How to Get USDC on Base (Step-by-Step Guide)

[1bcMax]

What is USDC?

USDC is a stablecoin — 1 USDC = $1 USD. It's used for BlockRun payments because:

• No price volatility (unlike BTC/ETH)
• Fast transactions (~1 second on Base)
• Low fees (~$0.001 per transaction)

Step 1: Buy USDC

Option A: Coinbase (Easiest)

1. Sign up at coinbase.com
2. Add payment method (bank/card)
3. Buy USDC — start with $5-10

Option B: Other Exchanges

• Binance, Kraken, or any major exchange
• Buy USDC, then withdraw to your wallet

Step 2: Get USDC on Base Network

If you bought on Coinbase:

• Coinbase supports Base directly
• Withdraw USDC and select "Base" as network

If you have USDC on Ethereum:

1. Go to bridge.base.org
2. Connect your wallet
3. Bridge USDC from Ethereum → Base
4. Wait ~10 minutes for confirmation

Step 3: Send to Your BlockRun Wallet

1. Find your BlockRun wallet address:

   cat ~/.blockrun/wallet.json

   Look for "address": "0x..."

2. Send USDC from Coinbase/exchange to this address

   • Select "Base" network
   • Paste your BlockRun wallet address
   • Send desired amount

Step 4: Verify Balance

Run any BlockRun command — it will show your balance:

"blockrun gpt hello"
→ Balance: $5.00 USDC

How Much Do I Need?

Usage	Recommended
Testing	$1-5
Light use	$5-10
Heavy use	$20+

FAQ

Is my money safe?
Yes. Your private key stays on your machine. BlockRun uses the x402 protocol built by Coinbase.

Can I withdraw my USDC?
Yes. Your wallet is a standard Ethereum wallet. You control the keys.

What if I send to wrong network?
Only send to Base network. Other networks won't work with BlockRun.

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Questions? Ask in Q&A or check our docs.