Freelancer payment guide
How to get paid in crypto as a freelancer
Updated
Already have a client and agreed work? Start with the invoice, agree how the crypto payment will settle it, and confirm what arrived. This guide covers receiving payment for client work, from the first payment request to the remaining invoice balance.
Get the free invoice template1. Agree the invoice amount and settlement terms.
Keep the price of your work separate from the asset used to pay it. A USD 500 invoice does not automatically request 500 units of any cryptocurrency. Record whether the client will use a provider's current quote or an explicitly agreed stablecoin amount.
Before sending payment instructions, agree these details:
- The invoice currency, total, previous payments and remaining amount due.
- The payment asset and exact blockchain network, or the hosted checkout that supplies them.
- The quoted crypto amount or conversion rule, and when that quote expires.
- Who covers transfer and provider fees, and the amount that must reach you.
- The invoice reference and how you will handle a short, excess or late payment.
Example terms to adapt
Invoice DEMO-104 has USD 500 outstanding. For this example, the parties agree to settle it with 500 USDT on TRON (TRC-20), received in full, with the sender paying the transfer fee separately. The agreed amount is valid until the stated date and time; after that, confirm fresh instructions.
Illustrative wording only. This is not a live exchange-rate quote or payable request. Replace the terms and specify an actual expiry, including its timezone.
2. Choose how the client will pay.
| Route | What you share | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted invoice checkout | The current invoice payment link. | The provider's available assets, network, amount, expiry and confirmation status. |
| Agreed wallet transfer | Your receiving address together with the exact asset, network, amount and invoice reference. | Both sides support that network, the destination belongs to you, and the received amount matches the agreement. |
A PDF invoice can document either arrangement, but it cannot confirm a transfer. If a client is using an exchange, check the amount you will receive after its withdrawal fee. Their withdrawal amount and your net receipt can differ.
3. Verify the receiving destination before sharing it.
Open the receiving wallet or account and select the intended asset and network. Copy its receive or deposit address. Confirm any deposit minimum and additional recipient details required by that account. A token contract address identifies the token; it is not your receiving address.
Write the network in full: for example, USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20). An address that looks valid is not proof that the destination supports the chosen network. The TRC-20 versus ERC-20 payment guide explains the checks.
If payment details change, verify the change with your client through the contact channel you already use. Share receiving details, never a wallet recovery phrase, private key or account confirmation code.
4. Match the receipt to the invoice.
A client's screenshot or transaction hash is a reference to investigate, not a completed invoice record. Check the receiving account or checkout status, destination, asset, network and confirmed amount. An exchange-internal transfer may have a provider reference without an on-chain hash.
Record the received asset amount separately from the amount applied in the invoice currency. For an illustrative USD 750 invoice with USD 250 already paid, the remaining balance is USD 500. If a verified receipt is allocated USD 500 under the agreed terms, the balance becomes zero. Do not subtract a raw token quantity from a fiat invoice.
Keep the payment date, quote or settlement agreement, provider reference, transaction hash when available, and any fee or reconciliation notes. Investigate a short or excess payment before changing the invoice balance. Invoice tracking covers balances and payment history.
Receiving client payments in Corcava
When you issue client invoices in your own workspace, incoming crypto options use configured ATLOS or PassimPay checkout, or enabled direct USDT/TRON checkout for eligible USD invoices and their full outstanding balance. The actual checkout determines the available assets and networks. Start with crypto invoicing and client payments for the supported routes.
If a company instead pays your contractor invoice from its workspace, that is a separate flow. You manage your receiving method under Work → My payout methods, confirm changes by email code and select the method on your USD invoice. The company approves the invoice and releases the payout. See the contractor payout walkthrough for that sequence.
Receiving crypto and moving it into a bank account are separate steps. Include any later conversion and withdrawal charges in your own cost estimate; an invoice payment does not promise local bank settlement.
Questions before you invoice
Can my client pay from an exchange?
Only when that account can withdraw the required asset on the exact receiving network and satisfy the checkout or payment instructions. Check account restrictions, minimums, fees and recipient requirements before sending.
What if the payment is still pending?
Keep the existing provider reference and check its status. Do not ask the client to send a replacement merely because a confirmation is delayed. Establish what happened to the original transfer first.
Do I need a separate invoice for each coin?
The invoice describes the work and amount due. Its payment instructions identify the accepted asset and network. Keep one authoritative invoice balance, and document any revised payment quote rather than creating duplicate requests for the same work.
Send clear instructions. Keep the payment record.
Use the blank invoice and completed example to prepare your next client payment request.
Open the crypto invoice template