USDC on Arbitrum: Contract Address and Decimals (2026 Guide)
Published on 2026-06-28
USDC on Arbitrum: The Quick Answer
Anti-Loss Protocol
Your USDC is NOT lost. If you sent USDC to Arbitrum and do not see it in your wallet, the tokens are almost certainly on-chain but your wallet is either on the wrong network or has not imported the token contract. Do NOT send more tokens or approve any contracts claiming to recover your funds. Follow the steps below.
If you are looking for the USDC contract address on Arbitrum, here are the exact details you need:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Token | USDC (USD Coin) |
| Network | Arbitrum One |
| Contract Address | 0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831 |
| Decimals | 6 |
| Symbol | USDC |
| Token Standard | ERC-20 |
This is the native USDC contract on Arbitrum One. There is also a legacy USDC.e token at 0xff970a61a04b1ca14834a43f5de4533ebddb5cc8 which also uses 6 decimals. If you sent USDC.e (the bridged version), use that address instead.
Why Your USDC Is Not Showing on Arbitrum
There are three common reasons why USDC does not appear in your wallet after sending it to Arbitrum:
1. Your Wallet Is Still on Ethereum Mainnet
The most common issue. If your MetaMask or wallet is set to Ethereum Mainnet, you will not see your Arbitrum tokens. You need to switch to the Arbitrum network:
- Open MetaMask and click the network dropdown at the top.
- Select Arbitrum One. If it is not listed, click Add Network and enter: RPC URL
https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc, Chain ID42161, SymbolETH, Block Explorerhttps://arbiscan.io. - Your USDC balance should appear immediately once the network switches.
2. The Token Contract Is Not Imported
Even on the correct network, MetaMask may not display USDC by default. You need to import the token contract:
- Go to Arbiscan.io and search for
0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831. - Verify it is the USDC contract -- the page should show token name USDC with 6 decimals.
- In MetaMask, click Import Tokens at the bottom of the Assets tab.
- Paste the contract address:
0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831 - Click Add. Your USDC balance should now appear.
3. You Sent USDC.e Instead of Native USDC
Arbitrum has two USDC tokens:
- Native USDC at
0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831(the current standard) - USDC.e (bridged) at
0xff970a61a04b1ca14834a43f5de4533ebddb5cc8(legacy version)
If you imported the native USDC contract but your tokens were sent as USDC.e, they will not show. Try importing both contract addresses to see which one has your balance.
How to Verify Your USDC Arrived on Arbitrum
If you are still not sure whether your tokens arrived, check Arbiscan directly:
- Go to arbiscan.io and paste your wallet address in the search bar.
- Click the Token Holdings tab (or ERC-20 Token Txns).
- Look for USDC in the token list. If it shows a balance, your tokens are on Arbitrum -- you just need to import the contract in your wallet.
- If no USDC appears, check whether the transaction was successful. Look at your transaction history for the transfer and confirm the status says Success.
USDC vs USDC.e on Arbitrum: What Is the Difference?
| Feature | Native USDC | USDC.e (Bridged) |
|---|---|---|
| Contract | 0xaf88d065... | 0xff970a61... |
| Decimals | 6 | 6 |
| Issued by | Circle directly | Bridged from Ethereum |
| Status in 2026 | Primary standard | Legacy, being phased out |
| Liquidity | Higher on most DEXs | Lower, declining |
In 2026, most exchanges and DEXs on Arbitrum use native USDC. If you withdraw USDC from Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken to Arbitrum, you will receive native USDC at the 0xaf88d065 contract.
Step-by-Step: Import USDC to MetaMask on Arbitrum
Here is the exact process to make USDC visible in MetaMask:
- Switch to Arbitrum One in MetaMask (network dropdown at the top).
- Scroll to the bottom of the Assets tab and click Import tokens.
- Paste the USDC contract address:
0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831 - Token Symbol should auto-fill as USDC. If not, type USDC.
- Token Decimal should auto-fill as 6. If not, enter 6.
- Click Add and then confirm on the next screen.
Your USDC balance should now be visible in your wallet.
What If Your USDC Transaction Is Still Pending?
If you sent USDC to Arbitrum but the transaction is still pending after 30 minutes:
- Check the transaction on Arbiscan -- paste your wallet address and look at recent transactions.
- If the transaction shows as Success on Arbiscan but you do not see the tokens, import the contract address as described above.
- If the transaction shows as Failed, the tokens were not sent. Check that you had enough ETH for gas and that you selected the correct network when sending.
- If the transaction is still Pending, wait up to 1 hour. Arbitrum transactions usually confirm within 1-3 minutes, but network congestion can delay them.
Bridging USDC to Arbitrum: Cheapest Methods
If you need to move USDC from Ethereum to Arbitrum, here are the cheapest options in 2026:
| Method | Fee | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbitrum Bridge | Gas only (~$2-5) | 5-15 min | Official, most secure |
| Stargate Finance | $0.50-2.00 | 2-5 min | Faster, LayerZero |
| Hop Protocol | $0.50-1.50 | 3-10 min | Good for large amounts |
| Exchange withdrawal | Free-$1.00 | 1-30 min | Cheapest if exchange supports |
The cheapest method is withdrawing directly from an exchange like Coinbase or Binance that supports Arbitrum withdrawals. This avoids bridge fees entirely. Compare all network fees at Compare Network Fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the USDC contract address on Arbitrum?
The native USDC contract on Arbitrum One is 0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831 with 6 decimals. The legacy USDC.e contract is 0xff970a61a04b1ca14834a43f5de4533ebddb5cc8, also with 6 decimals.
How many decimals does USDC have on Arbitrum?
USDC has 6 decimals on Arbitrum, same as on Ethereum Mainnet. This means 1 USDC is represented as 1000000 in the contract.
Why does MetaMask not show my USDC on Arbitrum?
MetaMask does not automatically display all ERC-20 tokens. You need to manually import the USDC contract address (0xaf88d065e77c8cc2239327c5edb3a432268e5831) by clicking Import Tokens in MetaMask and pasting the address.
Is USDC on Arbitrum the same as USDC on Ethereum?
Native USDC on Arbitrum is issued by Circle and is fully backed 1:1 with USD, same as Ethereum USDC. However, they are different token contracts on different chains. You cannot send Arbitrum USDC to an Ethereum address directly -- you must bridge it back.
What happens if I send USDC to the wrong network?
If you send USDC to the wrong network (e.g., sending Arbitrum USDC to a Polygon address), the tokens may be stuck. Do not send more tokens. Check the block explorer for the network you sent to, and you may be able to recover them by importing the correct token contract on that network. For detailed recovery steps, see our guide on Compare Network Fees.
Can I swap USDC.e for native USDC on Arbitrum?
Yes. Most DEXs on Arbitrum (Uniswap, SushiSwap, Camelot) support swapping USDC.e for native USDC. The exchange rate is typically 1:1 with a small fee. Slippage should be minimal since both tokens represent the same underlying asset.
Find the optimal network and compare fees at Compare Network Fees.