> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://base-zap.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# BaseZap Quickstart: Send Your First USDC Tip on Base

> Connect your wallet and send a USDC tip on Base in under 10 seconds — a complete walkthrough for first-time BaseZap users on Farcaster.

You can send your first tip in under 10 seconds. All you need is a Base-compatible wallet funded with USDC and a Farcaster username or cast link to tip. No account creation, no sign-up, and no bridging if your USDC is already on Base.

<Info>
  **Prerequisites before you start:**

  * A Base-compatible wallet — [Base Smart Wallet](https://wallet.base.org), MetaMask, Rainbow, or the Farcaster built-in wallet all work.
  * USDC on Base Mainnet. If your USDC is on another chain, bridge it to Base first using the [Base Bridge](https://bridge.base.org).
</Info>

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open BaseZap">
    Navigate to [basefarcaster.vercel.app](https://basefarcaster.vercel.app) in your browser, or open it as a mini app inside your Farcaster client. No account creation or sign-up is required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter a username or paste a cast link">
    Type a Farcaster username (e.g. `@alice`) into the search field, or paste the full URL of the cast you want to tip. BaseZap resolves the identity automatically and displays the recipient's profile.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose an amount">
    Select one of the quick-pick presets — **$0.10**, **$0.50**, **$1**, or **$5** — or enter a custom USDC amount in the input field. BaseZap immediately calculates and displays the exact split.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the fee breakdown">
    Before you confirm, BaseZap shows you exactly where every cent goes:

    * **98%** goes directly to the creator
    * **2%** is the platform fee

    No hidden charges. No spread.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Connect & Tip' and confirm in your wallet">
    Hit the **Connect & Tip** button. Your wallet will prompt you to approve the transaction. Review the amount and recipient address, then confirm. The transaction is signed and broadcast to Base Mainnet immediately.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Done — funds land in the recipient's wallet instantly">
    Your tip settles on-chain in approximately 2 seconds. The recipient's wallet receives USDC directly — BaseZap never holds the funds at any point in the process.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Tipping takes \~10 seconds end-to-end and costs less than \$0.01 in network fees on Base.
</Tip>

## View Your Transaction on Basescan

After your tip confirms, you can verify it on-chain. Every transaction gets a unique hash you can look up at:

```
https://basescan.org/tx/<your-transaction-hash>
```

Your wallet will display the transaction hash immediately after confirmation. Paste it into [basescan.org](https://basescan.org) to see the full on-chain record — sender, recipient, USDC amount, block number, and timestamp.

## What's Next

Once you've sent your first tip, you can explore the rest of BaseZap:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="How It Works" icon="gears" href="/how-it-works">
    See the full technical flow from username lookup to on-chain settlement.
  </Card>

  <Card title="VVV Staking" icon="coins" href="https://basefarcaster.vercel.app/stake">
    Stake VVV tokens via the optional Venice AI–powered staking feature.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>