A crypto invoice is a payment request for an exact on-chain amount: your client opens a link, sees the amount in the coin you chose (or their local currency), scans a QR from any wallet, and the payment is detected and receipted automatically. Done right, it removes every awkward part of getting paid in crypto — the copy-pasted addresses, the 'did you send it yet?' messages and the manual matching of transfers to jobs.
This guide walks through creating a professional crypto invoice from scratch: choosing coin and network, locking the amount, sharing it with a client, and what happens on-chain when they pay. It's written for freelancers, agencies and small businesses — no technical background needed.
why a link beats a pasted address
The naive way to invoice in crypto is to email a wallet address and an amount. It works exactly once, then falls apart: the client sends on the wrong network, rounds the amount, or pays late at a different exchange rate — and you spend an evening cross-referencing a block explorer against your inbox.
A proper invoice fixes all three failure modes at once. The amount is locked at creation, so a $500 invoice asks for exactly the right quantity of USDT or BTC. The network is stated explicitly with a QR code, so wrong-chain transfers stop happening. And payment detection is automatic: the invoice flips to paid the moment the transaction confirms, with a receipt link both sides can verify on-chain.
step 1 — choose the coin and network
Ask your client what they hold before you create the invoice. In practice most B2B and freelance invoices settle in stablecoins:
- USDT — the most-held stablecoin; pick the network your client prefers (Tron TRC-20 costs ~$0.30, Ethereum ERC-20 more but universally supported)
- USDC — regulated alternative, popular with US-based clients
- BTC — for clients who hold Bitcoin; allow extra time for confirmations
- ETH / SOL — fine for crypto-native clients, but quote at invoice time since prices move
The network choice matters more than the coin choice. USDT on Tron and USDT on Ethereum are the same dollar but different rails — an invoice must state one explicitly, and your receiving address must be on that same rail.
step 2 — lock the exact amount
Professional invoices are amount-locked: you enter $500 (or €500, or ₹40,000 — a good tool converts from your local currency), and the invoice computes the exact coin quantity at current rates. For stablecoins that's trivially 500 USDT; for volatile coins the rate is captured at creation so both sides know precisely what settles the invoice.
Amount-locking is also what makes automatic matching possible. When the exact quantity arrives at the invoice address, the payment can only belong to that invoice — no guesswork, even if you have ten invoices outstanding to different clients.
step 3 — create and send the link
With crypt.pe specifically, invoices expire after 24 hours (so stale rates never bind you), one transaction settles exactly one invoice (replay-protected), and funds go straight to your own wallet — the platform never holds the money.
- 1. Open your invoice tool (crypt.pe → dashboard → invoice) and enter the amount, coin, network and an optional memo like 'Website redesign — milestone 2'.
- 2. The tool generates a unique tracked link and QR code for that invoice.
- 3. Send the link in your normal invoice email or chat — clients don't need an account to pay.
- 4. Your client opens it, sees the amount, scans the QR with any wallet, and sends.
- 5. You both watch the status flip from awaiting → confirmed, with an on-chain receipt link generated automatically.
step 4 — receipts and bookkeeping
Every settled crypto invoice should end with two artefacts: an on-chain receipt link (the transaction hash rendered as a human-readable page anyone can verify) and a row in your payment records with the USD value at settlement time.
That USD-at-settlement value is what your accountant wants. Good tooling records it automatically and lets you export everything as CSV at tax time — if your setup doesn't, note the fiat value the day each invoice is paid.
what it costs
| method | cost to you | cost to the client |
|---|---|---|
| crypt.pe invoice | 0% — flat plan, free tier available | network fee only (~$0.30 on Tron) |
| custodial processor invoice | 0.5–1% of the invoice + payout fees | network fee |
| PayPal / cards international | 3–6% incl. FX markup | sometimes surcharge |
| bank wire (SWIFT) | $15–50 + FX spread + days of waiting | $15–50 sending fee |
For a freelancer invoicing $5,000/month internationally, the difference between a wire and a stablecoin invoice is roughly $100–250 per month in recovered fees — and days of waiting removed.
mistakes that cost real money
- sending a bare address with no amount — you lose automatic matching and invite errors
- not stating the network — wrong-chain USDT to an exchange address is usually unrecoverable
- reusing one invoice link for multiple clients — payment matching breaks
- accepting screenshot 'proof' — only the chain is proof; use receipts both sides can verify
- quoting volatile coins without an expiry — a week-old ETH quote can be 10% off
frequently asked
Do my clients need a crypt.pe account to pay an invoice?
No. They open the invoice link, scan the QR with any wallet and send. Only you, the merchant, need an account.
Can I invoice in my local currency?
Yes — enter the amount in your display currency (USD, EUR, INR and more) and the invoice converts it to the exact coin quantity at current rates.
What happens if a client underpays or overpays an invoice?
Amount-locked invoices are matched on the exact quantity, so wallets pre-fill the right amount from the QR. Mismatched transfers are flagged rather than silently accepted, so you can resolve them explicitly.
Is a crypto invoice legally a real invoice?
The payment rail doesn't change invoicing rules: issue your normal invoice document with your usual details, and use the crypto invoice link as the payment method. Record the fiat value at settlement for your books.
