USDC and USDT: two stablecoin ledgers
USDC is an issued dollar-oriented stablecoin with canonical, native, and bridged variants across networks. Contract events and issuer controls differ from a network-native gas asset. USDT is issued through ERC-20, TRC-20, SPL, and other network-specific contracts. The ticker does not determine the token standard, contract, issuer controls, or destination address model. The route changes both asset identity and network representation; dollar-oriented pricing does not remove issuer controls, liquidity spread, contract, or receiving-network checks.
USDC input identity and handling
USDC is classified as a stablecoin for this route. USDC uses a network-specific contract asset on zkSync Era. The zkSync Era side is contract-tracked rather than a native gas balance. The source wallet sends the exact USDC native or contract representation selected by the route; contract USDC can require approval and the chain’s native gas asset.
USDT output identity and receiving
Tether is classified as a stablecoin for this route. USDT uses a network-specific contract asset on Base. The recorded Base representation uses 6 decimal places. Confirm whether the output is ERC-20, TRC-20, SPL, or another USDT standard; a wallet supporting one standard may not credit another.
zkSync Era to Base L2 handoff
This route crosses two L2 execution environments. zkSync Era settles to ethereum, while Base settles to ethereum; each side keeps its own gas balance, token contracts, transaction hash, and settlement progress.
zkSync Era source execution
zkSync Era is a L2 EVM network in the Ethereum ecosystem. ETH pays source-side network gas on zkSync Era. EVM 0x account address A zkSync Era source executes in EraVM with native account-abstraction behavior and ETH fees before proof settlement to Ethereum.
Base destination execution
Base is a L2 EVM network in the Ethereum ecosystem. ETH pays destination-side network gas on Base. EVM 0x account address A Base receipt belongs to the Base L2 balance and token contract, not Ethereum L1; later activity needs ETH specifically on Base.
Mistakes specific to USDC zkSync Era to USDT Base
Route-specific mistakes include sending on a network other than zkSync Era; using a destination that is not valid for Base; running out of ETH before the source transaction is submitted; selecting a stablecoin by ticker without checking its network contract. A zkSync Era source executes in EraVM with native account-abstraction behavior and ETH fees before proof settlement to Ethereum. The source wallet sends the exact USDC native or contract representation selected by the route; contract USDC can require approval and the chain’s native gas asset. A Base receipt belongs to the Base L2 balance and token contract, not Ethereum L1; later activity needs ETH specifically on Base. Confirm whether the output is ERC-20, TRC-20, SPL, or another USDT standard; a wallet supporting one standard may not credit another.