BTCPay Server is an open-source platform that allows anyone to receive bitcoin payments directly to a wallet they control. Additionally, it also supports Lightning Payments as well as a limited set of altcoins. It is basically a POS (point of sale) and Merchant Processing Service all baked into one.
BTCPay Server Lets You ACCEPT CRYPTO PAYMENTS.
Super-Fast Setup. NO FEES. Complete Control.
Many webmasters, publishers and e-commerce are beginning to use crypto processing software in order to accept cryptocurrency as a method of payment. Not only do they provide the customer with a crypto-based payment solution, but they also receive the funds as crypto. This is in contrast to using a payment gateway provider that takes the crypto your customer pays you with and converts it to FIAT. They then send you the FIAT, using crypto only as a medium of transfer but not a store of value. Moreover, they do this as a service and you do not control the rates. Furthermore, you are likely to also have to pay them for their service. This will either be a flat fee, a percentage of your turnover, a margin on the exchange rate or a combination of all three.
What Is BTCPay Server?
Simply put, BTCPay Server is a payment processor, like Worldpay. It is a software platform that allows you to receive Bitcoin Payments, denominated in Dollars (or any FIAT currency of your choice). The big difference is that it is completely free and furthermore, you can run it without the need for any 3rd party if you wish. It takes care of generating the invoice, notifying the e-commerce platform and verifying the transaction on the blockchain.
BTCPay Server is the brainchild of Nicolas Dorier. He made the decision to develop the software as a result of comments and actions by BitPay (at the time the only real-world implementation of a bitcoin payment processor) in a tweet
This is lies, my trust in you is broken, I will make you obsolete – Nicolas Dorier
As a result, Nicolas went on to develop the platform which is in use by everyone today! Further to this he also expanded the range of coins supported by BTCPay.
How Does It Work?
Your server will generate a QR code and Bitcoin receiving address for each payment you need to receive. You can also configure all the variables such as exchange rates, confirmation requirements, payment button styles, and much more.
Your customer will see a payment screen with information on where they need to send the bitcoin to make a payment. Once funds are received and confirmed you will receive a notification on your BTCPay Server Dashboard. You also have webhook functionality for better integration with your webstore.
At first you could only use it as a bitcoin payment gateway, more recently with the latest version you have a choice of altcoins. If you are running your own bitcoin lightning nodes, you can even setup your own channels and receive payments via lightning completely under your control.
How To Set Up Your Own BTC Payment Gateway
- Setup BTCPay Server on your own hardware or make use of a hosted environment. (Lunanode.com provide a one-click setup which costs less than $10 per month to run). They also accept crypto payments which is always a bonus.
- Configure your payment server.
- Add your payment buttons to your website and voila, you are now able to receive Bitcoin Payments.
Once you have set up your own BTCPay Server infrastructure, you can add the code to your website or app. Furthermore, you can also avail yourself of one of the many plugins available for Drupal, Magento, Woo-commerce, or WordPress. Consequently, this will make your integration even easier!
Below is an example of our bitcoin payment gateway payment button. Feel free to try it out. Moreover, we never complain about donations!
Leave your comments and suggestions below. If you already use BTCPay Server, feel free to drop a link to your store!
