At a glance
| Decision | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Start here | Use the exact asset and network accepted by the payment request. |
| Choose deliberately | Stop and identify the contract/mint when a familiar ticker shows an unavailable balance. |
| Main tradeoff | A bridge is a separate operation with costs and dependencies. |
A customer shows a balance named USDC, but the payment page says the available amount is zero. One possible explanation is that the balance belongs to a different network or token contract. A matching ticker is not proof that the checkout accepts the asset.
This guide covers asset identity within the merchant payment series. It is separate from choosing the network that suits the sale.
Native issuance and a bridged representation differ
Circle's bridged USDC material distinguishes native issuance from bridge-based representations. A bridged token adds a bridge and its associated handling to the route. A bridge upgrade or migration can also change which asset a service expects.
The label USDC.e is commonly used for certain bridged versions, but do not use the suffix as your only test. Wallet display names and symbols can be copied. Identify the chain and contract address or mint, then compare against the official directory and your checkout's supported asset.
| Question | Where to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Which network holds the balance? | Wallet's selected network and transaction details | Similar addresses do not identify an EVM network |
| Which token is it? | Contract address or Solana mint | A name or logo can be misleading |
| Is it native USDC? | Circle's contract directory | Confirms listed native asset identity |
| Does this checkout accept it? | Actual payment requirements and supported-product documentation | Native issuance alone does not prove product support |
| Can the next destination receive it? | Conversion service's exact deposit route | A usable wallet balance may still be an unsupported deposit |
Do not paste an asset identifier as your receiving address
The token contract identifies the asset. Your receiving wallet or the appropriate token account identifies where a payment should go. Sending to a contract or pasting a mint into a recipient field is not a substitute for providing your merchant address.
This distinction is especially important for Solana searches. The Solana USDC guide separates the USDC mint, wallet owner address and associated token account. Prepare the recipient before offering the route to customers.
Explain a mismatch without asking for another payment
At a staffed counter, first determine whether the customer merely has an unsupported balance or has already sent a transfer. These are different incidents.
If no payment was submitted, show the requested asset and network and let the customer choose a prepared supported route. Do not improvise a bridge while a queue is waiting. If funds were sent, inspect the actual transaction and destination before deciding what happened. Never ask someone to pay again merely because the payment page did not immediately recognize an unrelated transfer.
Use the verification guide to separate an unfinished attempt from a completed receipt. Recovery from a wrong asset or unsupported deposit depends on the destination's control and policies; it is not guaranteed.
Treat a bridge as an additional operation
Moving between networks can involve a supported bridge, a burn-and-mint route, or a conversion service. These are not all the same mechanism. Each route has its own supported assets, costs, availability and confirmation steps.
If your business genuinely needs a cross-network move after receiving, record it separately from the customer's original sale. The customer receipt and your treasury movement should remain distinguishable. Include both in the cost worksheet where applicable.
Put precise instructions next to the request
For an online quote, write the agreed network and exact accepted asset before the customer funds a wallet. For a sign, select only networks actually enabled for that link; the sign generator changes printed labels, not checkout configuration.
PayIn currently supports specific USDC assets on Base, Polygon and Solana. It does not accept any asset with the symbol USDC, nor automatically bridge a customer's balance. Finish the setup using the merchant receiving guide.