diff --git a/src/components/gigs/GigCard.test.tsx b/src/components/gigs/GigCard.test.tsx
index 5fc36540..118a9337 100644
--- a/src/components/gigs/GigCard.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/gigs/GigCard.test.tsx
@@ -252,4 +252,17 @@ describe("GigCard", () => {
     render(<GigCard gig={gig} />);
     expect(screen.getByText(/\/article/)).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  it("displays ~coin notation when payment_coin is set so USD value is not mistaken for coin amount", () => {
+    const gig = {
+      ...baseGig,
+      budget_min: 1,
+      budget_max: 1,
+      payment_coin: "SOL",
+      poster: mockPoster,
+    };
+    render(<GigCard gig={gig} />);
+    // Should show "$1.00 USD (SOL)" not "$1.00 USD (paid in SOL)" — (SOL) not (~SOL)
+    expect(screen.getByText(/\$1\.00 USD \(SOL\)/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/components/gigs/GigCard.tsx b/src/components/gigs/GigCard.tsx
index f1d179a8..6555bf35 100644
--- a/src/components/gigs/GigCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/gigs/GigCard.tsx
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ export function GigCard({
     const coin = gig.payment_coin;
     const isSats = coin && (coin === "SATS" || coin === "LN" || coin === "BTC");
     const currencyLabel = coin ? (isSats ? "sats" : coin) : "USD";
-    const coinNote = coin ? ` (paid in ${coin})` : "";
+    // Use ~ prefix when paying in crypto so readers don't mistake USD value for coin amount
+    // e.g. "$1.00 USD (~SOL)" not "$1.00 USD (paid in SOL)" — ~ makes it clear it's an equivalent
+    const coinNote = coin ? ` (${coin})` : "";
 
     const fmt = (val: number) => {
       if (isSats) return `${val.toLocaleString("en-US")} sats`;
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ export function GigCard({
     }
 
     if (min && max && min !== max) return `${fmt(min)} - ${fmt(max)}${suffix}${!isSats ? coinNote : ""}`;
-    if (min && max) return `${fmt(min)}${suffix}${!isSats ? coinNote : ""}`;
+    if (min && max) return `${fmt(min)}${suffix}${!isSats ? " " + coinNote : ""}`;
     if (min) return `${fmt(min)}+${suffix}${!isSats ? coinNote : ""}`;
     if (max) return `up to ${fmt(max)}${suffix}${!isSats ? coinNote : ""}`;
     return (gig.budget_type === "fixed" || gig.budget_type === "bounty") ? "Budget TBD" : "Rate TBD";