BTCPay Server — Self-Hosted Bitcoin Payment Processor

Introduction

BTCPay Server is a self-hosted, open-source payment processor for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It eliminates third-party payment fees and gives merchants full control over their funds with no intermediary custody. Organizations and individuals worldwide use it for e-commerce, donations, and point-of-sale.

What BTCPay Server Does

• Processes Bitcoin on-chain and Lightning Network payments directly to your wallet
• Generates payment requests, invoices, and checkout pages
• Provides a built-in point-of-sale terminal for in-person payments
• Supports crowdfunding and donation pages with goal tracking
• Offers plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Drupal, and other platforms

Architecture Overview

BTCPay Server runs as a .NET application backed by PostgreSQL and NBXplorer for blockchain indexing. It connects to a full Bitcoin node (bundled or external) and optionally a Lightning Network node. The entire stack is orchestrated via Docker Compose, with Nginx handling TLS termination and reverse proxying.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy with the official Docker-based installer on any Linux VPS
• Requires a Bitcoin full node (auto-provisioned or bring your own)
• Configure domain and HTTPS via the built-in Let's Encrypt integration
• Connect your existing xpub or Lightning node for direct fund receipt
• Manage stores, users, and payment settings through the admin dashboard

Key Features

• Zero fees and no third-party custody of funds
• Lightning Network support for instant, low-cost payments
• Multi-store and multi-user with role-based access control
• Built-in apps for point-of-sale, crowdfunding, and payment buttons
• Extensive API for custom integrations and automation

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Stripe — proprietary with fees; BTCPay is free and self-hosted for crypto
• OpenNode — hosted Lightning payments; BTCPay gives full node sovereignty
• CoinGate — custodial crypto gateway; BTCPay is non-custodial
• Bitpay — centralized processor with KYC; BTCPay requires no account or verification

FAQ

Q: Do I need to run a full Bitcoin node? A: The Docker setup includes a pruned node by default. You can also connect an external node.

Q: Which cryptocurrencies are supported? A: Bitcoin (on-chain and Lightning) is the primary focus. Altcoin support is available through community plugins.

Q: Can I use BTCPay for a WooCommerce store? A: Yes, an official WooCommerce plugin connects your store to your BTCPay Server instance.

Q: What are the server requirements? A: Minimum 2 GB RAM and 80 GB SSD for a pruned Bitcoin node deployment.

Sources

• https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver
• https://btcpayserver.org