Superfluid streaming payments come down to three actions: set a rate, check the balance, and stop the stream. But the balance is not a simple "deposit number" — it is a calculated value that changes every second. Understanding how this calculation works is key to avoiding the situation where you still think you have money but suddenly get liquidated.
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Rate: converting monthly payments into wei per second
Superfluid's flow rate is measured in wei/second, not "per month." If you plan to pay 10 DAIx per month, you need to convert it as 10 / (365/12) / 24 / 60 / 60, which is about 3805175038052 wei/second.
There is a conversion precision trap here: if you calculate your monthly amount using "30 days" instead of "365/12 days," the result will not match the number shown in the Superfluid interface. The official Superfluid documentation specifically warns about this because the interface and browser use precise per-second division.
In practice, you do not need to calculate this number yourself. The Superfluid Dashboard and most SDKs provide a reverse calculator for "how much to pay per month." You enter the monthly amount, and it automatically generates the corresponding wei/second flow rate.
Balance: it changes every second, but you do not need to send a transaction every second
Superfluid's balance calculation is the most important part of the protocol to understand.
Your account balance consists of two parts: Static Balance and Real-Time Balance.
When you create, update, or delete a stream, the protocol records a CRUD timestamp and snapshots your current balance into the static balance. After that, the real-time balance changes automatically according to net flow rate × elapsed seconds.
The net flow rate is the sum of all your incoming and outgoing flow rates. If you are receiving two streams and paying one stream at the same time, the net flow rate is the algebraic sum of these three numbers.
You do not need to send a transaction every second. Checking the balance is just reading the result of a formula: static balance + net flow rate × elapsed seconds. The only changing variable is time, so the balance "flows" automatically, but no per-second transaction is created on-chain.
This means the balance you see in your wallet or Dashboard is a real-time estimate. If you have outgoing streams, it decreases every second. If you have incoming streams, it increases every second.
Stopping payment: deleteFlow is the only action
Stopping a stream requires only one operation: deleteFlow. In the SDK, it is setFlowrate(0). On the Dashboard, it is usually a "Cancel" or "Stop" button.
Stopping takes effect immediately. When you call deleteFlow, the protocol first settles your real-time balance up to that moment, updates the static balance, and then clears the stream. After that, your net flow rate is recalculated and no longer includes the stopped stream.
If you only want to reduce the amount instead of stopping completely, use updateFlow or setFlowrate to set a new, smaller flow rate. The original stream is "updated" rather than deleted.
The scenario you need to watch most closely: balance reaching zero
Superfluid streams are perpetual until you actively stop them or your balance runs out.
When your balance drops to zero, the stream does not stop automatically. The protocol enters a state called Critical: your buffer deposit starts being consumed to continue paying the receiver.
The buffer deposit is the reserve you lock when opening a stream, usually equivalent to a few hours of stream amount. During the Critical period, anyone can call the liquidation function to close your stream and take the remaining buffer as a reward. If you close it yourself during the "Patrician Period," the buffer is returned to you. If you wait until the "Plebs Period" and someone else closes it, the buffer goes to them.
If the buffer is also exhausted, the protocol enters the Insolvent state. At this point the stream is still running, but an on-chain "deficit" has been created. During final liquidation, the deficit is deducted from the stake of the PIC (Patrician in Charge — each Super Token has a responsible account) and burned, while the person who closes your stream, the Pirate, receives a reward.
Practical conclusion: If you have outgoing streams on Superfluid, do not wait until the balance is close to zero before taking action. Keep your balance above the buffer requirement, or stop the stream early. Superfluid's liquidation mechanism relies on external "Sentinels" to monitor and close insolvent streams. If the Sentinels are delayed, your buffer will be consumed even more.
Practical order of operations
Confirm your Super Token balance. Your streams use Super Tokens such as USDCx or DAIx, not native USDC or DAI. If your wallet only has regular ERC-20 tokens, you need to wrap them into Super Tokens first.
Set the flow rate in the Dashboard or SDK. Enter your desired target, such as "100 USDCx per month," and the system will convert it to wei/second.
Confirm the buffer requirement. When opening a stream, the protocol automatically deducts a buffer. Superfluid officially recommends keeping a balance that covers at least 4 hours of all outgoing streams.
Monitor the net flow rate. Check whether your "Net Flow" on the Dashboard is positive or negative. A negative value means your balance is decreasing and needs to be topped up regularly.
Use Cancel/Stop to stop payment. Do not just transfer Super Tokens out of your wallet — that will not stop the stream. You must explicitly call
deleteFlow.If the stream is still running and the balance is close to zero, close it manually immediately. Do not wait for Sentinels to close it. If you close it yourself during the Patrician phase, you can get the buffer back.
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