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Hedera Payment Demo

The coding example below shows how to send a payment using the Hedera Hashgraph network, either with HBAR (Hedera’s native currency) or a Hedera Token Service (HTS) stablecoin. The demo uses the @hashgraph/sdk JavaScript library and assumes you're working in a testnet environment.

If you're building a wallet-connected app, merchant tool, or a Hedera integration into a platform, this is a starting point for sending funds programmatically.

Before you start​

You’ll need:

  • A Hedera testnet account and private key (can be created at portal.hedera.com)
  • Node.js environment with @hashgraph/sdk installed
  • (Optional) A token ID for an HTS stablecoin (if not using HBAR)

Install the SDK​

npm install @hashgraph/sdk

Code example (send HBAR)​

import {
  Client,
  PrivateKey,
  AccountId,
  Hbar,
  TransferTransaction,
} from "@hashgraph/sdk";

// Set up the client
const operatorId = AccountId.fromString("0.0.XXXXXX");
const operatorKey = PrivateKey.fromString("302e...");

const client = Client.forTestnet();
client.setOperator(operatorId, operatorKey);

// Recipient account
const recipient = AccountId.fromString("0.0.YYYYYY");

// Amount to send
const amount = new Hbar(10); // 10 HBAR

async function sendHbar() {
  const tx = await new TransferTransaction()
    .addHbarTransfer(operatorId, amount.negated()) // Sender pays
    .addHbarTransfer(recipient, amount)            // Recipient gets
    .execute(client);

  const receipt = await tx.getReceipt(client);
  console.log("Transfer status:", receipt.status.toString());
}

sendHbar();

To send HTS tokens instead​

Replace TransferTransaction() with .addTokenTransfer(tokenId, accountId, amount) lines:

.addTokenTransfer("0.0.tokenId", operatorId, -100) // Subtract 100 units
.addTokenTransfer("0.0.tokenId", recipient, 100)   // Add 100 units

Make sure the token is already associated with the recipient account, and that the sender has a balance.

Notes​

  • Hedera doesn’t use gas fees in the same way as Ethereum—transaction costs are fixed and very low.
  • On mainnet, you must use mainnet account IDs and keys, and fund the account with real HBAR.
  • For HTS tokens, you’ll need to associate the token with each recipient account before sending it. This can be done with a TokenAssociateTransaction.

Next steps​

  • Metamask Integration – If using Hedera in an EVM-compatible context (e.g., Hedera Smart Contract Service)
  • Handling Business Funds – How to store and manage stablecoin balances in Hedera apps
  • Sample API Requests – Explore how to trigger Hedera transfers via a backend service or webhook