Quick Advice Regarding Merchant Accepting BTC and LN Payments? \ stacker news ~bitcoin

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Quick Advice Regarding Merchant Accepting BTC and LN Payments?

2784 sats \ 59 comments \ @siggy47 3 Dec bitcoin

I just had a conversation with an old, dear friend. I have not had such a good in real life conversation with anyone about bitcoin in years, or maybe ever. It restored my faith in the future.

Anyway, can anyone give me direct, concrete advice on setting up btc pay and ln payments for an existing merchant web site? He has web designers who can handle incorporating it into his wordpress based site. He wants to move quickly since he has existing customers who have been offering to pay in bitcoin for a while now. I want to keep it as simple as possible to start until he's up to speed. An existing plug in would be great. He's pretty tech savvy.

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184 sats \ 23 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

If you want quick and fast, opennode is the easiest with WP plugin. Also you have Ibex.pay and some others supporting WP plugins.

If you want something more self-custodial, just spin up a hosted node with nodana.io and then you have there phoenixd + lnbits, that can be integrated easily into a WP site.

There are many solutions for a WP site, but most of them are custodial. IMHO the best one is a quick lnbits + phoenixd, on whatever PC or hosted on a VPS. Then linked with the WP site with the specific plugin.

More options here: https://darth-coin.github.io/merchants/getting-started-bitcoin-small-merchants-en.html and https://darthcoin.substack.com/p/lnbits-for-small-merchants

If you want the best of the best, run a full BTCpay server.

53 sats \ 7 replies \ @1GLENCoop 3 Dec

From what I've seen thus far, I would have to agree with @DarthCoin on this: opennode is the easiest.

I have not yet set up my own BTC Payserver. Tried once, did not succeed, did not try again yet but hope to again someday.

22 sats \ 6 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

I sent him down btc pay first, and he was happy to hear there are other options. He got very confused very quickly. I will suggest open node I guess if Zaprite is still confusing.

86 sats \ 5 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

Yes, BTCpay is a complex solution at first sight, especially for somebody that don't know too much about Bitcoin and stuff... But is like using a ferrari, you know.

I am glad you convince him, this is a huge step. Well done man!

22 sats \ 4 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

I know him and his business well. What I didn't know is that people have been ASKING him if they can pay in bitcoin! Can you believe it? It is a business that sells product all over the world, and banks and credit card companies don't want the business. To be clear, it's legal, but the red tape is crazy.

43 sats \ 3 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

For a business that operate mostly online through a web is quite easy nowadays to integrate BTC payments. If you want I can extend quickly that guide I sent you, adding some instructions about running your own server.

You can even use your LND node as funding source with a LNbits instance hosted on his own server, PC, VPS, whatever. LNbits occupy very few resources and can be spin up in few min. Only needs a functional funding source.

Anyways, I suggest to not be in a hurry, analyze all the options and decide later. Ask me anything if you need more advice.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

I was just on the phone with him. He already signed up with Zaprite, downloaded the woo app, and is asking me what an xpub is! His website guys almost have him set up. I am going to use my Alby node to get him started on LN. I must say, the Zaprite support was very good.

43 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

Cool, nice that you sorted out! xpub is only when is using an onchain method and can use from his own wallets. Just obtain it from his wallet, using Sparrow or any other app that can show it off. For LN must provide a funding source, that also can be your LN node.

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21 sats \ 11 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

Excellent. I'll copy and paste your whole reply. Thanks

143 sats \ 5 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

I've quickly updated that guide link about merchants with additional links. See in the advanced section. The first part are simple solutions, but not suitable for Woocommerce

https://darth-coin.github.io/merchants/getting-started-bitcoin-small-merchants-en.html#advanced

I added also a list of those with quisk Woocommerce plugins

0 sats \ 4 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

He is using the woo plugin. I guess everyone does?

43 sats \ 3 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

At the beginning of that guide I updated with a list of services that offer woo plugin. There are more custodial solutions with woo plugin, but I didn't list them there because are also some kind of shitcoineries. The ones listed are Bitcoin only.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

I'm sending it to him. He has always been an amateur tech guy. He ran his own server in the 90s and early 2000s for his business web site. Of course he's kicking himself now that he waited so long to discover bitcoin.

43 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

Ah in this case he will like it to do it himself! Will be fun and he will learn faster. Super cool!

He can run his own LNBits server on any PC.

7 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

Next, I need to get him on SN

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43 sats \ 4 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

You run also an Alby Hub right? Alby also have a WP plugin, so you can be his "LN bank" until will figure it out, using a dedicated sub-account in Alby Hub.

22 sats \ 3 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

I do. I was thinking about doing that. Right now he's chatting with a Zaprite rep. Apparently it is a bit complicated since he already has a built out website with products in fiat pricing.

43 sats \ 2 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

No need to change anything in his website. Bitcoin will be only an additional payment method. That's all. is all done through the Woocommerce plugin.

Zaprite also is good and fast, but will need a funding source. You can provide with your node too, until he will have his own and just for testing.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

He asked me how to distinguish btc on chain v lightning? He wants options for both.

43 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

BTCpay, LNbits, Zaprite, opennode have clear distinction between them and the Woo plugin offer both methods. Customer can choose to which one to use too.

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Jon_Hodl 3 Dec

Have you used Voltage before?

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

Yes, I use it twice, for 2 friends (1 btcpay and 1 lnbits). Is good. But I find nodana much easier for lnbits. I do not use it for myself. I have my own resources.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Jon_Hodl 3 Dec

Good to know about nodana.

Thanks, man.

53 sats \ 0 replies \ @Jon_Hodl 3 Dec

I would start with Voltage because they don’t require KYC but they need an xPub so they can see all your txs.

It is one of the easiest ways to get started but comes with tradeoffs like a loss of privacy of your txs but less so than using Open Node.

44 sats \ 3 replies \ @kepford 3 Dec

I assume he's not running a lightning node or servers. He has web designers. I wanna hear what others say but having ran a lightning node for a couple years now just for myself I don't think merchants should just assume they should do it themselves.

If I was running an online business I'd probably either checkout Zaprite or one of the hosted lightning nodes and btc pay providers.

I've been meaning to set up a real BTC pay server myself and I'm planning on doing it between now and the new year. I don't want to get into details but when I do I will write it up. Struggles and all.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

We're on the same page. I don't want him to rush into setting up a node just yet. I just convinced him to get his bitcoin off coinbase! We have had a handful of conversations about bitcoin over the years, but he just pulled the trigger recently without me knowing about it. He's just starting the journey He's in an industry with international sales in a gray area where bitcoin has some traction. I'll suggest Zaprite.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 3 Dec

The next step after figuring out if you wanna do it yourself or use a provider is to figure out what they have. Are they running Wordpress with WooCommerce, Shopify, or what. Both Zaprite and BTC pay have integrations with different web site solutions.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 3 Dec

I do not have any experience with hosted nodes or zaprite. Not an endorsement

43 sats \ 0 replies \ @AG 4 Dec

This thread is really useful! Bookmarked for the ~AGORA! Let's talk business over there ;)

43 sats \ 6 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 3 Dec

A quick and dirty method would be to publish his public key on the website and have people send to that address. I mean real quick and real dirty. He might want to make that address some sort of cold storage.

20 sats \ 5 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

Good idea. He's already set up through Zaprite on chain. Now we are figuring out the best way to set up LN using my node.

86 sats \ 4 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 4 Dec

You’ve just gone beyond my comfort zone! Using the various networks and nodes for exchange of BTC is really beyond my noob status! I’ve done networks and I’ve done websites but not websites which have BTC nodes on them.

20 sats \ 3 replies \ @siggy47 OP 4 Dec

Oh it's beyond mine too. Believe me!

43 sats \ 2 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 4 Dec

I am working on reading (and better, yet, trying to understand) @DarthCoin’s tutorial on how to do a DYI wallet on a USB drive. It looks like I will be doing it on a Linux box with either windows or tails in a virtual box, as soon as I can figure it out and get all the necessary bits for it.

20 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 4 Dec

I think you understand it in a different way. You can setup the Tails USB OS on a windows machine, but the idea is to boot with that USB, separate from any other OS you have on the machine.

TailsOS is a live OS, it means is NOT installed on any local machine. You run it and that's it, once you shut it down, is gone. Nothing remains on that machine.

You can travel with that USB and boot on any other machine when you need it, without depending on any OS installed.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 4 Dec

Yes, I understand that part. The part I am lost on is which wallet and that information concerning the cold wallet.

43 sats \ 21 replies \ @grayruby 3 Dec

Is that existing customer you?

@BTCsessions would probably be the man to talk to. Or just peruse his videos.

Probably BTC Payserver. I think block allows merchants to accept Bitcoin as well.

61 sats \ 20 replies \ @siggy47 OP 3 Dec

No. I have nothing to do with his business anymore. I used to be general counsel years ago. No, these are big international customers. One from the UAE has been asking him to accept bitcoin for years, but he refused. He's going with Zaprite. He already has his web guys setting up the plugins. One business deals with large transactions, so it will be only on chain. He has a second, retail site where he will use lightning.

83 sats \ 19 replies \ @DarthCoin 3 Dec

One business deals with large transactions

Then Zaprite with onchain is a good start.

61 sats \ 18 replies \ @siggy47 OP 4 Dec

@DartCoin, zaprite support isn't helping much with LN. Can you tell me an easy way to set him up on my node with Alby Hub? He would need his own LN address, so I guess I need to get him a LN wallet that can generate a lightning address and allows NWC connection, right?

120 sats \ 3 replies \ @DarthCoin 5 Dec

Please ask him these questions, to clear up for him and for us, what solution is best for now:

he wants just to test for a while the bitcoin payments?
he wants to have a long term solution ?
he wants to have a custodial solution, temporary or long term? (keep in mind that custodial remove the hurdle of liquidity)
he wants full self-custodial ?
he wants full self-custodial but not the own LN node?
he wants full self-custodial with his own LN node ?

For example as I described in the guide I've sent you, the solution I see it for him is IbexPay. Just to start fast and have a professional dashboard and also connect his e-shop with Woo. Also Opago, is a LNbits in the background, so could offer access to a Woo plugin.

71 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 5 Dec

he wants just to test for a while the bitcoin payments?

For now, yes.

he wants to have a long term solution ?

Yes he wants to have a custodial solution, temporary or long term? (keep in mind that custodial remove the hurdle of liquidity)

He is okay with custodial for lightning. He will be transferring his sats to his own wallet quickly and the LN payments will be at most $200 US.

On chain, he wants self custody direct to a cold wallet. The payments will be large.

163 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 5 Dec

Ok then the fastest integration, also with woocommerce plugin ready, is:

opennode - serious payment processor
ibexpay - serious payment processor
opago pay
swiss bitcoin pay
coingate
Voltz (is quite new, but is a full lnbits ready, so for testing is ok)

Once you have an account with one of these, easily charge onchain/LN on Woocommerce and then withdraw into own cold storage.

Later, with patience can setup his own self-custodial thing, BTCpay or full LNbits server.

This is what I will do, if I would have a big business like that.

20 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 5 Dec

Very good. I'm meeting with him tomorrow. He doesn't want to worry about LN liquidity until he really gets his feet wet. It makes sense.

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106 sats \ 13 replies \ @DarthCoin 5 Dec

https://blog.getalby.com/provide-easy-to-use-wallets-to-friends-and-family-with-alby-hub/

30 sats \ 7 replies \ @siggy47 OP 6 Dec

Do you have suggestions about the best way to integrate his Alby go wallet (sub account to my hub) to his web site? Zaprite doesn't seem to have an easy answer.

63 sats \ 6 replies \ @DarthCoin 6 Dec

You can do it with LNbits Woocommerce plugin and use the LNDhub details generated from your Alby Hub for that account. https://github.com/lnbits/woocommerce-payment-gateway

But you need to have your node exposed to clearnet https, otherwise will not gonna work. The WP + Woo must communicate with your node through clearnet with SSL certificate, is not working through direct IP or Tor.

Here is a working LNbits if you want to test too https://lnvoltz.com/

20 sats \ 5 replies \ @siggy47 OP 6 Dec

Okay. Thanks. We're meeting later.

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20 sats \ 4 replies \ @siggy47 OP 5 Dec

Yes. I was using this article. I need to find an NWC lightning app with a lightning address that I can connect to the Friends And Family App. Now he's trying coinos, but his web guys cant seem to connect it to the woo app?

83 sats \ 3 replies \ @DarthCoin 5 Dec

Alby Go works perfectly fine with any NWC connection.

Now he's trying coinos, but his web guys cant seem to connect it to the woo app?

Coinos do not have plugin for woo, unfortunately.

What you can do is offer your LN node as funding source (until they figure it out with their own) and they can spin up a LNbits on any PC or a VPS and connect to your node. You can bake a dedicated macaroon only for that account so will not use all your node access and you can separate it from your own access.

With that access they configure the LNbits and they waill have a full solution at hand, woocommerce and all other things they need, inclusive LN address etc.

For LNbits you can use also the lndhub connection as funding source. That is more elegant than macaroons because they will have access only to THEIR funds cut not all the node liquidity.

20 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 5 Dec

Okay. He wants the friends and family sub account. I had him download Alby Go. Then he said he got stuck. Does he need an account first?

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