How to send USDT — network, address and memo

What you need to send USDT

The general way to make a transfer, from checking the address to the test amount, is covered in the guide how to send crypto. For USDT, three things are added to it:

• the name of the network on which the recipient expects USDT, and their address (the number of the "account" for the transfer) on exactly that network;
• a little TRX, ETH or another coin of the same network to pay the fee, if you are sending from your own wallet;
• the memo, that is, an extra recipient number, if the exchange's deposit page lists one beside the address.

A network coin is a network's own crypto, used to pay its fee. USDT rides on someone else's network, like a parcel sent by post, and the network usually charges for delivery in its own coin. If your wallet has none of that coin or not enough, the transfer usually fails¹. So buy a little of this coin in advance or move some to the same wallet. Ways to lower the fee, and which wallets can take it in USDT itself, are covered in the article on network fees.

Why can't I send the USDT that is in my wallet?

Check the network coin first. If the address holds none, or less than the fee requires, the USDT goes nowhere and stays with you. Add some of the network coin to the address, TRX for Tron or ETH for Ethereum; the steps are described in the article on gas. There is also a cause the address owner cannot fix. Tether, the issuer of USDT, can freeze USDT at an address, meaning it blocks the tokens there, for example at the request of law enforcement ⚖️². If you do have the network coin and the wallet still will not send USDT, open the address in a block explorer (a website that shows the transfers and balance of any address) and write to the wallet's support.

How to send USDT step by step

1. Find out from the recipient which network to use, and get their address. An exchange names the network where it shows the deposit address; a person you simply ask.
2. Make sure your wallet or exchange can send USDT on this network.
3. Compare the start of the address with the network, using the table below.
4. Check that your wallet holds this network's coin for the fee.
5. In the transfer form, choose the same network, paste the address and, if the exchange gave you one, the memo.
6. Send a test amount and wait until the recipient sees it.
7. Send the rest.

USDT networks, how their addresses start and which coin pays the fee

An address starting with "0x" looks the same on Ethereum and on several other networks that also carry USDT³, and the transfer form usually will not notice a wrong network. So when you see "0x", ask the recipient what the network is called, in words, and pick exactly that one from the list. The article what is EVM explains why it works this way.

How to choose a network for USDT

The network for USDT is chosen by the recipient. If they or their exchange named a network, send only on it, even when another one is cheaper. A transfer on a network the recipient does not use may never reach them¹.

When the choice is yours, for example when moving USDT between your own wallets, take a network both sides support and compare the fee on the confirmation screen.

The fee rises and falls with how busy the network is, so no one can say once and for all which network is cheaper.

In an exchange's list of networks, USDT is often labelled with the name of a standard. ERC-20 means Ethereum and TRC-20 means Tron³, while BEP-20 means BNB Chain. The article token standards explains these labels in more detail. Exchanges also offer USDT on networks that, as of 30.10.2026, are not on Tether's official list, such as BNB Chain and Polygon³. That USDT is not fake, but an intermediary issues it. Who exactly, and what this means for the holder, is covered in the USDT profile.

Why does a P2P buyer ask for USDT on a particular network?

The buyer names the network on which their USDT address at an exchange or in a wallet is set up. A transfer on another network to that address may never arrive, so send USDT only on the network you agreed on. Compare both the network and the address with what the buyer wrote in the deal chat on the platform. The guide how to sell and cash out crypto explains how to avoid being cheated when selling on P2P.

Can I send USDT from a Tron address to an Ethereum address?

Not with an ordinary transfer: a USDT transfer stays on its own network, and a transfer form on Tron usually will not accept an Ethereum address starting with "0x". You can move USDT from Tron to Ethereum through an exchange that accepts USDT on both networks: deposit it there on Tron and withdraw it on Ethereum. The exchange will charge its own withdrawal fee.

When you need a memo for a USDT transfer

A memo is needed where an exchange receives all its customers' transfers at one address and tells them apart by this number⁴. Among the USDT networks, this happens most often on TON. The exchange says on its deposit page whether a memo is required: if it shows one next to the address, copy it together with the address. If it shows none, leave the memo field empty. What to do if you forgot the memo is explained in the guide how to send crypto.

Risks when sending USDT

Frequently asked questions

More detail on address formats and Tether's USDT networks

An Ethereum address consists of "0x" followed by 40 characters¹², and a Tron address has 34 characters and starts with "T"⁸. A Solana address is a 32-byte public key¹³. On TON, addresses of ordinary wallets start with "UQ" and addresses of smart contracts with "EQ"¹⁴. The fee on Ethereum is paid in ETH¹⁵, on Solana in SOL¹⁶, and on TON in Gram, formerly Toncoin¹⁷.

Tether lists on its website the networks on which it issues USDT and undertakes to buy it back from verified customers (what are reserves). As of 30 October 2026, the list includes, for example, Aptos, Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana, TON and Tron³. For BNB Chain (the network's full name is BNB Smart Chain, and exchanges also label it BSC), Tether lists only its gold token XAU₮³.