Paying a proforma in Bitcoin or USDT: exact amounts, exchange fees and confirmation

Written 23 September 2026 by the trade desk. About 1 minute to read.

A crypto payment matched to an order by amount and address needs no screenshot, no email and no waiting on a person. It also needs the exact figure to arrive, and that is where most short payments come from.

What the proforma gives you

An address quoted for your order alone, the network to use, and the exact amount in Bitcoin or USDT at the moment of the quote. Bitcoin addresses are never reused between customers, so whatever lands on yours is yours. USDT payments are matched by an exact amount, down to the last decimals.

The exchange fee mistake

Most exchanges charge a withdrawal fee, and some take it out of the amount you enter rather than on top of it. Enter 0.00138 BTC and 0.00120 arrives. The order then reads as short and waits. Enter the amount as the amount to be received, or send the fee on top; the exchange's confirmation screen usually shows both figures.

If a payment arrives short

Nothing is lost. Your order page shows what arrived and what is still owed, and a second payment of the balance to the same address completes it; the order raises itself once the total is there. The desk can also accept a payment that is a few dollars short if it chooses to.

Confirmation

A payment is recognised when it appears on the chain and is taken once it has confirmed. Bitcoin confirmation depends on the fee your wallet paid; a low fee can wait an hour or more when the network is busy. USDT on Tron confirms in minutes. Nothing needs to be done on your side while it waits.

What is not accepted

Cash App, Venmo and card payments are not taken. Bank transfer is by arrangement for accounts on credit terms. Coins sent on a network other than the one quoted cannot be recovered, so check the network before sending.

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