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Making Payments

Learn how to use SafeBank's Tap-to-Pay feature to make quick and secure cryptocurrency payments.

Quick Start​

Making a payment with SafeBank is as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Tap your phone on the merchant's terminal or another user's phone
  2. Confirm the amount and recipient
  3. Authenticate with biometric or PIN

That's it! Your payment is complete.

Step-by-Step Guide​

Step 1: Prepare for Payment​

Before making a payment:

  1. Open the SafeBank app
  2. Ensure you have sufficient funds in your wallet
  3. Check that NFC is enabled on your device
  4. Unlock your phone

Step 2: Initiate the Payment​

At a Merchant:

  1. Tell the merchant you'll pay with SafeBank
  2. Wait for them to display the amount
  3. Hold your phone near their payment terminal
  4. Keep your phone steady until you feel a vibration

To Another Person:

  1. Open SafeBank app
  2. Tap "Pay" or "Send"
  3. Have the recipient open their "Receive" screen
  4. Tap your phone to theirs

Step 3: Review Payment Details​

A confirmation screen will appear showing:

  • Recipient name or business
  • Amount in cryptocurrency and local currency
  • Network fee (if applicable)
  • Total amount to be sent

Important: Always verify these details before confirming!

Step 4: Authorize the Transaction​

Depending on your security settings and transaction amount:

For Small Amounts (under $25):

  • May not require authorization
  • Tap and go!

For Medium Amounts ($25-$100):

  • Enter your 6-digit PIN
  • Or use biometric authentication

For Large Amounts (over $100):

  • Biometric authentication required
  • May require both PIN and biometric

Step 5: Confirmation​

Once authorized:

  1. Payment processing - Usually takes 1-3 seconds
  2. Confirmation screen - Shows transaction successful
  3. Receipt - View or share digital receipt
  4. Notification - Push notification confirms payment

Payment Methods​

NFC Tap-to-Pay​

The primary payment method using NFC technology.

Advantages:

  • Fastest method
  • Most convenient
  • Works offline (limited)
  • No need to manually enter details

Best for:

  • In-person transactions
  • Quick payments
  • Merchant locations

QR Code Payment​

Alternative payment method using QR codes.

How to use:

  1. Merchant displays QR code
  2. Open SafeBank app
  3. Tap "Scan" or "Pay with QR"
  4. Point camera at QR code
  5. Confirm amount and pay

Advantages:

  • Works without NFC
  • Can be used remotely (screenshots, printed codes)
  • Works on older devices

Best for:

  • Online purchases
  • Remote payments
  • Devices without NFC

Manual Address Entry​

For advanced users or specific situations.

How to use:

  1. Tap "Send" in SafeBank app
  2. Select "Enter Address Manually"
  3. Paste or type recipient's wallet address
  4. Enter amount
  5. Review and confirm

Use cases:

  • Sending to external wallets
  • Specific wallet addresses
  • Technical users

Payment Options​

Cryptocurrency Selection​

Choose which crypto to pay with:

  1. During payment, tap the currency selector
  2. Choose from your available currencies:
    • Bitcoin (BTC)
    • Ethereum (ETH)
    • USD Coin (USDC)
    • Tether (USDT)

The app will show:

  • Your available balance
  • Current exchange rate
  • Amount in selected currency

Payment Speed​

Select your preferred transaction speed:

Instant (Recommended for small amounts):

  • Completes in seconds
  • Lower fees
  • Off-chain settlement
  • Later verified on blockchain

Standard (Default):

  • Confirms on blockchain
  • 1-5 minutes
  • Standard network fees
  • Full decentralization

Priority (For urgent transactions):

  • Faster blockchain confirmation
  • Higher network fees
  • 30 seconds - 2 minutes
  • Premium service

Custom Amount​

For tipping or custom amounts:

  1. During payment confirmation
  2. Tap "Edit Amount" (if merchant allows)
  3. Enter your desired amount
  4. Confirm

Note: Not all merchants allow amount editing.

Adding Tips​

Show appreciation with a tip:

  1. After confirming payment amount
  2. Tap "Add Tip"
  3. Select percentage or custom amount:
    • 10%
    • 15%
    • 20%
    • Custom
  4. Total updates automatically
  5. Confirm payment with tip included

Splitting Payments​

Split bills with friends:

  1. Open SafeBank app
  2. Tap "Split Payment"
  3. Enter total amount
  4. Select number of people or custom split
  5. Choose contacts to split with
  6. Each person receives a payment request
  7. They tap to pay their share

Everyone pays you, then you pay the merchant.

Recurring Payments​

Set up automatic recurring payments:

  1. Go to Settings → Recurring Payments
  2. Tap "Add New Recurring Payment"
  3. Enter details:
    • Recipient
    • Amount
    • Frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
    • Start date
    • End date (optional)
  4. Confirm setup

Use cases:

  • Subscriptions
  • Rent payments
  • Regular donations
  • Memberships

Transaction Receipts​

Viewing Receipts​

Access receipts anytime:

  1. Go to "Activity" or "History"
  2. Tap on any transaction
  3. View complete receipt with:
    • Date and time
    • Recipient
    • Amount
    • Fee
    • Transaction ID
    • Confirmation status

Sharing Receipts​

Share receipts for record-keeping:

  1. Open transaction from history
  2. Tap "Share Receipt"
  3. Choose format:
    • PDF
    • Image
    • Email
  4. Select sharing method

Exporting Transactions​

Export for accounting or taxes:

  1. Go to Settings → Export Data
  2. Select date range
  3. Choose format (CSV, PDF, Excel)
  4. Download or email to yourself

Failed Payments​

If a payment fails, you'll see an error message with the reason:

Common Reasons:​

Insufficient Funds:

  • Check your wallet balance
  • Fund your account
  • Try again

Network Error:

  • Check internet connection
  • Wait a moment and retry
  • Switch between WiFi and cellular

Recipient Unavailable:

  • Ensure recipient's app is open (for peer-to-peer)
  • Verify merchant's terminal is working
  • Try QR code method instead

Transaction Limit Exceeded:

  • Check your daily limit
  • Upgrade verification level
  • Split into smaller transactions

Authentication Failed:

  • Re-enter PIN correctly
  • Try biometric authentication again
  • Unlock and restart app if needed

Retrying Payments:​

  1. Go to "Activity"
  2. Find the failed transaction
  3. Tap "Retry"
  4. Confirm details
  5. Authenticate again

Security Tips​

Before Paying​

✅ DO:

  • Verify the merchant or recipient
  • Check the amount carefully
  • Ensure you're on WiFi or secure network
  • Keep your screen private when entering PIN

❌ DON'T:

  • Pay to unknown or suspicious recipients
  • Share your PIN with anyone
  • Approve transactions without verifying amount
  • Use public WiFi for large transactions

During Payment​

  • Keep your phone steady during NFC tap
  • Wait for vibration confirmation
  • Verify all details before authenticating
  • Don't let others see your authentication

After Payment​

  • Review transaction confirmation
  • Save receipt for records
  • Report any discrepancies immediately
  • Monitor your transaction history

Troubleshooting​

NFC Not Working​

Solutions:

  1. Enable NFC in device settings
  2. Remove phone case (if thick)
  3. Try different tapping angle
  4. Use QR code payment instead
  5. Restart SafeBank app

More NFC troubleshooting →

Payment Stuck on Pending​

Check:

  • Network connection status
  • Blockchain confirmations (tap transaction for details)
  • Account notifications for issues

Usually resolves within:

  • Instant payments: 5-10 seconds
  • Standard payments: 1-5 minutes
  • Priority payments: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

If stuck longer than expected, contact support.

Wrong Amount Sent​

⚠️ Important: Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed.

If you sent the wrong amount:

  1. Contact the recipient immediately
  2. Request a refund
  3. Or ask them to send back the difference

To prevent:

  • Always verify amount before confirming
  • Enable payment confirmation
  • Use biometric authentication

Payment Limits​

Know your limits to avoid declined transactions:

By Verification Level:​

Basic (Tier 1):

  • Single transaction: $500
  • Daily: $500
  • Weekly: $1,500
  • Monthly: $5,000

Full KYC (Tier 2):

  • Single transaction: $2,500
  • Daily: $2,500
  • Weekly: $10,000
  • Monthly: $25,000

Enhanced (Tier 3):

  • Single transaction: $10,000
  • Daily: $10,000
  • Weekly: $50,000
  • Monthly: $100,000

Increase your limits →

Best Practices​

🎯 For Optimal Experience:

  1. Keep app updated - Always use the latest version
  2. Maintain sufficient balance - Avoid declined payments
  3. Enable notifications - Stay informed of all transactions
  4. Save receipts - Keep records for your reference
  5. Review limits - Know your limits before large payments
  6. Test first - Try a small test payment if unsure

Next Steps​

Now that you know how to make payments:

Questions about making payments? Visit our FAQ or contact support@safebank.io