> 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/resources/faq.md).
# FAQ
Is Silo a wallet?
No. Silo is a payments platform. Users connect their existing wallets to Silo and maintain full control of their funds. Silo does not store, hold, or manage private keys.
Is Silo custodial?
No. Silo is non-custodial. Withdrawals require the receiver's wallet signature. Silo cannot move funds on a user's behalf. Silo's role is to facilitate payment routing and privacy — not to take custody of user funds.
Do I need a new wallet to use Silo?
No. Silo works with whatever wallet the user already has on any supported chain.
What happens if I send to the wrong username?
Silo routes payments based on the username entered by the sender. Users should verify the recipient's username before confirming a transaction. Because Silo is non-custodial and transactions settle on-chain, payments sent to the wrong username cannot be reversed by Silo.
Can the sender see my wallet address?
No. The sender only sees your username. Your wallet address, payout chain, preferred asset, and routing details are never visible to the sender.
Can anyone see who paid who on-chain?
No. Silo uses shared vaults and zero-knowledge proofs to break the on-chain link between the sender's deposit and the receiver's withdrawal. Public blockchain observers cannot determine who paid who.
Is Silo completely anonymous?
No. Silo provides privacy from the public, not anonymity from Silo itself. Silo maintains an encrypted audit trail (Payment Instruction) behind every transaction that records the full details of the payment. This record supports dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, and audit requirements. Users receive redacted receipts that confirm the transaction without exposing the other party's wallet details.
How is Silo different from Tornado Cash?
Tornado Cash is a permissionless mixing protocol with no compliance controls, no receipts, no username system, and no payments UX. Silo is a payments platform with privacy built in. Silo provides username-based payments, cross-chain delivery, redacted receipts, compliance screening, and an encrypted audit trail — none of which Tornado Cash offers. For a full comparison, see Comparison to Privacy Protocols.
Does Silo require KYC?
Not at the Personal tier. Users can sign up with just an email or phone number and transact within defined limits. Higher tiers (Plus and Business) require identity verification and unlock lower fees, higher limits, and additional capabilities like commerce and payroll. See Three-Tier System for details.
What assets does Silo support?
USDC is currently the primary supported asset. Additional asset support is expanding. See Supported Chains & Assets for the latest coverage.
What chains does Silo support?
Silo is currently live on Ethereum, Sui, and Solana. See Supported Chains & Assets for updates.
What are the fees?
Silo charges a single per-transaction privacy fee: 30 bps (Personal), 25 bps (Plus), or 20 bps (Business). Network gas and swap fees are passed through at cost with no Silo markup. Cross-chain USDC transfers via CCTP carry $0 Silo fee. See Fee Structure for full details.
Who pays the fee?
It depends on the payment context. In peer-to-peer payments, the receiver absorbs the fee by default (with an optional gross-up toggle for the sender). In commerce, the merchant always pays. In payroll, the employer always pays. See Three-Tier System for the full breakdown.
What if I lose access to my wallet?
Silo does not custody funds or manage private keys. If a user loses access to their wallet, Silo cannot recover the funds. Wallet recovery depends on the user's wallet provider and their own backup procedures.
Can Silo freeze my funds?
No. Once a payment is successfully deposited into the shared vault, Silo has no control over the flow of funds. Withdrawals are governed by the smart contract and can only be triggered by the receiver's wallet signature. Silo cannot seize, redirect, or freeze funds that are in the vault. Silo's compliance lever is gating — it can refuse to facilitate a payment that fails policy checks (sanctions screening, KYT) before funds enter the vault. But once the transaction is successful, Silo has no ability to intervene.
Is Silo available in my country?
Silo does not serve sanctioned persons, addresses, or jurisdictions. Availability by jurisdiction will be detailed as the platform's regulatory posture is finalized with legal counsel.
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