# Paying for LLM tokens in crypto, step by step

> How to pay the LLMwithCrypto API in crypto: coins and networks, the minimum top-up, the exact-amount rule, what to do after a wrong transfer, and buying credit.

- URL: https://llmwithcrypto.com/crypto-payments/
- Last updated: 2026-10-23
- Publisher: LLMwithCrypto (https://llmwithcrypto.com)

The API is paid from a balance, and the balance is filled in crypto. This page covers the coins and networks, the minimum, the one rule that matters most — send the exact amount shown — and what happens if a transfer goes wrong.

**Quick answer — How do I pay for LLMwithCrypto in crypto?**

Top up your **LLMwithCrypto** balance with at least $25 in BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, sending the exact amount shown on the network shown. Once the blockchain confirms it and we have checked it, the balance is credited and you buy an API credit pack from it, from $25 as of 23 October 2026. Every call then spends that credit per token. No card, no KYC.

## Which coins and networks can I send?

All of them land on the same balance. USDT travels on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), USDC on Ethereum; the payment page shows the address and the network for the coin you pick.

- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Tether (USDT) — TRC-20 or ERC-20
- USD Coin (USDC) — ERC-20
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Solana (SOL)
- Litecoin (LTC)

## What happens between my wallet and my API key?

Five steps. Only the blockchain confirmation takes real time.

1. **Choose an amount and a coin** — Enter $25 or more and pick a coin. The page turns the dollar amount into an exact amount of that coin.
2. **Send that exact amount** — One transfer, to the address shown, on the network shown. A rounded or split amount is hard to match to your account.
3. **Tell us it is sent** — Click "I've sent the payment" and, if the page asks, paste the transaction ID: it speeds up the check.
4. **Wait for confirmations** — We match the transfer by its amount and wait for the confirmations its network needs. Pending top-ups are listed in the dashboard.
5. **Buy credit and call the API** — Pick a credit pack from the balance. Once your crypto top-up is confirmed and a credit pack is bought, your API key is waiting in the dashboard.

## Which coin is best for paying an API?

- **USDT on TRC-20** usually costs the least to send for small amounts, and its dollar value does not move while the payment confirms.
- **USDC on ERC-20** suits wallets that already hold it; Ethereum network fees can be high for small top-ups.
- **Bitcoin** is fine for larger top-ups; it needs more confirmations, so it takes longer.
- **ETH, SOL and LTC** work too; their price can move between sending and crediting, and the rate shown is held for a limited time.

The [USDT guide](https://llmwithcrypto.com/guides/pay-llm-api-with-usdt/) shows a TRC-20 payment from an exchange account.

## Why is there a minimum top-up?

Each top-up has to be matched and checked on our side and costs a network fee on yours, so very small payments make little sense. The minimum is $25.

If you only need the smallest credit pack and it costs less than the minimum, the difference is not lost. Credit on your balance does not expire and pays for tokens on any model, whenever you call the API. When a pack costs less than the minimum top-up, the part you paid only to reach that minimum comes back on request within 30 days of payment, in USDT or USDC, provided it is still unspent. The rest of a balance is not paid out unless the law requires it.

## I sent the wrong amount, coin or network: now what?

- **Amount slightly off:** write to support@llmwithcrypto.com with the transaction ID; support matches it by hand.
- **Payment arrived late:** a late payment still counts, at the rate of the moment it arrives.
- **Wrong network or wrong coin:** funds sent on a network or in a coin we did not show for that address may not be recoverable. Write to support before doing anything else.

Nobody from our team will ever ask for your account number or your API keys, by email or in a chat.

## What do I buy once the balance is credited?

A credit pack at face value. The credit pays for every model at its price per token and never expires.

| Plan | Quantity | Price | Price per unit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Start | $25 of API credit | $25 | — |
| Builder | $50 of API credit | $50 | — |
| Production | $100 of API credit | $100 | — |
| Team | $250 of API credit | $250 | — |

In every plan: Every model on one key · Streaming and tool calling · Failed calls not charged · Credit never expires

**Before you pay**

- Minimum top-up $25. Top up once in crypto, then buy any plan from your balance.
- Credit on your balance does not expire and pays for tokens on any model, whenever you call the API. When a pack costs less than the minimum top-up, the part you paid only to reach that minimum comes back on request within 30 days of payment, in USDT or USDC, provided it is still unspent. The rest of a balance is not paid out unless the law requires it.
- Credited once your payment is checked on the blockchain. Typical network confirmation time: BTC ≈ 20 min · USDT TRC-20 ≈ 1 min · USDT ERC-20 ≈ 5 min · USDC ERC-20 ≈ 5 min · ETH ≈ 5 min · SOL ≈ 1 min · LTC ≈ 15 min

## Crypto payment questions

### Do I need an account before paying?

One is created for you at checkout: you receive an account number, which is your login. Your account number is how you sign in, so store it carefully. With an optional email on file you can recover it; with no email, a lost number is gone for good.

### Can I pay each API call directly in crypto?

No. Calls are paid from prepaid credit; that keeps each request fast and avoids a blockchain fee per call.

### Is my top-up refundable?

A credit pack bought in the last 72 hours goes back to your balance if less than 20% of it was spent. If the API does not work for you and support cannot fix it within 24 hours, the unspent credit goes back to your balance. Top-ups stay on the balance and are not paid out unless the law requires it; whatever you added only to reach the minimum top-up comes back on request within 30 days, in USDT or USDC, as long as it is unspent.

### Do you accept cards or PayPal?

No. Payments are crypto only: BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC.

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LLMwithCrypto: LLMwithCrypto is an OpenAI-compatible LLM API for open-weight models — DeepSeek V4 Pro, DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, DeepSeek R1, Qwen3.5 397B A17B, Qwen3 235B A22B Instruct, gpt-oss-120b, gpt-oss-20b, GLM-4.7, Llama 3.3 70B Instruct, Gemma 4 31B, Mistral Large 3, Mistral Small 4 — paid per token from a prepaid crypto balance, at 5% below the median price of the public hosts. No KYC: no ID, no selfie, no documents. Prompts and outputs are not stored.