Why a crypto checkout quote expires, and what to do if yours did

Every crypto checkout page shows a timer. When it reaches zero, the quote, meaning the exact amount of crypto the page asked for, is no longer guaranteed. Most people never see a quote expire because they pay within a few minutes. When it does happen, it helps to know why the timer exists and what to do next, depending on whether you had already sent the payment.

Why quotes have a time limit

Your order total is set in US dollars. Crypto prices move constantly: bitcoin and ether can shift by a percent or more in minutes, and even stablecoins drift by fractions of a cent. When you choose an asset, the checkout converts the dollar total at the current rate and promises to accept that amount for a short period. Without a limit, someone could open a checkout, wait for the price to move in their favor and pay much less in real terms. The timer keeps the conversion fair in both directions.

Situation 1: you had not paid yet

This is the easy case. Nothing left your wallet, so nothing needs fixing. Go back to your dashboard, open the order (it still says "Awaiting payment") and press "Pay now". A fresh checkout opens with a new quote based on the current rate. The order itself, with its balance and fees, has not changed.

To avoid running out of time again, prepare before opening the checkout: have the wallet unlocked, the coins in the right place and enough extra for the network fee. Budgeting for network fees explains how much extra to keep.

Situation 2: you paid just before or after expiry

Here the outcome depends on timing and on the asset:

• Payment sent before expiry, confirmed after. Checkouts generally judge a payment by when it was broadcast and detected, so a payment sent in time but slow to confirm is usually still matched to the quote. Wait for it to confirm.
• Payment sent after expiry. The amount you sent was calculated at an old rate. If the price moved, the amount may now be worth more or less than the order total. The checkout records what arrived, and the gap, if any, is visible to our reviewer.

In either case, do not send a second payment. Open a support ticket with the order reference and a short note that the quote expired around the time you paid. We will look at what arrived and tell you the options: completing the order, adjusting it, or returning the funds less network costs. Our refund policy covers payments for orders we cannot complete as placed.

Situation 3: your exchange held the withdrawal

Exchanges sometimes delay withdrawals for their own security checks. From the checkout's point of view, no payment exists until the coins actually leave the exchange. If that happens after the timer has run out, you are in situation 2. If the withdrawal is still pending and you can cancel it on the exchange, cancelling and then restarting with a fresh checkout is often the cleanest path. Paying from an exchange covers how to avoid these holds.

Which assets are most affected

For bitcoin specifically, choosing an adequate fee is the best protection; paying with Bitcoin explains how.

A pre-payment checklist

1. Coins are in a wallet or account that can send right now.
2. You have extra for the network or withdrawal fee.
3. Your exchange will not require a new-address approval with a waiting period.
4. You know which network you will use and that your wallet supports it.
5. You have a few uninterrupted minutes.

With those five in place, the timer is rarely an issue.

Why we do not simply accept any late amount

It might seem kinder to accept whatever arrives after the timer, whatever its value. The trouble is fairness. If late payments were always accepted at the old rate, anyone could open a checkout during a dip and pay after a rise, or the other way round, and the cost of that gamble would fall on everyone else's prices. Looking at each late payment individually lets us treat it fairly without building that loophole into the system. In practice, small stablecoin payments that arrive a little late are usually simple to settle; the conversation takes longer only when the price moved a lot.

What does not change when a quote expires

The order you created keeps its balance and fees: the card balance, 15% of it as the top-up charge and $5.00 for issuing. A new quote only recalculates how much crypto equals that dollar total today. Once a payment matches, the order goes to review. Paid orders are usually checked and issued within a few hours.

Quick answers

Can I extend the timer?

No. Start a fresh checkout with "Pay now" instead.

I sent the payment and then the page said "expired". Is my money lost?

No. What reached the checkout is recorded. Open a ticket with the order reference and we will resolve it with you.

See the how it works page for the full order journey and the pricing page for totals.