> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.circle.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How-to: Deposit for nanopayments

> Deposit USDC into Gateway to enable gas-free, sub-cent payments powered by Circle Gateway.

Deposit USDC into Gateway once, then make payments without incurring gas costs
on each transaction.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

* Installed [Node.js v20.18.2 or later](https://nodejs.org/).

* Installed Circle CLI:

  ```bash theme={null}
  npm install -g @circle-fin/cli
  ```

* Completed the
  [Agent Wallets quickstart](/agent-stack/agent-wallets/quickstart)
  (authenticates and funds your wallet).

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Deposit USDC into Gateway">
    Deposit USDC with your amount, wallet address, and blockchain. Direct
    deposits work from any
    [Gateway-supported blockchain](/gateway/references/supported-blockchains):

    ```bash theme={null}
    circle gateway deposit --amount 5 --address 0xYourWalletAddress --chain BASE --method direct
    ```

    <Tip>
      Use `--method eco` for fast deposits through Eco, which supports Base
      as the source blockchain and settles balances on Polygon PoS. Eco is a
      third-party fast-deposit service that Circle does not operate or
      audit. Review
      [Eco's docs](https://eco.com/docs/getting-started/programmable-addresses/gateway-deposits)
      and test the flow before using it in production.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check your Gateway balance">
    Confirm the deposit arrived:

    ```bash theme={null}
    circle gateway balance --address 0xYourWalletAddress --chain BASE
    ```

    The command returns your current Gateway balance. A non-zero value
    confirms the deposit arrived.
  </Step>
</Steps>

See the [CLI command reference](/agent-stack/circle-cli/command-reference) for
full syntax and options.