Customers pay with what they hold
Stripe checkout accepts USDC on five networks, plus USDP and USDG for US customers. Payclave customers can pay with other tokens in their wallet, which the payment route converts.
Stripe stablecoin payments alternative
Stripe settles crypto as fiat. Payclave settles stablecoins to your own wallet.
Stripe's stablecoin payments let US businesses accept USDC and a few other stablecoins, then settle the payment as fiat in the Stripe balance. Payclave works the other way around: customers pay with verified tokens they hold on supported networks, and you receive USDC or USDT on Polygon directly in a wallet you control.
Stablecoins in your wallet, not fiat in a balance
Stripe settles stablecoin payments as fiat in your Stripe balance. Payclave settles USDC or USDT to your own wallet with each payment.
0.7% flat
Stripe's pricing page lists 1.5% for stablecoin payments and shows a 0.8% promotional rate for Link until January 1, 2027. Payclave charges 0.7% per completed live payment.
Adding Payclave
Add any-token checkout next to your Stripe card payments.
- 1
Keep Stripe for cards
Payclave does not replace card payments. Leave your Stripe integration in place and add Payclave as a crypto payment option.
- 2
Set a settlement wallet
Choose USDC or USDT on Polygon and add a wallet you control. Live payments settle there directly.
- 3
Create checkout sessions
When a customer picks crypto, your backend creates a Payclave checkout session and sends them to the hosted checkout.
- 4
Fulfill on signed webhooks
Verify X-Payclave-Signature and fulfill on invoice.paid, the same way you handle Stripe events today.
Payclave vs Stripe stablecoin payments at a glance
Last checked October 30, 2026 against Stripe's own documentation and pricing page. Stripe's crypto products change often, so confirm current details on Stripe's site before deciding.
| Payclave | Stripe stablecoin payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer pays with | Any verified token in their wallet on supported networks when a route is available, or Scan or copy deposit instructions | USDC on Tempo, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, or Base; USDP and USDG for US customers |
| USDT | Accepted from customers and available as settlement | Not listed as an accepted stablecoin |
| What you receive | USDC or USDT on Polygon in a wallet you control | Fiat in your Stripe balance (USD for US businesses) |
| Stablecoins in your own wallet | Every payment settles there directly | A separate step: hold a stablecoin balance and transfer it out (public preview in the US) |
| Fee | 0.7% per completed live payment, no monthly fee | 1.5% on Stripe's pricing page; 0.8% promotional rate shown for Link until January 1, 2027 |
| Business location | Subject to Payclave's eligibility review | Generally available to US businesses outside New York; EU, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Switzerland in private preview |
| Card payments | Not offered | Cards, wallets, and other methods in the same integration |
| Testing | Free test mode | Sandbox with testnet USDC on Polygon Amoy |
Why customers paying in crypto want more than USDC
Crypto-native customers often hold ETH, USDT on Tron or Ethereum, or other tokens rather than USDC on one specific network. A checkout that only accepts a short list of stablecoins sends those customers off to swap or bridge first, and some will not come back.
Payclave lets the customer pay from what is already in their wallet. The payment route converts it on the way, and Payclave verifies the settlement onchain before marking the invoice paid.
Where Stripe is the stronger fit
Stripe makes sense when you want card and stablecoin payments in one integration, need fiat settlement in your Stripe balance, or rely on Stripe Billing, Tax, or Connect. Stripe's stablecoin payments also support subscriptions and have no card-style disputes.
Many merchants can use both: Stripe for cards and Payclave for customers who want to pay with crypto and for businesses that want stablecoins in their own wallet.
Sources
Stripe facts on this page come from Stripe's own documentation, pricing page, and crypto overview.
Frequently asked questions
Stripe stablecoin payments alternative: common questions.
Does Stripe accept crypto payments?
Stripe's stablecoin payments accept USDC on Tempo, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and Base, plus USDP and USDG for US customers, and settle to the merchant as fiat. Merchants request the payment method and Stripe reviews the request.
Can customers pay with any token on Payclave?
Customers can pay with the verified tokens already in their wallet, such as ETH, USDT, and USDC, across supported networks, or send funds with Scan or copy instructions, when a payment route is available. You always receive USDC or USDT on Polygon.
Do I have to leave Stripe to use Payclave?
No. Payclave does not process cards. Most merchants keep Stripe for card payments and add Payclave as the crypto option at checkout.
Is Payclave cheaper than Stripe for stablecoin payments?
Payclave charges a flat 0.7% per completed live payment. Stripe's pricing page lists 1.5% for stablecoin payments, including conversion and gas, and shows a 0.8% promotional rate for Link until January 1, 2027. Network costs are separate on Payclave.
Explore Payclave
Continue planning your integration.
Coinbase Commerce alternative
Coinbase Commerce closed on March 31, 2026. Compare its custodial successor, Coinbase Business, with Payclave's non-custodial USDC and USDT checkout.
Learn morePricing
Payclave pricing has no monthly or setup fee. Test mode is free, and a flat 0.7% platform fee applies to each completed live payment.
Learn moreAccept USDT payments
Accept USDT payments with Payclave-hosted checkout, USDT settlement on Polygon, independent onchain verification, and signed webhooks.
Learn moreHow to accept stablecoin payments
Compare the four ways a business can accept USDC or USDT: a wallet address, a store plugin, a custodial processor, or non-custodial hosted checkout.
Read the guideOnchain payment verification
How Payclave verifies stablecoin settlement: confirmation, recipient, token, amount, expiry, and duplicate transaction use before marking an invoice paid.
Read the guideTest the flow
Create a checkout session before you change your production stack.
Use test keys, the API playground, and signed webhook examples to validate the complete order-to-payment flow.