Payment Methods Overview

ALIAS offers two ways to pay for your virtual cards: x402 Protocol (direct browser payment) and Solana Pay (QR code payment). Both methods accept the same tokens and create cards just as quickly—the difference is in how you approve the transaction.

Which Method Should I Use?

Choose based on your device and preference:

x402 Protocol - Best for desktop users:

• One-click payment in your browser
• Fastest possible checkout
• No QR codes or scanning required
• Works with Phantom, Solflare, Backpack, and other browser wallets

Solana Pay - Best for mobile users:

• Scan a QR code with your phone
• Works across devices (view on desktop, pay on mobile)
• Great for mobile-first wallets
• Standard Solana Pay specification

Comparison

| Feature | x402 Protocol | Solana Pay | |---------|---------------|------------| | Best Device | Desktop | Mobile | | Payment Flow | Browser wallet popup | Scan QR code | | Speed | Under 2 seconds | 2-5 seconds | | User Steps | 1-click approval | Scan + approve | | Cross-device | No (same device only) | Yes (any device) | | Complexity | Simpler | Slightly more steps |

How x402 Protocol Works

x402 is ALIAS's primary payment method for desktop users.

The Flow:

1. You click "Create Card" - Choose your amount and token
2. Wallet popup appears - Your browser wallet asks for approval
3. You approve - One click to confirm the transaction
4. Payment confirms - Usually under 1 second on Solana
5. Card created - You receive your card details immediately

Total time: Under 2 seconds from approval to card

Why it's fast:

• Direct wallet integration (no intermediaries)
• Immediate settlement on Solana
• No session management or QR codes
• Optimized for desktop browsers

Best for:

• Desktop computers with browser wallets
• Users who want the fastest experience
• When you're already browsing on the device you want to pay from

How Solana Pay Works

Solana Pay is a QR code-based payment standard used across the Solana ecosystem.

The Flow:

1. You click "Create Card" - Choose your amount and token
2. QR code displays - A payment QR code appears on screen
3. You scan with phone - Open your mobile wallet and scan the code
4. You approve on mobile - Confirm the transaction on your phone
5. System confirms - Browser automatically detects payment
6. Card created - You receive your card details

Total time: 2-5 seconds (mostly dependent on how fast you scan)

Why it's great for mobile:

• Works with any Solana wallet app
• No browser extension needed
• Can pay from a different device
• Standard across Solana apps

Best for:

• Mobile wallet users
• When browsing on desktop but want to pay from phone
• Users without browser wallet extensions
• Maximum compatibility across wallets

Supported Tokens

Both payment methods accept the same tokens:

Mainnet (Production):

• USDC (Recommended): Most stable, widely accepted
• SOL: Native Solana token
• USDT: Tether stablecoin on Solana
• Other SPL tokens: Contact support to enable additional tokens

Devnet (Testing):

• USDC-Dev: Test USDC (get from faucet)
• SOL-Dev: Test SOL (airdrop available)

How Payments Are Verified

Both methods verify your payment on the Solana blockchain before creating your card. This ensures:

Payment Confirmation:

• Transaction exists on Solana
• Transaction is confirmed (not pending)
• Correct amount was sent
• Payment went to the right address
• Transaction hasn't been used for another card

Why blockchain verification?

• Prevents fraud and double-spending
• Ensures you actually paid
• Creates an immutable payment record
• No need to trust ALIAS—it's all verifiable on-chain

How fast? Solana confirmation is typically 400-800 milliseconds (under 1 second).

Common Issues & Solutions

Payment Not Going Through

Symptom: Transaction fails or doesn't confirm

Common causes:

• Not enough SOL for gas fees (even if paying in USDC, you need tiny amount of SOL)
• Network congestion (rare on Solana)
• Wallet disconnected or locked

Solutions:

• Ensure you have at least 0.01 SOL for transaction fees
• Try again—the system automatically retries
• Reconnect your wallet if disconnected

QR Code Won't Scan (Solana Pay)

Symptom: Mobile wallet can't read the QR code

Common causes:

• QR code too small on screen
• Camera permission not granted
• Low light or glare on screen

Solutions:

• Maximize your browser window for larger QR code
• Enable camera permissions in your wallet app
• Adjust screen brightness or angle

Wallet Not Opening (x402)

Symptom: Clicking "Create Card" doesn't open wallet popup

Common causes:

• Wallet extension not installed
• Wallet extension locked
• Browser blocking popups

Solutions:

• Install a Solana wallet extension (Phantom, Solflare, etc.)
• Unlock your wallet
• Allow popups for the ALIAS website

Transaction Confirmed But No Card

Symptom: Payment went through but card details didn't appear

What to do:

1. Wait 5-10 seconds (sometimes there's a brief delay)
2. Refresh the page (your card may appear)
3. Check your dashboard's transaction history
4. If still missing after 1 minute, contact support with your transaction signature

Security & Safety

Both payment methods are designed with security in mind:

What's Protected:

• Your wallet never shares private keys
• All transactions verified on Solana blockchain
• Payment signatures can't be reused
• Rate limiting prevents spam and abuse

What You Control:

• You approve every transaction
• You choose the amount and token
• You can reject the transaction at any time (before approval)
• Non-custodial (your keys, your crypto)

What's Verified:

• Payment amount matches what you requested
• Payment destination is correct
• Transaction is confirmed on-chain
• Payment hasn't been used before

Cost Comparison

x402 Protocol:

• Gas fee: < $0.01 per transaction (paid in SOL)
• No platform fee for payment processing
• Slightly higher card provisioning cost (passed to users if using instant cards)

Solana Pay:

• Gas fee: < $0.01 per transaction (paid in SOL)
• No platform fee for payment processing
• Same card provisioning cost as x402

Bottom line: Both methods cost the same—under one cent in gas fees plus your card amount.

Privacy Considerations

Standard Payments (both methods):

• Your wallet address is visible on-chain
• Payment transaction is public on Solana blockchain
• Card creation is linked to your wallet in the database

Private Payments (both methods support privacy protocol):

• Enable "Private Payment" toggle before paying
• Your payment goes to privacy pool instead
• Card creation is NOT linked to your payment
• Costs slightly more due to ZK proof generation

Learn more in the Privacy Protocol section.

Next Steps

Want to learn more about each payment method?

• x402 Protocol - Deep dive into browser-based payments
• Solana Pay - Understanding QR code payments
• Creating Cards - Step-by-step guide to your first card
• Quick Start - Get started in 5 minutes