Stablecoin payments for business: how to receive USDC and USDT

What is a stablecoin payment?

A stablecoin payment is a transfer of those tokens from your client's wallet or exchange account to an address you give them. It doesn't go through the card networks or a bank transfer system. The transfer settles on the blockchain on any day of the week. Once the network confirms it, it can't be reversed.

Businesses usually take stablecoin because a client abroad already holds it and finds it easier than a wire. The rest of this guide covers the receiving side.

How does a stablecoin payment reach your business?

1. 1Agree the coin and networkAsk your client which coin they hold and which network they send on, for example USDT on Tron or USDC on Solana. Both the coin and the network have to match the address you share.
2. 2Share the deposit addressEach network has its own address. Put the address, the coin and the network on your invoice, written out in full.
3. 3Your client sends the paymentThe client enters the amount and confirms. The sender pays the network fee. Ask them to cover any exchange withdrawal fee as well, so the full invoice amount arrives.
4. 4The network confirms the transferThis usually takes minutes but can take longer when a network is busy. You can look up the transaction hash on a public block explorer to check its status.
5. 5The payment is creditedIf the service you receive with converts the stablecoin, it credits your balance. Note the rate, any fee and the US dollar amount credited.

With Vezmo (early access), your business gets a Vezmo deposit address for each coin and network. When a payment arrives, it is converted and credited to your USD balance. The balance holds US dollars, so you have no wallet keys to manage. You can hold the money, convert it or pay it out from the same place. See how stablecoin works on Vezmo.

Should you accept USDC or USDT?

Accept the coin your client already holds, on a network you can receive. Asking a client to swap coins adds a cost on their side.

USDC is issued by Circle. Circle's own list of USDC networks does not include Tron (as of 24 Oct 2026), so a client who wants to pay USDC on Tron needs to pick another network. USDT is issued by Tether.

Of the four networks above, Tron carries USDT only. Tether's own list of supported networks doesn't include Polygon (as of 24 Oct 2026), so USDT on Polygon is a bridged version that also depends on the bridge.

The issuer matters because a coin holds its value only while people trust that the issuer can redeem it. Circle and Tether each describe the reserves behind their coin on their own websites.

Because Ethereum and Polygon share an address format, a client can easily send on the wrong one. Write the network in bold next to the address, and ask a new client for a small test payment first, above the minimum deposit shown in your account.

What does a stablecoin payment cost?

Two costs apply, and usually only one of them falls on you.

• Network fee. The sender pays it, in the network's own token, such as ETH on Ethereum or TRX on Tron. The network sets the fee, and it rises when the network is busy. An exchange may add its own withdrawal fee on top.
• Conversion to dollars. If you want US dollars, someone has to convert the tokens. The rate is usually close to one dollar per coin, but it can differ, and the service that converts may charge a fee. Compare the dollars credited with the tokens sent.

Vezmo's stablecoin fees (early access) are confirmed when your account opens. If a client would rather pay by bank, Vezmo USD account details receive ACH and domestic wire payments for free (early access). For card payments, VezmoPay invoices start at 2.79% + $0.29.

What can go wrong when you accept stablecoin?

• Wrong network or token. Blockchain transfers are final. A payment sent on a network or in a token the address doesn't support may be lost for good. There is no chargeback process to call on.
• Losing the peg (depeg). A stablecoin is meant to trade at one dollar. It can fall below that if people doubt the issuer can redeem every coin. A payment that arrives during a depeg can convert to much less than you invoiced.
• Issuer and counterparty risk. Each coin is a claim on its issuer. The issuer could fail, stop redeeming or freeze tokens at certain addresses, for example after a court order. Each exchange or provider between your client and you adds its own risk.
• Fake addresses. Fraudsters send fake invoices or emails with their own address swapped in. Confirm any new or changed address through a second channel before anyone pays to it.
• Regulation. Stablecoin rules differ by country and are still changing. A payment that is allowed where your client is may be restricted where you are.

What does US law say about stablecoins?

The main US law is the GENIUS Act, short for the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act. It was signed on July 18, 2025, as Public Law 119-27 (S. 1582). According to the enacted text, the Act:

• allows only permitted payment stablecoin issuers to issue a payment stablecoin in the United States;
• requires issuers to hold reserves of at least one dollar for each coin outstanding, in assets such as US currency, bank deposits and Treasury securities with 93 days or less to maturity;
• requires issuers to publish the make-up of their reserves every month;
• bars issuers from paying holders interest or yield just for holding the coin;
• says payment stablecoins are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and are not covered by federal deposit insurance, and makes it unlawful to claim they are;
• gives coin holders priority over other creditors for the required reserves if an issuer becomes insolvent;
• requires issuers to be able to block, freeze and reject transactions that break the law.

Section 20 says the Act takes effect on the earlier of 18 months after enactment or 120 days after regulators issue final rules. In its bulletin of October 21, 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says the Act's effective date is January 18, 2027.

The Act also says that, three years after enactment and with some exceptions, a digital asset service provider may not offer or sell a payment stablecoin to a person in the US unless a permitted issuer issued it.

Most of the Act's duties fall on issuers and on firms that offer stablecoins to the public. For a business that receives stablecoin, the main effect is on which coins stay available in the US. Outside the US, your own country's rules apply too.

What records should you keep for a stablecoin payment?

Record every payment when it arrives, because working out a dollar value a year later is slow. For each payment, keep:

• the transaction hash, which is the ID of the transfer on the blockchain;
• the coin, the network and the sending address;
• the date and time it was confirmed;
• the number of tokens received;
• the US dollar value at that time, and the dollars credited after any fee;
• the invoice or contract the payment settles.

If you file US taxes, the IRS says digital assets, including stablecoins, are property and not currency. It says digital assets received as payment for property or services are reported at their fair market value in US dollars, and that independent contractors report this income on Schedule C. The IRS also asks you to keep records of each receipt, sale or exchange.

Outside the US, ask a local accountant how stablecoin income is taxed and recorded where your business files.

When should you not use stablecoin?

Skip stablecoin in these cases:

• Your client can't pay that way. Some companies have no wallet, and their finance team will only pay by card or bank transfer.
• The amounts are small. Network and conversion costs take a bigger share of a small payment, and every payment adds a record to keep.
• Your local rules restrict it. Some countries limit crypto payments, or how residents may hold or convert them. Check before you put an address on an invoice.
• You may need to refund. There is no reversal. A refund is a new transfer that you send and pay for.
• The coin or network isn't supported. If the client's coin and network aren't on your list, ask them to use another network or another way to pay.

For clients who prefer other ways to pay, VezmoPay takes cards, ACH bank payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, UPI in India and Pix in Brazil, through invoices, payment links and checkout. See payment methods.

In early access, Vezmo also offers US account details for companies outside the US for clients who pay by ACH or wire. Which details you get depends on where your business is registered and where its owners live. For the wider picture, see getting paid by US clients from abroad.

Questions

Sources

Each one is the organization’s own page, checked 24 Oct 2026. Rules and fees change, so check them before you act.

• Congress.gov: S. 1582, GENIUS Act (became Public Law 119-27 on July 18, 2025)
• GovInfo: Public Law 119-27, enacted text of the GENIUS Act
• OCC Bulletin 2026-50: GENIUS Act Regulations, Final Rule (October 21, 2026)
• IRS: Digital assets
• Circle: USDC
• Circle Developer Docs: USDC contract addresses
• Tether: Supported protocols

Vezmo is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking, stablecoin and card services are provided by regulated partners & Banks. Last reviewed 24 Oct 2026.