Do I need SOL? Network fees, rent and the little SOL that stays

The network fee

Solana charges a small fee for every transfer, usually a fraction of a cent, and always in SOL. Finchb shows it under Network fee before you confirm and adds nothing of its own.

So to send USDC you need some SOL in the same wallet. Without it Finchb says “Not enough SOL to pay the network fee.”

Rent: the minimum that stays

Solana asks every account to hold a small minimum balance, called rent. For you it means two things:

• Your wallet may end a transfer with zero SOL or with at least that minimum, nothing in between. Finchb then says “A wallet has to keep at least … SOL or be emptied completely.” Send a little less, or tap Max to send everything.
• A new token account: if you send USDC to an address that has never held USDC, the network opens a token account for it, paid once in SOL. Finchb shows it as New token account, with the amount.

When Finchb pays the fee

When you pay USDC into Solana Bird or Meme Radar from a wallet without SOL, Finchb pays the network fee and any token account for you, several times a day. The screen then shows Paid by Finchb. For ordinary transfers you need your own SOL.

Getting a little SOL

• Withdraw some SOL from your exchange to your Finchb address, on the Solana network.
• Buy SOL with a card. How to buy
• Ask a friend with a Solana wallet to send you a little.

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