Pay an invoice

Open the full payment link sent by the merchant to review and pay an invoice in USDC. You can pay with a compatible external wallet without creating a Cleared merchant account.

Before you start#

You need:

  • The complete invoice link, including its token query parameter.
  • A compatible wallet that can sign the payment requests.
  • Enough USDC on the invoice's network to cover the full amount.
  • For an external wallet, enough ETH on the same network to pay transaction gas.

Base mainnet and Base Sepolia are separate networks. USDC or ETH on another network will not cover this payment. Check the network requested by the payment page and wallet; see contract addresses for network references.

Review and pay#

  1. Open the merchant's link. Review the seller, customer details, amount, description, and due date. Download the invoice PDF if you need a copy before payment.
  2. Select Connect Wallet, choose an available connector, and approve the connection in your wallet.
  3. Switch to the requested network if prompted.
  4. Select the Pay button showing the invoice amount.
  5. Review and approve the wallet prompts. The external-wallet flow asks for a USDC permit signature followed by a settlement transaction. Signing the permit alone does not complete payment.
  6. Wait for confirmation. Use View on BaseScan when a transaction link is available, and Download Receipt after successful payment.

Wallet compatibility depends on the connector and signature support. Do not assume every EVM or smart-contract wallet supports the current permit flow.

Embedded wallets and gas sponsorship#

For an authenticated Cleared user with an embedded wallet, the page can use a sponsored payment flow when supported and available. That wallet still needs the invoice amount in USDC. If an external wallet is connected, it takes precedence and uses the external transaction flow.

Signing in does not make every payment gasless, and opening a payment link does not fund a wallet. See Fees for protocol fees and network costs.

Keep the full share link#

An illustrative link has this shape:

text
https://clearedpay.xyz/pay/42?token=EXAMPLE_ACCESS_TOKEN

This example is not a usable invoice. Use the link the merchant supplies without shortening or removing its query string.

The token grants access to private invoice details. Anyone with the valid link can view them, so avoid posting it publicly. With no token, the page shows Share link needed. If the token is expired or revoked, ask the merchant for a fresh link. Connecting a wallet does not replace the access token.

Status and documents#

  • Issued: payable when metadata verification and wallet checks pass. An overdue due date does not automatically block payment.
  • Paid: already settled. The page shows Payment complete and offers a receipt with a valid access link.
  • Canceled: the page shows No longer payable. Ask the merchant whether a replacement invoice is needed.
  • Transaction Pending: submitted, but not yet confirmed. Use Refresh Page to Check Status and check the transaction before retrying.

The invoice PDF describes the bill. The payment receipt records a completed payment. They serve different purposes; see Export data.

If the page cannot verify the invoice metadata, payment is blocked. Do not work around that warning by sending USDC directly to an address: a direct transfer does not settle the invoice through Cleared. See Troubleshooting.