How to Start Paying with Crypto in 3 Easy Steps

A complete beginner's guide. No experience needed -- you'll be ready in under 5 minutes.

In this article

Step 1: Get a Wallet
Step 2: Add Money to Your Wallet
Network Fees ("Gas")
How Much to Add?
First-Time Identity Check
Step 3: Pay
Alternative: Use a Crypto Exchange

Never used crypto before? No problem. It takes about 5 minutes:

Get MetaMask

Free wallet app. Takes 1-2 min.

Add USDC

Buy USDC on Polygon with debit card.

Pay

Click "Unlock Album", approve, done.

Step 1: Get a Wallet

A crypto wallet is a free app that holds your money -- like a digital wallet on your phone. No one else has access. Pick either wallet below -- both work great.

Set Up MetaMask

MetaMask is a free, trusted crypto wallet used by millions. Works as a browser extension and mobile app:

Download MetaMask

Get it free from metamask.io/download

Create Wallet

Click "Create a new wallet", set a password, save your Recovery Phrase (12 words)

Add Polygon Network

Search "Polygon" in the network selector and add it

Ready!

Your wallet is set up. Next: add USDC on Polygon.

Step 2: Add Money to Your Wallet

We use

USDC -- a stablecoin always worth exactly $1. A $5 album costs $5 in

USDC. No price swings.

The easiest way: tap "Buy" inside your wallet app and pay with debit card, Apple Pay, or PayPal.

Buy USDC in MetaMask

The easiest way to get USDC:

Tap "Buy"

Open MetaMask and tap the Buy button

Select USDC on Polygon

Choose USDC on the Polygon network

Pay & Done

Enter amount and pay with card, Apple Pay, or PayPal. USDC appears in seconds.

Network Fees ("Gas")

Every crypto transaction needs a tiny processing fee called "gas". On Polygon, fees are extremely low — usually under $0.01 per transaction.

Buy $1-2 of

POL alongside your

USDC in MetaMask (search "POL" in the Buy screen). This is enough for many transactions.

How Much to Add?

Album price + 10% platform fee + small gas amount. Example: for a $5 album, add ~$7

USDC + $1

POL for gas. Leftover stays in your wallet for next time. For a full guide, see How to Add Funds.

First-Time Identity Check

When buying crypto for the first time, you may need to verify your identity (photo ID + selfie). This is a one-time legal requirement. Usually approved in minutes.

After that, all your purchases are fully private. No bank statements, no records shared with anyone. The check is only for buying crypto -- not spending it.

Step 3: Pay

1. Find a premium album and click "Unlock Album" 2. A payment widget connects to your wallet 3. Review the amount and click "Approve" 4. Access granted instantly -- the payment goes directly to the creator

No card details, no bank involvement. Your purchases are private -- nothing appears on any statement.

Alternative: Use a Crypto Exchange

Already have a Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken account? You can buy

USDC there and send it to your MetaMask wallet. Just select the Polygon network when withdrawing. See our detailed funding guide for step-by-step instructions.

Detailed Guides

MetaMask Wallet Setup

Step-by-step guide with screenshots

How to Add Funds

Buying USDC on Polygon, POL gas token, and exchange transfers

How Payments Work

Confirmation times and what happens after you pay

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