Picking the Right Crypto Network for Deposits
Picking the right crypto network for a deposit is about three things: what your wallet supports, what the fees are, and how fast it settles.
Network fees
BTC mainnet: $1-5 per transaction depending on mempool congestion. ETH mainnet: $1-50 (varies wildly with gas — check etherscan.io). ETH L2s (Arbitrum, Optimism, Base): under $0.50 typical.
USDT TRC-20: under $1. USDT or USDC on Solana: under a cent. USDT or USDC on BSC: under $0.50. SOL native: under a cent. BNB native: under $0.50.
Sending to the wrong network is the most common irrecoverable deposit error. Verify the network on both sides before you hit send.
Confirmation times
BTC mainnet: 10-30 minutes for one confirmation. ETH mainnet: 1-5 minutes typical. ETH L2s: under a minute. TRC-20: 1-3 minutes. Solana: under 30 seconds. BSC: ~3 seconds block time, under a minute for our confirmation gate.
Per-network minimums
Each network has a NOWPayments-driven minimum that covers chain fees. BTC: around $5. ETH mainnet: around $10. L2s and SOL/TRC: $1-3. Live minimum displays on the deposit page before you send.
Sending below the minimum: the deposit is lost, the fee eats it. The deposit page disables the submit button when amount is below the live minimum, but if you send manually from your wallet, you can still mess this up.
Cross-network sends: just don't
Select "USDT TRC-20" on Rust Snowball but send from your wallet on USDT ERC-20: funds lost. Different networks, addresses look similar but are incompatible.
Always verify the network you select matches the network you're sending from. The deposit page shows a different address per network — sending to the wrong address is the single most common irrecoverable deposit error.
Frequently asked questions
- Which network is cheapest?
- Solana native and Solana stablecoins. Sub-cent fees. Sub-30-second settlement. By far the best combo for small deposits.
- Which network is most familiar?
- BTC mainnet. Slowest and most expensive per transaction, but every wallet supports it.
- Can I send from a centralized exchange?
- Yes. Most CEXes support multiple networks. Pick the cheapest one available on both sides.
- What if I send to the wrong network?
- Funds are typically unrecoverable. Always verify network selection on both sides before sending. If it happens, contact support immediately — recovery is rare but worth trying.