How the ETH amount is encoded
EIP-681 is the Ethereum standard for payment links. For native ETH it looks like this:
ethereum:0xYourAddress@1
ethereum:0xYourAddress@1?value=50000000000000000 (0.05 ETH)The value parameter is in wei, the smallest unit of ether: 1 ETH = 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 wei (10^18). Writing that by hand is where people slip by a factor of a thousand, so the generator takes the amount in ETH and converts it for you, accepting up to 18 decimals. @1 pins the request to Ethereum mainnet, so a wallet set to another network should ask to switch rather than silently pay on the wrong chain — though how strictly that is enforced depends on the wallet.
MetaMask, Rainbow, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet and most other mobile wallets open an ETH send screen from an EIP-681 link. If a payer's app only fills in the address, the amount is still visible in the PNG caption.
Ethereum address formats
- 0x + 40 hex characters is the only on-chain format. There is no separate «SegWit» or «Taproot» style as in Bitcoin.
- Mixed case (0xAbC…) carries an EIP-55 checksum; the generator verifies it, so a mistyped character is caught.
- All lowercase is valid but has no checksum — double-check it visually.
- ENS names (name.eth) are not addresses. Resolve the name in your wallet and paste the 0x address it points to.
- Smart-contract wallets (Safe and similar) receive ETH normally on the network where they are deployed — make sure that is Ethereum mainnet before printing a mainnet QR.
With or without the amount
Leave the amount out for anything permanent: a donation page, a profile, a sticker. The payer chooses the sum and the code never goes stale. Put the amount in for one-off requests — an invoice, a split bill, a deposit — where you want the exact figure and a clean match in your history.
The PNG caption shows the coin, the amount and a shortened address under the code. On a printed invoice that caption is the human-readable confirmation of what the QR contains. For posters, roll-ups and stickers, download the SVG: it scales without blurring.
Mistakes that cost ETH
- Paying on the wrong network. Your 0x address is the same on Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon and BNB Chain. ETH sent to you on an L2 is still yours in a self-custody wallet, but you need to switch networks to see it; on an exchange deposit address it may not be credited. Say «Ethereum mainnet» next to the code.
- Amount in the wrong unit. 0.05 ETH, not 50000000000000000 in the amount field — the generator does the wei conversion.
- Giving an exchange deposit address that is not meant for ETH on that network. Check the network named on the exchange's deposit page.
- Not scanning the downloaded file. Always scan it once with your own wallet and compare the address.
Privacy
An Ethereum address is a public account: anyone can look up its balance, tokens, NFTs and every transaction. If you publish a QR, use a fresh account created just for receiving, not the one connected to your DeFi positions or your name. The generator never sends the address to a server — the image is drawn in your browser tab and saved directly to your device.
Frequently asked questions
+Is the amount in the QR in ETH or wei?
Inside the EIP-681 link it is in wei. You type ETH, and the generator converts: 0.05 ETH becomes value=50000000000000000.
+Can I make a QR for an ENS name?
No, the generator expects a 0x address. Look up the address your ENS name resolves to and use that.
+Will this QR work on Arbitrum or Base?
The address-only QR is just your 0x address, which is the same on those networks. The amount version contains @1 (Ethereum mainnet), so use it only for mainnet payments.
+What if the payer's wallet ignores the amount?
Some wallets only read the address. The amount is printed in the PNG caption, so the payer can type it.
+Can I accept USDT with this QR?
Use the USDT ERC-20 page or option instead: tokens need a different EIP-681 link with the token contract.
+Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no limits. PNG and SVG downloads are free.
Calculations run entirely in your browser; nothing you type is sent to KOT.CASH. Results are estimates for information only and are not financial, tax or legal advice.