Which network to receive USDC on: L1 vs L2 for company payments

For most company payments, receive USDC on a layer 2 network such as Base or Arbitrum, or on Solana: the payer's network fee is much lower than on Ethereum, and the USDC is the same native USDC that Circle issues on each. With Holyheld Business, USDC received on any supported network converts to USD or EUR in the same account.

Best for

• A company invoicing customers in USDC that wants them to pay a low network fee.
• A finance team deciding which networks to accept before sharing a receiving address.
• Anyone weighing layer 1 against layer 2 for payments rather than for trading.

What L1 and L2 mean

A layer 1 (L1) is a blockchain that processes and settles its own transactions, such as Ethereum or Solana. A layer 2 (L2) is a separate blockchain that runs on top of Ethereum: it bundles many transactions into one and posts them to Ethereum, so each transaction costs less while Ethereum still secures the record (ethereum.org).

Base and Arbitrum are layer 2 networks of this kind, called rollups. Solana is not a layer 2. It is a separate layer 1 with its own validators and its own fees.

At a glance

Block times come from each network's documentation as of 27 October 2026: Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum and Solana, whose slot time fell to 200 milliseconds on 9 October 2026. Solana's fee is from its fee documentation. Circle issues native USDC on all four (Circle).

Fees: the payer's cost, not yours

On every one of these networks the sender pays the network fee. Choosing a layer 2 or Solana mostly saves your customer money, which makes paying you in USDC easier to agree to.

Layer 2 fees are low because a rollup spreads the cost of one Ethereum transaction across hundreds of its own (ethereum.org). Ethereum's own fee rises with demand, so a small payment can cost a noticeable share of its value there. For a large payment the fee matters less than the amount, and some counterparties hold their USDC only on Ethereum.

Speed: confirmation is not the bank credit

A payment shows up within seconds on all four networks, but settling for good takes longer. An Ethereum block becomes final in about 15 minutes (ethereum.org). A Base transaction is in a block after about 2 seconds and final on Ethereum after about 20 minutes (Base). An Arbitrum transaction becomes final once the Ethereum batch that records it is final (Arbitrum).

None of these times is the time money reaches a bank account. Converting the USDC and paying it out by SEPA or wire are separate steps with their own timing, so check the route before you promise a supplier a date.

Native USDC, bridged USDC and moving between networks

Circle issues USDC natively on each network in its list and publishes the official contract address for each. Some networks also carry bridged USDC, often labelled USDC.e, which Circle doesn't issue; Circle's own list notes one such token on X Layer (Circle). A service that accepts native USDC doesn't automatically accept the bridged form (Circle).

If USDC sits on a network your provider doesn't support, Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol moves native USDC between networks by burning it on one and minting it on the other, in about 8 to 20 seconds on its fast route (Circle).

How to choose

1. Start with what the payer holds. A customer with USDC on Base will pay faster on Base than after moving it.
2. Match the network to the amount. For routine invoices, a layer 2 or Solana keeps the payer's fee small. For a single large transfer, Ethereum's fee matters less.
3. Think about where the money goes next. If you will pay a supplier in USDC, receiving on the network they use saves a move.
4. Check what your provider supports. Accept only the asset and network combinations named in your receiving instructions.

Networks Holyheld works with

Holyheld receives USDC on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, Avalanche and Solana. Your account shows the asset and network combinations available for each transaction, and the off-ramp converts supported stablecoins to USD or EUR.

When you bill in USDC or EURC, the invoice's pay link lets the customer choose from the networks offered. The network named on the invoice comes first, and the amount is the same on each network; Get paid by invoice in USDC or EURC explains the flow.

What it costs

To move the converted money on to a bank account, read How to off-ramp USDC to an IBAN.

Common questions

Is Solana a layer 2?

No. Solana is a separate layer 1 with its own validators and fees. Base and Arbitrum are layer 2 networks that post their transactions to Ethereum.

Is USDC on Base the same as USDC on Ethereum?

Both are native USDC issued by Circle, but each lives on its own network. A payment has to be sent on the network the receiving address was given for.

Which network is cheapest to receive USDC on?

Usually a layer 2 such as Base or Arbitrum, or Solana, whose base fee is 5,000 lamports per signature. The sender pays the network fee, so the cheaper network saves the payer money.

What happens if a customer sends USDC on the wrong network?

Funds sent on a network the receiving instructions don't name may not arrive. Contact your concierge with the transaction hash.

Sources

All checked on 27 October 2026.

• ethereum.org: layer 2: what a layer 2 is and why its fees are lower.
• ethereum.org: blocks: Ethereum's 12-second slots.
• ethereum.org: single slot finality: about 15 minutes to finality.
• Base: transaction finality: block inclusion and finality on Base.
• Arbitrum: inside Arbitrum Nitro: block time and finality on Arbitrum One.
• Solana: reduced slot times and Solana: fees: slot time and the base fee.
• Circle: USDC contract addresses, Circle: bridged USDC and Circle: CCTP: native and bridged USDC, and moving USDC between networks.
• Holyheld Business pricing: membership and transfer fees.