# Direct crypto payments vs routed payments

Canonical: https://apa.app/resources/guides/direct-vs-routed-crypto-payments
Category: Concepts

Understand when a crypto payment is a free wallet-to-wallet transfer and when it needs routing across assets or networks.

Direct and routed payments answer one question: does the customer pay the exact asset and network the merchant wants to receive?

## Direct payments

A direct payment matches the merchant payout asset and network. If the merchant receives USDC on Solana, only USDC on Solana is direct; SOL or USDT on Solana still needs a routed swap.

In Apa, direct payments carry no Apa fee because no conversion route is needed.

- Exact payout asset
- Exact payout network
- Wallet-to-wallet settlement
- 0% Apa fee

## Routed payments

A routed payment starts with a different asset or network. For example, a customer pays ETH on Ethereum while the merchant receives USDC on Solana.

Apa quotes and orchestrates the route, then the payment settles to the merchant payout wallet as the route completes.

- Different asset or network
- Bridge and swap path may be needed
- Flat 1.5% routed fee
- No Apa-held merchant balance

## Why this matters

This model makes pricing easy to understand. Direct is free. Routed is flat. The customer can still pay with the crypto they have, while the merchant keeps the asset they actually want.

## FAQ

### Is every crypto payment routed?

No. A payment is direct when the customer pays the exact payout asset on your payout wallet's network.

### Why does routing cost more?

Routing requires conversion across assets or networks. Apa uses one flat routed fee instead of separate merchant-facing charges.