Quick answer
To pay a gift card from Coinbase, use Send crypto on Coinbase.com or the Pay tab in the app, choose the invoice's network and send the exact amount within 30 minutes. Coinbase charges an estimated network fee shown before you send, plus 0.01% (maximum 20 USDT) on USDT. Cards cost face value at Gifts With Crypto, with no KYC on crypto orders up to US$1,000.
What Coinbase charges on each of our routes (21 Oct 2026)
| Invoice coin | Network to choose | Coinbase fee | Coinbase minimum | Confirmations we require |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTC | Bitcoin | Estimated network fee | — | 2 (≈20 min) |
| USDT TRC-20 | Tron, only if the send screen lists it | Estimated network fee + 0.01% (max 20 USDT) | — | 20 (≈1 min) |
| USDT ERC-20 | Ethereum | Estimated network fee + 0.01% (max 20 USDT) | — | 12 (≈2.4 min) |
| USDC ERC-20 | Ethereum (change any other default) | Estimated network fee | — | 12 (≈2.4 min) |
| ETH | Ethereum | Estimated network fee | — | 12 (≈2.4 min) |
| SOL | Solana | Estimated network fee | — | 1 (under 1 s) |
| LTC | Litecoin | Estimated network fee | — | 6 (≈15 min) |
Prices checked on
Coinbase publishes no flat fee per coin: it charges its estimate of current network fees for a stand-alone send and shows it before you confirm. On-chain costs on 21 Oct 2026: crypto network fee table.
How do I send the payment from Coinbase?
Check what is available to send
Start a send and open the Available tooltip. Crypto bought with cash still on hold cannot be sent.
Create the invoice
Choose the card and coin at checkout. The invoice fixes amount, network and address for 30 minutes.
Start the send
Coinbase.com: Dashboard → Send crypto, pick the asset and amount. App: Pay tab, select the asset, enter the amount, tap Pay.
Paste the address, set the network
Paste the invoice address, open the network field and pick the invoice's network.
Preview, then send
Select Preview Send, compare what the recipient gets with the invoice, then Send now and pass 2-step verification if asked.
Let it confirm
We need 2 Bitcoin, 12 Ethereum, 1 Solana, 6 Litecoin or 20 Tron confirmations. The code follows in your account within 24 hours.
Which network should I choose on Coinbase?
The one printed on the invoice, even if Coinbase suggests another. Coinbase's help page on assets with several networks says a default is preselected and both ends must use the same network. Coinbase cannot recover funds sent on the wrong one.
USDC is the usual trap. We accept it on Ethereum (ERC-20) only; USDC on Base, Solana, Polygon or Arbitrum never reaches the invoice. For USDT, pick Tron or Ethereum. If Tron is missing from the list, check out with USDT ERC-20 instead of USDT TRC-20. BTC goes on Bitcoin, never Lightning: see Pay with Bitcoin.
Will the Coinbase fee leave my payment short?
It can, so read Preview Send before you confirm. On USDT, a 0.01% processing fee comes on top of the network estimate: 0.01 USDT on a 100 USDT payment.
The invoice must receive its exact amount. If the preview takes the fee out of the figure you typed, raise that figure by the fee. If a short or late payment already left, do not pay twice: email [email protected] with the order reference and transaction ID.
Can transfer protection or a hold block the 30-minute invoice?
Yes, both can outlast it. Coinbase's Transfer protection lets you add a 6 to 48 hour delay, or trusted-contact approval, to sends above a daily threshold. A delayed send cannot meet a 30-minute invoice.
Cash deposits can be held too, and Coinbase Support cannot shorten the hold. Coinbase says funds deposited with a debit card can be sent without that wait. If your next send would be delayed, let it clear first, then create the invoice.
Coinbase payment questions
Can I pay with USDC from Coinbase?
Yes, on Ethereum (ERC-20) only. Set the network field to Ethereum before Preview Send. On 21 Oct 2026 an ERC-20 transfer used about US$0.02 of gas on-chain. Details on Pay with USDC.
What if Coinbase does not show Tron for USDT?
Pay with USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20), USDC or another accepted coin. Choose the coin and network at checkout so the invoice matches what Coinbase can send.
Does an off-chain Coinbase send work?
No. Off-chain sends go to another Coinbase user by email, phone or username and never touch the blockchain. The invoice needs an on-chain send to the address it shows.
How long until my Coinbase payment counts?
After broadcast: about 20 minutes on Bitcoin (2 blocks), 15 on Litecoin (6), 2.4 on Ethereum (12), 1 on Tron (20) and under a second on Solana. Steps are on how it works.
Sources (checked 21 Oct 2026) (6)
- Steps to send crypto — Coinbase (2026-10-21)
- Assets on multiple networks — Coinbase (2026-10-21)
- Coinbase pricing and fees disclosures - crypto — Coinbase (2026-10-21)
- What are miner fees and does Coinbase pay them? — Coinbase (2026-10-21)
- Transfer protection — Coinbase (2026-10-21)
- Understand your available balance — Coinbase (2026-10-21)