> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.silopay.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.silopay.io/how-silo-works/usernames-and-receiver-preferences.md).
# Usernames & Receiver Preferences
#### **Usernames**
Every Silo user creates a single universal username (e.g., @alice). This username is the only thing another person needs to send a payment. It works across all supported chains and wallets.
A Silo username is not a name service like Ethereum Name Service (ENS). Name services map a readable name to a specific wallet address on a specific chain, which means the sender still needs to know which chain the receiver is on, and anyone who looks up the name can see the linked wallet's full balance and transaction history. A Silo username does not expose any wallet address. It is a payment routing identity that points to the receiver's saved preferences, not to a public key.
Usernames are unique and permanent once claimed. They function as a single, chain-agnostic identifier across the entire platform.
***
#### **Receiver Preferences**
Each Silo account stores a set of receiver preferences that determine how incoming payments are delivered. The receiver configures these once and can update them at any time. The preferences include:
Destination chain: which supported chain the receiver wants to be paid on (Ethereum, Sui, or Solana).
Preferred asset: which asset the receiver wants to receive (currently USDC, with additional asset support expanding).
Payout wallet(s): the wallet address or addresses where funds should be delivered. Receivers can list multiple wallets, in which case Silo uses on-chain randomness to split incoming payments across them. This adds an additional layer of privacy by distributing funds across several addresses rather than concentrating them in one.
These preferences are universal. They apply to every payment sent to that username, regardless of which chain or asset the sender is paying with. The sender never sees the receiver's preferences. They simply enter a username and a dollar amount, and Silo handles the rest.
***
#### **How It Works in Practice**
When a sender pays @bob, they choose which asset and chain to send from on their side. Silo reads Bob's saved preferences and automatically handles any conversion or routing required to deliver the payment according to those preferences. If the sender pays in USDC on Ethereum but Bob's preferences are set to receive USDC on Sui, Silo routes the payment cross-chain without either party coordinating. If the sender pays in a different asset than the receiver wants, Silo swaps it automatically using available DEX liquidity.
The result is that neither party needs to coordinate chain, asset, or wallet details. The sender's only decision is how much to send. The receiver's preferences handle everything else.
***
#### **Updating Preferences**
Receiver preferences can be changed at any time. When a receiver updates their destination chain, preferred asset, or payout wallets, all future payments to their username will automatically route according to the new settings. No action is required from anyone who has previously paid or will pay that user.
This is a single, universal withdrawal preference at the account level. There is no per-chain or per-asset configuration to manage. One account, one set of preferences, one withdraw flow.
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