Stripe Stablecoin Payments vs a Crypto Payment Gateway
Stripe stablecoin payments let a business on Stripe accept USDC from a customer's crypto wallet and get paid in its local currency. If you already use Stripe, you turn it on in the Dashboard, and it shows up in Checkout, Payment Links and invoices.
A crypto payment gateway keeps the payment in crypto: you receive the stablecoins themselves, in your own wallet, on the networks you choose. This post compares the two on fees, tokens, countries, payouts and subscriptions, with a source for every Stripe figure.
Disclosure: OrcaRail publishes this blog and is a crypto payment gateway. Stripe facts come from Stripe's own pages, linked, checked on 10 November 2026. Pricing changes, so confirm with Stripe before you decide.
What are Stripe stablecoin payments
From the Stripe stablecoin payments docs:
- How it works: the customer picks the crypto option at checkout, connects a wallet on
crypto.stripe.comand pays. "Completed payments settle in your Stripe balance in your local currency." - Tokens: USDC on Tempo, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon and Base. USDP (Ethereum and Solana) and USDG (Ethereum) are US-only.
- Price currency: USD. Other currencies are in private preview.
- Where it works: Checkout, Elements, Invoicing and Payment Links.
- Refunds: yes. They always go back as stablecoins to the customer's original wallet.
Stripe stablecoin fees
On Stripe's US pricing page, stablecoins cost 1.5% of the transaction amount in USD. Stripe says this price includes "conversion to fiat, wallet and AML screening, fraud prevention, gas sponsorship." Domestic cards on the same page cost 2.9% + 30¢.
| Payment | Stripe stablecoins (1.5%) | OrcaRail (0.5%) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 USD | 1.50 USD | 0.50 USD |
| 1,000 USD | 15 USD | 5 USD |
| 10,000 USD | 150 USD | 50 USD |
OrcaRail's first 100 transactions are free. Stripe's fee includes gas sponsorship; with OrcaRail, the customer pays the network fee for their own transfer, as with any wallet payment. See OrcaRail pricing.
Stripe stablecoin limits
- Only some businesses can use it. "Only businesses in supported countries and regions can accept stablecoin payments." Today that is the US. Businesses in the EU, Hong Kong, Mexico and Switzerland can join a private preview. Customers can pay from anywhere except sanctioned countries.
- 10,000 USD per payment. "Customer transaction limits are 10,000 USD per transaction."
- No USDT. The token list has USDC, USDP and USDG. USDT, the stablecoin many customers already hold, is not on it.
- No disputes. Stripe lists dispute support as "No", so there are no chargebacks.
- Subscriptions are in private preview. Stripe Billing supports stablecoins for invoices and subscriptions, but the stablecoin subscription guide is marked private preview. You request access first.
- Payout in fiat. Payments settle to your Stripe balance in your local currency, and payout timing "varies by network".
Stripe vs a crypto payment gateway
| Stripe stablecoin payments | OrcaRail (crypto payment gateway) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | 1.5% | 0.5% per completed transaction, first 100 free |
| Stablecoins | USDC; USDP and USDG in the US only | USDC, USDT and other tokens |
| Networks | Tempo, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Base | 70 mainnets: EVM chains, Solana and Bitcoin |
| Bitcoin | No | Yes |
| You receive | Local currency in your Stripe balance | The tokens, forwarded to your own wallets |
| Subscriptions | Stripe Billing; stablecoin subscriptions in private preview | Payment link per cycle, or on-chain auto-charge |
| Refunds | Yes, in stablecoins to the customer's wallet | From your own wallet; no refund API |
| Chargebacks | None | None: on-chain payments are final |
| Card payments | Yes | No |
When Stripe is the better fit
- You already run on Stripe and want cards and stablecoins in one dashboard.
- You are a US business and want dollars in the bank, not crypto.
- Your customers pay in USDC on one of Stripe's five networks.
- Each payment is under 10,000 USD.
When a crypto payment gateway is the better fit
- Your customers pay in USDT. Stripe does not accept it. OrcaRail accepts USDT on Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, BNB, Avalanche and Solana, among others. See how to accept USDT payments.
- Your business is outside the US. Stripe stablecoin payments are US-only for now, with a private preview in a few regions.
- You want to keep the stablecoins. OrcaRail holds no balance. Each payment is forwarded automatically to withdrawal addresses you control.
- Fees matter at your volume. 0.5% instead of 1.5% saves 100 USD on every 10,000 USD you take.
- You want renewals to charge on their own. OrcaRail auto-charge pulls each renewal from an ERC-20 allowance (EVM) or SPL delegation (Solana) that the customer signs once. See subscriptions.
- You need more networks. OrcaRail covers 70 mainnets, including Arbitrum, Optimism, BNB and Bitcoin. See Networks and tokens.
Use both: Stripe for cards, a gateway for stablecoins
You do not have to choose. You can keep Stripe for card payments and add a crypto payment gateway for stablecoins. The flow is the same one you know from Stripe Checkout: your server creates a payment, the customer pays on a hosted page, and a signed webhook tells your server the payment is done.
For a wider view of stablecoin options, read stablecoin payments for businesses.
How to add USDC and USDT payments next to Stripe
- Open a sandbox. Sign up at app.orcarail.com and create a sandbox organization with an
ak_test_key. - Pick what you receive, for example USDC on Base or USDT on Ethereum. List the options with
GET /payments/networksandGET /payments/networks/:id/tokens. - Set withdrawal addresses for each chain family (EVM, Solana, Bitcoin), so funds go straight to your wallets.
- Add a "Pay with crypto" button next to your Stripe checkout. When it is clicked, create and confirm a payment intent on your server and redirect to the hosted pay page.
- Handle the webhook. Verify the webhook signature and fulfill the order on
payment_intent.completed. - Add subscriptions with OrcaRail subscriptions if you sell plans.
- Go live with a live organization and an
ak_live_key.
On WooCommerce? The OrcaRail plugin adds the crypto option without code. For code samples, see payment gateway integration.
FAQ
Does Stripe accept USDC?
Yes. Stripe accepts USDC on Tempo, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon and Base, and settles each payment to your Stripe balance in your local currency. Only businesses in supported countries can turn it on; today that is the US.
Does Stripe accept USDT?
No. When we checked on 10 November 2026, Stripe's accepted tokens were USDC, USDP and USDG. To accept USDT, use a crypto payment gateway. See how to accept USDT payments.
How much does Stripe charge for stablecoin payments?
1.5% of the transaction amount in USD, according to Stripe's US pricing page. The fee includes conversion to fiat, wallet and AML screening, fraud prevention and gas sponsorship.
Is there a limit on Stripe stablecoin payments?
Yes. A customer can pay up to 10,000 USD per transaction. There is no dispute support, and refunds go back in stablecoins to the customer's wallet.
What is the best Stripe alternative for stablecoin payments?
It depends on what you need. If you want a lower fee, USDT and stablecoins in your own wallet, a crypto payment gateway such as OrcaRail charges 0.5% per completed transaction, with the first 100 free. Compare more options in our list of crypto payment gateways and our BitPay alternatives post.