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How to Send a Crypto Invoice and Get Paid in USDC

· 5 min read
OrcaRail
OrcaRail
Crypto payment rails for web2 apps

Sending a crypto invoice used to mean pasting a wallet address into a PDF and hoping the client sent the right amount on the right network. Then you checked a block explorer to see if the money arrived.

A better way is to add a crypto payment link to your invoice. The client clicks it, sees the exact amount, pays in USDC or USDT from their wallet, and you see the payment marked as paid. This guide shows how to do it in a few minutes, without writing code.

What is a crypto invoice​

A crypto invoice is a normal invoice (who, what, how much, due date) where the payment method is crypto. It has two parts:

  1. The invoice document, from the tool you already use for invoices, with your business details, line items and tax.
  2. The payment link, which tells the client exactly what to pay and detects the payment for you.

OrcaRail gives you the second part. It does not create invoice PDFs or calculate tax, so keep your current invoicing tool and add the link to it.

Wallet address in the invoiceCrypto payment link
Exact amountClient types itShown on the pay page
Wrong network riskHighNetwork shown on the pay page
Matching payment to invoiceBy hand, in a block explorerAutomatic
Paid statusYou checkDashboard and webhook
Pay in another coinNoYes, with a bridge fee the payer pays
ExpiryNoneOptional

How to send a crypto invoice with OrcaRail​

  1. Sign up and create an organization at the dashboard. See Getting started.
  2. Add your withdrawal address for each chain type you accept, so payments go to a wallet you control. See Withdrawal strategy.
  3. Create a payment link: go to Payments, click Create Payment Link, and enter a title (for example "Invoice 1042"), the amount, the token (USDC or USDT) and the network.
  4. Set an expiration if the invoice has a due date. By default a link never expires.
  5. Copy the link and paste it into your invoice, email or chat. It looks like https://pay.orcarail.com/pl_abc123.
  6. Track payment: the link's transactions show in the dashboard, and a signed webhook can notify your system when the payment arrives.

Want to try it first? Click Go to sandbox and create the same link on a testnet. Open it and click Simulate payment to see the paid status without real funds (Simulate payments).

If you send many invoices, create links from your own system with POST /payments/links:

{
  "title": "Invoice 1042",
  "amount": "250.00",
  "tokenId": "<USDC token UUID>",
  "networkId": "<Base network UUID>",
  "expiresAt": "2026-11-30T23:59:59.000Z",
  "metadata": { "invoice_number": "1042" }
}

Use metadata to store your invoice number, so you can match each payment to its invoice. Token and network IDs come from Networks and tokens. The full request and response are in the Payments API reference.

Recurring invoices: use a subscription​

If you bill the same client every month, do not create a new link by hand each time. An OrcaRail subscription with collection_method: send_payment_link creates a payment link for each billing period and can email it to the payer. Or the payer can approve auto-charge, and each renewal is pulled on-chain with no invoice to pay by hand. See Recurring crypto payments.

Which coin to ask for on a crypto invoice​

  • USDC or USDT: the invoice amount stays in dollars, so neither side takes a price risk between sending and paying.
  • A low-fee network: Base, Solana, Polygon or Arbitrum keep the client's network fee small.
  • Let the client choose: a client can pay in another supported token or network. The quote adds a bridge fee that the payer pays, and you still receive the invoiced amount (Fees).

What a crypto invoice costs​

OrcaRail charges 0.5% per completed transaction, and the first 100 transactions are free. A 250 USD invoice costs 1.25 USD. See pricing.

FAQ​

Is a crypto invoice legally valid?​

The invoice document is the legal part, and the rules depend on your country. Use your normal invoicing tool for numbering and tax, and add the crypto payment link as the way to pay.

Can I use a free crypto invoice generator?​

Yes. Create the invoice in any generator or accounting app, then paste an OrcaRail payment link where the payment details go.

An expired link no longer accepts payments. Create a new link or edit the expiration in the dashboard and send it again.

Can my client pay with a card?​

No. OrcaRail is a crypto payment gateway: the client pays from a crypto wallet. For fiat, keep a bank transfer or card option on the same invoice.

How do I know which invoice a payment belongs to?​

Give each link a clear title, such as the invoice number, and store the number in metadata when you create links through the API. Each link has its own transactions list in the dashboard.