How to Exchange ETH to USDT: Network Fee, 0x Address and Choosing the Receiving Network

What to understand before exchanging ETH to USDT

ETH and USDT live on blockchains differently. ETH is the native coin of the Ethereum network, while USDT is issued in several networks at once, and each version of the token exists only in its own network. So an exchange of ETH to USDT consists of two independent decisions: how to send ETH and in which network to receive USDT.

Money is lost not because of the rate but because of two things: the wrong network and the wrong address. A blockchain does not cancel transfers and does not ask whether you are sure. Below are the steps, the fee, the address and the mistakes that people make most often.

Note separately that ETH can be sent not only from a phone wallet but also from an exchange or a hardware wallet. The principle is the same everywhere: you send ETH to the payment address in the Ethereum network, and the service sends USDT to your address in the selected network.

How to exchange ETH to USDT: step by step

1. Open the exchange form, select ETH as the coin you give and USDT as the coin you receive.
2. Select the network in which you want to receive USDT: TRC20, ERC20 or BEP20.
3. Enter the amount and look at the final amount to receive. The rate and the final amount are shown before the order is created.
4. Paste the wallet address for receiving USDT. The address must match the selected network.
5. Choose the mode, automatic or manual, and create the order.
6. Save the order number (BW-…) and its link.
7. Send the exact amount of ETH to the issued payment address within the validity period of the address.
8. Wait for network confirmations and the payout. The status is visible by the order number or link.

The general logic of the exchange is described in detail in the step-by-step guide to exchanging cryptocurrency. Here we will focus on what is specific to ETH.

How much ETH goes on the Ethereum network fee

Every transaction in Ethereum costs gas, and it is paid in ETH. The size of the fee depends on network load and the complexity of the operation: in quiet times it can be small, in hours of heavy load noticeably higher. No one knows the exact value in advance; your wallet shows it at the moment of sending.

It is important that this fee belongs to the network, not to the exchange service. It must be accounted for separately from the order amount: if you need to send exactly 0.5 ETH and the wallet holds exactly 0.5 ETH, nothing will be left for the fee, and the transfer will either not go through or the wallet will reduce the amount. For the difference between the two kinds of payments, read the article on the service fee and network fee.

How gas works: what the transfer price depends on

Put simply, the fee for an ETH transfer is calculated as the amount of gas multiplied by the gas price. An ordinary ETH transfer from one address to another requires a standard, small amount of gas, while the gas price changes from block to block depending on demand.

• The base gas price is set by the network automatically and rises when blocks are full.
• The tip to the validator raises the priority of your transaction.
• The gas limit protects against excess charges: for a simple transfer the wallet sets it itself.

If you set the price too low, the transaction may wait in the queue for a long time. If you have already run into this, read what to do about a stuck transaction. For an ordinary order, the fee recommended by the wallet is enough, and it is not worth lowering it to save money.

The 0x address: how to get and check it

An address in the Ethereum network starts with 0x and contains 40 more hexadecimal characters, that is, digits and letters from a to f. Many other networks compatible with Ethereum use the same format, and this is an important nuance: by its appearance, the address does not tell you which network it is intended for.

Before pasting the address, check:

• that it is copied in full, with no spaces at the beginning or end;
• that the first and last characters match what your wallet shows;
• that this is the address of exactly the wallet where you want to see the USDT.

These checks are covered in detail in the article how to check a wallet address. Copy the address with a button, not by hand, and do not trust addresses sent in private messages.

Which network to receive USDT in: TRC20, ERC20 or BEP20

In the order you choose the USDT network yourself, and it determines which wallet and which fee you will need. In brief:

• ERC20 works in the Ethereum network, like your ETH. It suits you if you need USDT in the Ethereum ecosystem, but USDT transfers in this network require ETH for gas.
• TRC20 works in the TRON network. The address starts with the letter T, and the fee there is paid in TRX.
• BEP20 works in the BNB Smart Chain network, and the fee is paid in BNB.

There is no universally best option. Choose the network that is supported by your wallet or by the platform where you will send the USDT next. The comparison is given in the article which USDT network to choose. If after receiving you plan to convert USDT back to bitcoin, the instructions for exchanging USDT to BTC will be useful.

Why a 0x address fits both ERC20 and BEP20

The Ethereum and BNB Smart Chain networks use the same address format. The same 0x address technically exists in both networks, but tokens sent to one network will not appear in the other. This is the most common reason why a recipient does not see their USDT.

The practical rule is simple:

• if you selected ERC20 in the order, your wallet must show the balance in the Ethereum network;
• if you selected BEP20, the balance must be looked for in the BNB Smart Chain network;
• if you selected TRC20, you need a TRON address starting with T.

If you selected a network and then changed it in the form, check the address again. What to do if a transfer still went to the wrong place is described in the material on the network and address error, but you should not count on a refund in advance.

How many confirmations to wait for ETH

An ETH transaction is considered reliable not immediately after sending but after several confirmations, that is, blocks added on top of it. Blocks in Ethereum appear roughly once every 12 seconds, so several confirmations are usually collected within minutes if the network is not congested. This is a guideline, not a promise.

The required number of confirmations for your order is indicated in the order itself; it depends on the network. The USDT payout is created after this number is reached. The general principles of waiting are described in the article how long to wait for confirmations in different networks.

It is convenient to follow the transfer by its txid in a blockchain explorer: it shows the status, the number of confirmations and the fee. How to read it is explained in the material about txid and the explorer.

How to send ETH to the payment address correctly

After the order is created, you receive a payment address. It is issued for each order and is valid for up to 2 hours. You must send exactly the amount specified in the order, and in the selected network.

1. Copy the payment address and the amount from the order.
2. In the wallet, select ETH in the Ethereum network and paste the address.
3. Enter the exact amount without rounding.
4. Check that the gas fee is paid on top of the transfer amount and is not deducted from it.
5. Confirm sending and save the txid.

If the wallet by default deducts the fee from the amount, less than required will reach the addressee, and the order may go to manual review. Details on such cases are in the article on underpayment and overpayment.

The price of ETH changes during the day, but this does not affect the amount of your order: the rate is fixed at the moment the order is created. So there is no need to rush because of fluctuations; it is enough to send the payment while the payment address is valid.

Sending from an exchange or from a personal wallet

ETH can be sent both from a personal wallet and from an exchange. The difference is in the nuances:

• From an exchange, withdrawal often goes with a fixed fee that the exchange sets itself. Make sure that the Ethereum network is selected for withdrawal and that the amount to be received equals the order amount, not the debit amount.
• From a personal wallet, you control the gas yourself and see the txid right after sending.
• From a smart contract, the transfer may look different in the explorer. If you are not sure, it is better to send from an ordinary address.

If the exchange has a minimum withdrawal amount, it may turn out to be larger than your order amount. Check this in advance, not at the last moment before the payment address expires.

Common mistakes when exchanging ETH to USDT

• Wrong receiving network. ERC20 was selected, but the balance was looked for in BEP20 or TRC20.
• A typo in the address. A single wrong character turns the address into someone else's or a non-existent one.
• Not enough ETH for gas. The whole balance is sent and nothing is left for the fee.
• Sending to an old payment address. The address is issued for each order, and the address of a previous order cannot be used.
• Repeat payment. Thinking that the payment did not arrive, people send it a second time. First check the txid, then contact support.
• The amount does not match. The wallet deducted the fee from the amount or the user rounded it.

Many of these mistakes are related to one another, so it is useful to check every detail against the list before sending.

What to do if an ETH transaction does not arrive

First find the txid and open it in a blockchain explorer. Three situations are possible:

• Pending confirmation. The transaction is in the queue, and the fee may have been low. You need to wait or use the speed-up function in the wallet.
• Confirmed. Then check that the address and amount match the order, and verify the status via the order link.
• Not found. Possibly the transfer has not been sent yet or the wallet did not create it.

Do not send the payment again. A payment after the deadline, for a different amount or in a different network is processed manually by the operator through support. In your request, give the order number, the coin, the amount and the txid. More on such situations is in the material about a stuck transaction.

Checklist before sending ETH

• The ETH to USDT pair and the required receiving network are selected.
• The recipient address is copied in full and matches the selected network.
• The final amount to receive was checked before creating the order.
• The order number BW-… and the link are saved.
• The wallet holds ETH for the order amount plus gas.
• Sending is done in the Ethereum network to the payment address of exactly this order.
• The amount sent matches the amount in the order without rounding.
• Sending is done before the address validity period expires.
• The txid is saved.

How this relates to exchanging on BITWHITE

On BITWHITE you can exchange ETH to USDT in the TRC20, ERC20 or BEP20 networks. The list of coins and networks is shown in the exchange form and may differ between modes. No registration is needed: you choose the coins, the amount and the receiving address.

The rate and the final amount to receive are shown before the order is created, and the rate is fixed at the moment the order is created. Automatic mode works without an operator with a 1% fee, manual mode is checked by an operator with a 1.5% fee. In automatic mode, a refund address is specified. For more on how the amount is calculated, read the article on the rate, spread and rate fixing, and on choosing the mode, the material on automatic and manual mode.

The service never asks for a seed phrase or private keys and does not offer exchange in private messages. The only official domain is bitwhite.net. If you are ready to exchange, open the BITWHITE exchange form.