How to send tokens on Ethereum mainnet safely
Sending tokens on Ethereum mainnet takes ETH for gas, a correct address and the token's contract. Save the transaction hash after the transfer confirms.
Vahe HakobyanEditor-in-chief
Updated Oct 6, 20263 min readFact-checked
On this page
- A token transfer calls the token's contract.
- Keep ETH in the wallet to pay gas.
- Check that both wallets use Ethereum mainnet.
Ethereum launched in July 2015 and is a blockchain with smart contracts. A token lives at its own contract address, so your wallet sends a transaction to the token's contract to move the balance.
What do you need before sending?
Sending a token on Ethereum mainnet means your wallet signs a transaction to the token's contract, which moves the balance to the recipient. Gas is a fee paid in ETH, so you need ETH in the same wallet.
- Enough ETH for gas.
- The recipient's Ethereum mainnet address.
- The token in your wallet.
- Enough of the token for the amount.
How do you send tokens step by step?
Every check comes before the approval, the irreversible step in your wallet.
- 1Check the networkConfirm your wallet is on Ethereum mainnet, not a layer 2 or another chain. The recipient's wallet must use mainnet too.
- 2Verify the addressPaste the recipient's address and compare the first and last characters with what they sent.
- 3Enter the amountSelect the token and type the amount. Leave enough ETH for gas.
- 4Review and approveYour wallet shows the gas fee in ETH, and high demand can raise it. Check the recipient and amount, then approve only if everything matches.
- 5Wait for confirmationYour wallet signs and broadcasts the transaction, which waits in the mempool until a block proposer adds it to a block.
What should you do after sending?
A confirmed mainnet transaction is final. The IRS treats crypto as property, so sending tokens as payment may be taxable; moving between your own wallets is not a sale.
Ethereum price todayLive price, charts and market data live in our Coins section.Frequently asked questions
A confirmed transaction is final, so the tokens belong to whoever controls that address. They can be stuck if the address cannot handle the token.
The gas fee can rise above the ETH you left, or the contract can reject the transfer.
Some wallets let you replace a transaction that is still in the mempool with one that pays a higher fee. Once a block proposer includes it, it is final.
Check the contract address from the official project page or a block explorer. A fake token can share a real token's ticker.
