Paying for domains with crypto: Namecheap vs Porkbun vs StableDomains
Checked 28 October 2026 against each provider's own pages (one third-party directory where noted). Every row is cited; if we could not find a source we say so.
Summary
| Namecheap | Porkbun | StableDomains | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How crypto is used | Account top-up only[1][2] | Checkout via Coinbase, or account credit[5] | Pay each order directly, or top up balance |
| Tokens | BitPay: BTC, BCH, ETH, "etc."[1]; BTCPay: BTC only[2] | Coinbase checkout options[5]; API/agents: USDC on Base[6] | USDC and USDT only, 7 chains |
| Fees | Not stated as a Namecheap fee; miner fees paid by sender[1] | "no longer incur an additional fee" at checkout[8]; USDC credit top-up: ~1% Coinbase fee[6] | No StableDomains fee; sender pays gas (none with x402 on Base) |
| Limits | $1–$100,000 per top-up; BitPay ID check at $3,000+ or for refunds[1] | USDC credit top-up $1–$500[6] | Top-up $5–$5,000; orders from one domain |
| Refunds | Crypto deposits "final and non-refundable"[3] | Failed x402 purchase kept as account credit[6] | Failed paid orders credited to balance |
| API | Yes; production access needs 20+ domains, $50 balance or $50 spent in 2 years, plus IPv4 whitelist[4] | Yes, JSON API with OpenAPI spec[6] | Yes, REST + OpenAPI, no thresholds |
| MCP | Official OAuth connector listed by a third-party directory; no namecheap.com page found[9] | Official hosted server mcp.porkbun.com/mcp and npm package[7] | /api/mcp, 25 tools |
| x402 | Not documented on the pages we checked | Yes: USDC on Base via Coinbase, 402 + PAYMENT-SIGNATURE[6] | Yes: USDC on Base gasless; transfer scheme on other chains |
Where each fits
- Namecheap suits people who hold BTC and want a large, established registrar; crypto is a balance top-up and is non-refundable.[3]
- Porkbun has the most mature agent tooling of the two incumbents: an official MCP server and x402 USDC on Base.[6][7]
- StableDomains is stablecoin-only, on more networks (including Solana, BNB Chain and HyperEVM), with per-order exact-amount matching and no API thresholds. We are small: one operator, registrar of record NiceNIC.
Sources (accessed 28 October 2026)
- Namecheap: How do I add funds using BitPay
- Namecheap: How do I add funds using BTCPay
- Namecheap: After funds are added, how long…
- Namecheap: API FAQ
- Porkbun KB: How to use cryptocurrency at Porkbun
- Porkbun: Pay with USDC (x402)
- Porkbun: Official MCP server
- Porkbun: Use cryptocurrency
- Agent Ready directory: Namecheap connector (third party)
Spotted something out of date? Email support@stabledomains.net.
FAQ
Does Namecheap accept USDC?
Namecheap's crypto option is an account top-up via BitPay (its knowledge base names Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum, 'etc.') or BTCPay (Bitcoin only). We did not find USDC named on Namecheap's own pages as of 28 October 2026.
Does Porkbun support x402?
Yes. Porkbun documents USDC on Base via Coinbase, paid directly on API purchases with payWith: usdc (HTTP 402, PAYMENT-SIGNATURE) or as account credit with about a 1% Coinbase fee.
Which is cheapest?
Prices change often and differ per TLD; compare live quotes. Ours are at /api/v1/tlds. This page compares payment and agent features, not prices.