also support address book features so you can save frequent recipients.

If you're sending from a self-custody wallet like MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or a hardware wallet, you have more control but also more responsibility. You'll need the native token for gas, and you'll need to make sure you're connected to the right network before sending.

Start with a small test transaction. Send $1 or $5 first to make sure everything works — the address is correct, the network is right, and the funds arrive. Once confirmed, send the full amount. The cost of one extra transaction is trivial compared to the risk of losing a large transfer.

Save addresses you trust. If you regularly send USDC to the same person or wallet, save their address in your wallet's address book to avoid re-entering it each time.

Keep records. Note the transaction hash (a unique ID for each transaction) so you can look it up on a block explorer if needed. Most wallets show this automatically after a transaction is confirmed.