ERC-20 is a standard, not a flavour of the coin
ERC-20 defines how fungible tokens behave on Ethereum (Ethereum.org). When an exchange asks whether you want USDT as ERC-20, TRC-20 or BEP-20, it is asking which network to send over — TRC-20 being TRON’s equivalent standard. The balances are separate on each network, and nothing converts one into another except a transfer.
Coming from a layer 2 is not the same as the official bridge
Funds sent back to Ethereum through a rollup’s own bridge wait out that network’s withdrawal period, which on optimistic rollups is measured in days. The providers quoted above do not go through that withdrawal, and each publishes its own time and price. Which trade-off is better depends on the amount — the table shows both sides of it.
Gas is the variable that moves most
Transactions on Ethereum are paid for in ETH, and the table lists gas on the source network separately from the fee so the two are not confused. A quote that looks good at one moment can look different an hour later purely because of gas, which is why the quotes here are timestamped and refreshed rather than published as a fixed price list.
The exchange row
An exchange withdrawal to Ethereum avoids the source-network transaction entirely. Its fee is shown beside the bridges where we have checked it, including when it is the lower number, and it does not cover depositing to the exchange or trading there.
Questions
Can I send USDT to an ETH address?
Only over the network that address is being watched on. Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain and other EVM networks share the same address format, so the string alone does not decide anything — the network chosen at the moment of sending does.
Is USDT on an exchange ERC-20?
It depends on the network you pick when withdrawing, not on the exchange. Every exchange lists the networks it supports for USDT on its own withdrawal page; the rows on this site cover only the exchanges and networks whose fees we have checked, with the date of the check.
How do I send USDT to MetaMask?
Send it over the network the wallet is set to, and add the token by contract address if it does not appear. A balance that does not appear may be on a different network under the same address.
Sources
- Ethereum.org — the ERC-20 token standard · checked 2026-09-12
- MetaMask Help Center — the Ethereum address format and why it matters · checked 2026-09-13