Create Your First Crypto Invoice in 5 Minutes, No Code
A walkthrough of creating a crypto invoice in the MercanPay panel: invoice type, amount, expiry, description and sending the payment link to your customer.
Creating a crypto invoice in MercanPay comes down to filling in one form. Once your merchant account is approved, you can send your first payment link within minutes, using nothing but the panel and without writing any code. This guide walks through every field of the "New invoice" form and shows how to track the payment after you send the link.
Before you start
You need an approved merchant account to create invoices. Merchants apply, the application is reviewed, and the account is then activated. If you don't have one yet, the merchant application guide covers the process.
Two small preparations pay off:
- Set up security. Connect an authenticator app now, since you'll need it for withdrawals anyway. See crypto merchant account security.
- Set default redirect URLs. If you enter a success URL and a "back to store" URL under Settings, you won't have to type them on every invoice.
Step 1: Open the "New invoice" form
Go to the Invoices page and click the button to create a new invoice. If the list is still empty, the "Create your first invoice" link opens the same form. The form's subtitle sums it up: a dedicated address and payment page are created for the customer. Every invoice gets its own TRON address, so payments never get mixed up between invoices.
Step 2: Pick the invoice type
There are two options at the top of the form:
| Type | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Customer chooses | You enter a USD amount. The customer picks TRX or USDT on the payment page and the amount is calculated at the current rate. | Dollar-based pricing where you want to give the customer a choice |
| Fixed coin | You pick the coin and the customer goes straight to the payment screen. | Deals where coin and amount are already agreed |
"Customer chooses" is a good default for most merchants. The rate is locked the moment the customer picks a coin, as explained in crypto payment exchange rate risk.
Step 3: Enter the amount
With Customer chooses, type the price into "Amount (USD)", for example 25.00. The "Accepted coins" checkboxes below it decide which coins the customer can pick. Both TRX and USDT are ticked by default, so to accept USDT only, just untick TRX.
With Fixed coin, choose the coin first and then enter the amount in that coin. If you think in dollars, tick "Enter amount in USD" and the amount is converted at the current rate.
While you type, the form shows a preview of roughly what the customer will pay in each coin, along with the current rate. Two rules apply:
- The minimum invoice is $10. A lower amount shows a warning under the field and the invoice isn't created.
- USDT invoices include a 1 USDT network fee, paid by the customer. The preview marks it as included.
Step 4: Order ID and expiry
Order ID is optional, but we recommend filling it in. Using the number from your own records (such as order-1001) makes the invoice easy to find later and to match in your books. If you try to create another invoice with the same order ID, you get the existing invoice back rather than a new one. Using order_id for idempotent invoices explains why that matters for API integrations.
The Validity menu offers four options: 30 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours and 24 hours. Invoices stay open for at most 24 hours. A short window is fine when the customer pays right away, and a longer one suits links sent by message that may be paid later in the day. For more on choosing a window, read choosing a crypto invoice expiry time.
Step 5: Description and redirect URLs
- Description is shown to the customer on the payment page. A short, clear line such as "Premium membership · 1 month" reassures them about what they are paying for.
- Redirect after payment (success_url): the customer's browser goes here once the payment is complete.
- Back to store URL (return_url): the target of the "Back to store" button on the payment page.
Leave both empty and the defaults from Settings are used. If you have no website, you can leave them empty altogether.
When everything looks right, click "Create invoice".
Step 6: Send the link
The confirmation screen shows "Invoice created" and the payment link with a note to send it to your customer. The link has the form mercanpay.com/pay/.... Use Copy link and share it by email, WhatsApp, Telegram or any other channel. The same screen shows the amount and the expiry time.
The customer lands on a payment page with a QR code, a countdown and Turkish/English support. All of its features are covered in hosted crypto payment page features.
A short note alongside the link helps:
You can pay using this link. Please use the TRON (TRC20) network only and send exactly the amount shown on the page.
Step 7: Track the payment
The Invoices page shows each invoice's status:
- pending: no payment yet.
- partial: an underpayment arrived. The customer can send the rest to the same address.
- paid / overpaid: the payment is final after 20 block confirmations and has been credited to your balance.
- expired / cancelled: the invoice is closed.
Click an invoice to see its details, the payments received and a shortcut to its payment page. With payment notifications enabled, you also get an email when money arrives. Underpayments and overpayments are covered in handling underpayments, overpayments and late payments.
Made a mistake?
If you entered the wrong amount or coin, close the invoice with "Cancel invoice". Only pending invoices that haven't received anything can be cancelled. The customer can no longer pay through a cancelled link, although any payment that still reaches the address is credited to your balance. Then create a new invoice with the right details.
When to move from the panel to the API
The panel is ideal for occasional sales, social media orders and freelance work. Once you handle many orders a day, it's more efficient to create invoices automatically from your site. The API has the same fields: price_usd, tokens, order_id, description, expires_in_minutes, success_url and return_url. Start with the PHP, Python or Node.js guide.
FAQ
Do I need a website to create invoices?
No. You can send the payment link from the panel over any messaging channel. Just leave the redirect URLs empty.
Can I send the same link to several customers?
It's not recommended. Each invoice is meant for a single payment and has its own address, so create a separate invoice per customer and per order.
What if the customer pays after the invoice expires?
A late payment is still credited to your balance and flagged as late. On USD-priced TRX invoices, a late payment is re-priced at the rate when it arrives.
Does creating an invoice cost anything?
Creating invoices is free. Successful payments carry a per-merchant commission starting from 0.4%.
Get started with MercanPay
To create your first crypto invoice, open your merchant account. Once you're approved, your first payment link is only minutes away. For automated integrations, see the documentation.
