Which blockchain networks does trip1 support for USDC payments?
trip1 supports USDC on Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base. Layer 2 networks like Polygon and Arbitrum offer the lowest fees and fastest settlement.
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The five supported networks
- Ethereum - the original USDC home network. Higher gas fees, especially during congestion.
- Polygon - Layer 2 with very low fees, often the cheapest option for USDC payments.
- Arbitrum - Layer 2 rollup with fast finality and low fees, well-supported across major wallets.
- Optimism - another Layer 2 rollup with quick confirmation and modest fees.
- Base - Coinbase's Layer 2, easy to fund directly from a Coinbase account.
How to choose the right network
Pick the network where you already hold USDC. If you hold USDC on Polygon, send from Polygon. If you hold it on Arbitrum, send from Arbitrum. Bridging between networks adds time and a small fee.
If you have USDC on multiple networks, the Layer 2 options (Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism) almost always cost less and confirm faster than Ethereum mainnet.
What happens if you pick the wrong network
Important: always match the network shown at trip1 checkout. USDC sent on the wrong network can be lost and trip1 cannot recover those funds. Double-check the network selection in your wallet before sending.
USDC Networks Supported by trip1 - FAQ
Send on the network where you already hold USDC, as long as it is one of trip1's five: Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism or Base. Then choose that same network at checkout. Bridging between networks adds time and a small fee, so avoid it unless your USDC sits on an unsupported network.
Polygon is often the cheapest option, and Arbitrum, Base and Optimism are also low cost, typically under 10 cents per payment. Ethereum mainnet works on trip1 but tends to be more expensive when the network is busy, so it costs more for the same booking.
USDC sent on a network that does not match the one shown at trip1 checkout can be lost, and trip1 cannot recover those funds. Before you send, double-check that the network selected in your wallet or exchange matches the checkout exactly.
Not from a self-custody wallet on most networks. You need a little of the network's gas token: ETH on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism and Base, and POL on Polygon. If you withdraw from an exchange instead, the exchange charges its own withdrawal fee and handles the gas for you.
On Ethereum, yes: USDC is a smart contract token that follows the ERC-20 standard. ERC-20 is a token standard, not a network. USDC also exists natively on other networks, including Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism and Base, which is why you must pick the matching network at trip1 checkout.
No. Circle does not issue USDC on Bitcoin. On trip1 you can pay with USDC on Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism or Base. If you want to pay with Bitcoin itself, choose Bitcoin as your coin at checkout instead of USDC.