Cross-Chain Crypto Payments: A Freelancer's Guide to Getting Paid on Any Blockchain

You finished the project. Delivered everything on time. Now comes the part every freelancer dreads: getting paid.

You send your Ethereum wallet address. The client replies: "We pay from our Polygon treasury. Can you accept on Polygon?"

Great. Now you're stuck choosing between creating yet another wallet (with all the security headaches that entails) or telling a paying client you can't accommodate their payment method. Neither option feels good.

There's a better way.

Why Crypto Payments Get Complicated

Crypto was supposed to make cross-border payments simple. No banks. No wire transfer fees. No waiting a week for funds to clear.

And it does solve those problems—if you and your client happen to use the same blockchain.

The reality? In 2025, crypto users are scattered across dozens of chains. Your client's DAO might operate on Arbitrum. That startup you're working with? They keep everything on Base because it integrates with Coinbase. The international agency pays from Polygon because their finance team set it up two years ago and nobody wants to change it.

Each chain works perfectly fine on its own. But ask someone to send funds from Solana to your Ethereum wallet? That's where things fall apart.

You could maintain separate wallets for every major blockchain. Some freelancers do. They juggle Ethereum, Solana, Base, Polygon, and Arbitrum addresses—tracking balances across five different wallets, dealing with five sets of seed phrases, and turning their accounting into a nightmare.

Or you could turn down clients who can't pay on your preferred chain. Also not ideal when you're trying to build a business.

Cross-Chain Invoicing Changes Everything

Instead of sending a wallet address and hoping your client has funds on the right chain, you send a payment link that handles the complexity for you.

The link specifies exactly what you're requesting: 2,500 USDC to your Ethereum address. Your client opens it, sees the pre-filled amount and destination, then chooses which blockchain they want to pay from. They could send from Solana, Base, Polygon—doesn't matter. You still receive 2,500 USDC on Ethereum.

No scrambling to create new wallets. No manual bridging. No payment friction.

Think of it like sending a Venmo request, except it works across every major blockchain.

Setting Up Your Payment Link

The process takes about two minutes.

First, decide where you want to receive funds. Most freelancers pick one chain and stick with it:

Ethereum mainnet if you want maximum liquidity and easy access to exchanges. Every major platform supports Ethereum, so converting to fiat or moving funds around is straightforward.

Solana if you're already active in that ecosystem or prefer the lower fees for moving funds later.

Base if you plan to off-ramp through Coinbase regularly. The integration is seamless.

Pick the one that fits your workflow. You're not locked in—you can always generate different links for different chains—but having one primary receiving address simplifies your accounting.

Next, choose your token. For invoicing, stick with stablecoins. USDC and USDT are the standards. Requesting payment in ETH or SOL might sound appealing, but price volatility between invoice date and payment date creates problems for everyone. Your $5,000 invoice could be worth $4,200 by the time the client pays. Stablecoins eliminate that risk.

Now generate your link. You'll input:

• The token you want to receive (USDC on Ethereum, for example)
• The amount (2,500)
• Your wallet address

The system creates a shareable URL with all those details encoded. That's your payment link.

How to Use It

Add the link to your invoice. Something like:

Invoice #2025-03
Amount Due: $2,500 USDC

Payment Link: [your generated URL]

Click to pay with crypto from any blockchain.
Supports Ethereum, Solana, Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, and more.

Your client clicks the link and sees a pre-filled payment interface. The amount is locked at 2,500 USDC. Your Ethereum address is locked as the destination. The only choice they make is which blockchain to send from.

They select Solana (or whatever chain they prefer), get a deposit address, send the funds, and you're done. Within minutes, 2,500 USDC appears in your Ethereum wallet.

One wallet to check. One transaction to record. Simple.

Real Examples from Freelancers

Sarah, a web designer, used to lose about 30% of potential clients because she only accepted ETH on mainnet. DAOs wanted to pay from L2s. Startups had funds on Base. She'd either turn them down or spend hours setting up new wallets and figuring out security.

After switching to cross-chain payment links, she accepts clients regardless of which blockchain they use. Everything arrives in her Solana wallet. Her revenue increased, her accounting simplified, and she stopped worrying about managing multiple seed phrases.

Marcus, a smart contract developer, had the opposite problem. He insisted on receiving everything on Ethereum mainnet for liquidity reasons, but his DAO clients all operated on L2s to save on gas fees. They'd ask to pay in installments or delay payments because moving funds to mainnet was expensive.

Cross-chain links solved it. Clients pay from Arbitrum, Base, or Optimism—wherever their treasury lives. Marcus receives everything on Ethereum mainnet like he wants. Cash flow improved. Clients are happier. Everyone wins.

Jenna, a content creator, was receiving sponsor payments across four different chains. She maintained four separate wallets, constantly bridged funds manually to consolidate them, and her tax accountant charged extra because tracking everything was so complicated.

Now all sponsor payments arrive in her Base wallet automatically. One wallet to track. Easy Coinbase off-ramp when she needs fiat. Tax season got a lot less painful.

Best Practices for Crypto Invoicing

Always use stablecoins. Seriously. Requesting payment in ETH or other volatile assets creates problems. The value changes between when you send the invoice and when the client pays. Stablecoins keep everything simple and predictable.

Set clear payment terms. Your contract should specify which stablecoins you accept (USDC and USDT are standard), payment due dates, and what happens with late payments or overpayments. Crypto payments are irreversible, so clarity upfront prevents disputes later.

Keep detailed records. Even though you're only managing one wallet, you still need to track the USD value at the time of each payment receipt, save transaction hashes as proof of payment, and note which service each payment was for. Your accountant will thank you.

Test with small amounts first. For new clients or large projects, request a small test payment ($10-50) before the full amount. Confirm it arrives correctly. This builds trust and catches any issues before they involve serious money.

Make payment flexibility a selling point. When you're pitching clients, mention that you accept crypto payments from any blockchain. For DAOs, crypto-native startups, and international clients, this removes a common friction point. It's a competitive advantage.

Common Questions

What if my client doesn't know how to use crypto?

If they have a crypto wallet, they can handle this. The payment link shows them exactly what to do. It's more user-friendly than asking them to manually enter an address and amount.

What happens if there's a dispute?

Crypto payments are irreversible. You can't chargeback like with PayPal. This is why clear contracts and milestone-based payments matter for large projects. Deliver what you promised, get paid, move on.

Can I request partial payments?

Yes. Generate separate payment links for each milestone. A $10,000 project might have three links for $3,333.33 each. The client pays as you complete each phase.

Do I pay taxes on crypto income?

In most countries, yes. Crypto received as payment for services is taxable income at its fair market value when you receive it. Consult with an accountant who understands crypto—regular accountants often don't.

What about transaction fees?

Minimal. Cross-chain bridging involves some fees, but they're typically much lower than international wire transfers or PayPal's international rates.

Is this safe?

Payments go directly to your wallet through decentralized bridge protocols. No third party holds your funds. It's non-custodial, which means you maintain control the entire time.

Why This Matters

Traditional freelance payment methods have serious problems. Wire transfers cost $25-50 and take a week. PayPal freezes accounts randomly and charges 5%+ for international transfers. Payoneer has high fees and limited country support. Credit cards don't work well for B2B payments.

Crypto fixes most of this. Fees are low. Transfers are fast. It works globally. There are no chargebacks. No middleman takes a cut.

But until recently, crypto had its own problem: blockchain fragmentation. You and your client needed to use the same chain, or someone had to manually bridge funds.

Cross-chain invoicing solves that last piece. Now you can accept crypto payments from any blockchain while receiving everything in one wallet. It's professional, simple, and removes the friction that used to make crypto payments complicated.

If you're freelancing in 2025 and not offering crypto payment options, you're limiting your client base. If you're offering crypto but making clients match your specific blockchain, you're still creating unnecessary friction.

Send a payment link. Let clients pay from whatever chain they prefer. Receive everything in one wallet. Get back to doing the work you actually enjoy.

That's how crypto payments should work.