Paying a contractor in crypto sounds simple. Send the coin, done. Then the questions start. They want USDC, but you hold BTC. They want it on Solana, but your stablecoins are on Ethereum. And once they have your payment, they can look up the wallet it came from.
That last part catches people out. A crypto payment doesn't just move money. It hands the recipient a window into the wallet that sent it.
Here's how to pay contractors in the coin they want, and how to do it without sharing more than the payment.
Agree the details before you pay
Most payment problems start before anything is sent. Agree these with your contractor up front, ideally on the invoice:
- The asset and the network. "USDC" isn't enough. USDC on Solana and USDC on Ethereum are not interchangeable.
- The receiving address. Get it in writing, from a channel you trust, and check the first and last few characters before you send.
- What the invoice is priced in. If it's priced in dollars, agree who covers price movement and fees so the right amount arrives.
- Timing. Some routes take minutes, others longer. Leave room before a deadline.
For recurring work, keep a simple record of each payment: date, amount, asset, network and transaction ID. It makes reconciling invoices easier, and you'll want it for your own records.
Paying in a coin you don't hold
You have two options.
Swap first, then send. Convert your crypto into the coin your contractor wants, receive it in your own wallet, then send it on. It works, but it's two jobs instead of one, and you may need the destination network's native token just to pay the fee on the final send.
Swap and send in one go. Pay with the coin you hold and enter your contractor's address as the destination. The conversion happens along the way, and the coin they asked for lands directly in their wallet. No stop in yours.
Houdini works this way by default. Choose what you're sending, choose what they should receive, and enter their address.
Paying from Edge
If you use Edge Wallet, you can do this from the Send screen. Edge routes eligible payments through Houdini, so you can spend BTC while your contractor receives SOL, without a separate exchange step. Edge walks through it in how to pay someone when they want a coin you don't hold.
Whichever route you choose, compare what will actually arrive, not just the rate. Check whether the payout is guaranteed or estimated, and make sure it covers the invoice.
Keeping your wallet history to yourself
Pay a contractor straight from your wallet and they can look that wallet up. Its balance, past payments and the apps it uses are all public. That might mean your other contractors, your rates or your runway. Edge explains the mechanics in why crypto transactions are traceable.
It isn't about hiding the payment. Your contractor still gets paid, on chain, in full. It's about not handing over everything else along with it.
There are two simple ways to limit what they see:
- Pay from a separate wallet. Keep a dedicated payments wallet that only holds what you need for payroll. It doesn't hide the payment, but it keeps your main holdings out of view.
- Use a private route. Houdini routes your payment through two separate exchange partners before it reaches your contractor. They receive their payout from an exchange partner, not directly from you, removing the direct on-chain link between sending and receiving addresses. In Edge, turn on Stealth routing from the Send screen.
Before you hit send
- ☐ Asset, network and address confirmed in writing
- ☐ Invoice amount and who covers fees agreed
- ☐ Payout checked: guaranteed or estimated, and enough to cover the invoice
- ☐ Route chosen: direct, swap and send, or private
- ☐ Extra time allowed if you're going private
- ☐ Payment recorded with date, amount, asset, network and transaction ID
Pay in their coin. Keep your history.
Send a payment with Edge Wallet
FAQ
Can I pay a contractor in a crypto I don’t hold?
Yes. With Swap & Send in Edge Wallet, you pay with the coin you hold and your contractor receives the coin they asked for. Houdini handles the conversion and delivers it straight to their wallet, for supported assets, networks and amounts.
Can my contractor see my wallet if I pay them in crypto?
With a direct send, yes. They can look up the sending address and see its balance and history. A private route breaks the on-chain link, limiting what they can see.
Does a private payment cost more?
A little. The extra routing adds fees and takes longer to arrive, so check the payout before you confirm and allow extra time if you’re paying against a deadline.
Can I keep my payments private in Edge Wallet?
Yes. Turn on Stealth routing from the Send screen, on its own or alongside Swap & Send, where it’s supported.
