How to accept bitcoin payments
Last updated · By Galaxy Mind
To accept bitcoin payments at a small business, turn it on in a checkout you already use, add a free Lightning address, or self-host BTCPay Server for an online store. Lightning payments settle in seconds for a fraction of a cent. If you use Square in the US, it may already be on · Square now turns on bitcoin payments over the Lightning Network for eligible US sellers by default, settles them to you in dollars unless you choose bitcoin, and charges a 0% processing fee through December 31, 2026 (1% after that). Otherwise a Lightning address, a Lightning-enabled processor or BTCPay Server gets you there in an afternoon. You choose whether to keep dollars or hold BTC. If you sell online, get listed. Physical walk-in shops belong on BTC Map.
Start accepting it in six steps
Decide how you want to settle
You do not have to hold bitcoin to accept it. Most processors let you auto-convert each payment to dollars the instant it lands, or keep some or all of it in BTC. Pick what fits your books · you can change it later.
Turn it on at your point of sale
Check whether your existing checkout already supports it. Square now turns on bitcoin payments over the Lightning Network for eligible US sellers by default, settles them to you in dollars unless you choose bitcoin, and charges a 0% processing fee through December 31, 2026 (1% after that). The customer scans a QR code or taps to pay. For many shops it is already a setting, not a project.
Square setup walkthrough ↓No native support? Add a Lightning option
If your point of sale does not support it yet, the simplest path is a Lightning-enabled payment processor or a self-hosted option like BTCPay Server. Even a plain Lightning Address (name@domain) lets a customer pay you from any wallet. Lightning settles in seconds for a fraction of a cent.
Lightning address and BTCPay walkthroughs ↓Show that you accept it
Put a small bitcoin-accepted sticker or QR at the register and on your site. Bitcoiners actively seek out places to spend, so signage alone brings in customers who specifically want to pay in sats. Online shops can also embed a verified badge that links back here.
Your verified badge →Get listed so people can find you
Physical walk-in shops belong on BTC Map. Submit here only if you sell online. This directory tracks 190 human-verified online shops that take native bitcoin. Free, no listing fee, a couple of minutes.
List your shop →Keep stacking what you take in
Whether you auto-convert to dollars or keep BTC, you can still grow a stack on your own terms · use what you need for the business, hold what you want for the long run. Bitcoin as money and a growing stack are not mutually exclusive.
Spend and replace, explained →Set it up: three practical paths
Pick the one that matches how you sell today. Each step links to the provider's own documentation.
Turn on Square's bitcoin payments
Best fit for shops that already ring sales up on Square in the US.
Where the setting lives
- Eligible US sellers have bitcoin payments turned on automatically. Square checks eligibility itself, and it is not offered to businesses located in New York.
- To set it up or pick how you get paid, open Square Dashboard and go to Banking, then Bitcoin. Older accounts click Get started there and verify the business.
- In the Square POS app, Bitcoin appears under Settings, then Checkout, then Payment. You can reorder it there or tap the X to turn it off.
What the customer sees
- You ring up the sale, tap Pay and choose Bitcoin. A Lightning QR code appears and the customer scans it with any Lightning wallet.
- On Square Register the customer can pick Bitcoin on their own screen, and the 2nd generation Register also takes an NFC tap from a Lightning wallet.
- Payments settle in seconds. An unpaid QR expires after five minutes and you start a new cart at the fresh rate.
How you get paid
- Dollars by default: Square converts each payment to dollars immediately. You can instead keep the bitcoin in your Square bitcoin wallet.
- Each payment can be up to the bitcoin equivalent of $600, with a $20,000 daily limit.
Fees
- Bitcoin payments carry a 0% processing fee through December 31, 2026, then 1% per transaction.
- Separate Square bitcoin features cost extra: converting card sales into bitcoin and buying or selling bitcoin each carry a 1% fee.
Trade-off · Bitcoin payments have no chargebacks, and refunds go out as a Square gift card for the same dollar amount. If you keep bitcoin, tax on any gain is yours to track.
Get a free Lightning address
Best fit for market stalls, makers, side businesses and anyone selling online without a full checkout.
How to get one
- A Lightning address looks like an email address, such as yourshop@wallet.example, and lets anyone send you bitcoin from a Lightning wallet.
- Many Lightning wallet apps hand you one for free when you sign up. Examples include Wallet of Satoshi, Strike, Blink and Coinos, where they are available. Check identity checks, country availability and fees in the app first.
- Apps that hold the coins for you are the quickest start. Self-custody wallets keep the keys on your phone and take a little more setup.
How to show it
- Print the address and its QR code on a small card at the register, a market table or the back of a menu.
- Online, put it on your order page, in your invoice emails and in your social bios. Some wallet apps also give you a simple web keypad page you can open on a tablet as a register.
How to take a payment
- For an exact amount, create an invoice in your wallet app for the price and let the customer scan the QR code. It shows as paid within seconds.
- With the printed address, the customer scans it, types the amount and sends. Check that the payment arrived in your app before you hand over the goods.
Trade-off · Fees are usually a fraction of a cent, but an app that holds your coins is trusting a company with them, so move savings to your own wallet regularly. Bookkeeping and taxes are on you, since there is no processor report.
Self-host BTCPay Server
Best fit for online stores on WooCommerce, Shopify and similar platforms that want payments straight to their own wallet.
Set it up
- BTCPay Server is free, open-source payment software with no processing fee. Payments go straight to your own wallet.
- Pick a deployment: a third-party host to try it out, or your own server or cloud machine for full control.
- Create a store, connect your wallet so BTCPay can make a fresh address for every order, and add Lightning if you want instant small payments.
- Install the plugin for your platform, such as WooCommerce or Shopify, or use the built-in Point of Sale app as a simple shop or register page. Then place one small test order.
Trade-off · You run the server, keep it updated and keep backups. Lightning also needs a node with some liquidity, so plan an afternoon for setup.
We name providers only as examples. We do not recommend one over another and earn nothing from any of them, and this page has no affiliate or referral links.
Start here
New to bitcoin yourself? Read how to buy bitcoin as a beginner, see how customers pay with Lightning, or browse shops that take bitcoin by category.
Want to mine bitcoin instead?
Rent our US-based mining hashrate in 270 TH/s chunks. You choose the pool, and payouts go straight to your own wallet.
Frequently asked
How do I accept bitcoin payments as a business?
Three common paths. (1) If you use Square in the US, it may already be on: eligible sellers get bitcoin payments over the Lightning Network by default, settled in dollars unless they choose bitcoin, with a 0% processing fee through 2026 and 1% after. (2) Get a free Lightning address from a Lightning wallet app, or use a Lightning-enabled processor that converts to your currency. (3) Self-host BTCPay Server for an online store with no processing fee. Then add signage and get listed so people can find you.
Where is the bitcoin setting in Square?
In Square Dashboard, go to Banking, then Bitcoin, to set it up and choose dollars or bitcoin. In the Square POS app, Bitcoin shows under Settings, then Checkout, then Payment, where you can reorder it or turn it off. Eligible US sellers have it on by default; it is not offered to businesses located in New York.
How do I get a Lightning address for my shop?
Install a Lightning wallet app that offers one. Many give you a free address that looks like yourshop@wallet.example when you sign up. Print it with its QR code at the register or add it to your order page, and check each payment in your app before handing over the goods. Apps that hold your coins are the quickest start, so move savings to your own wallet regularly.
How do I accept Lightning payments?
Get a Lightning address from a Lightning wallet app and show its QR code at the register or on your order page. For an exact amount, create an invoice in the app and let the customer scan it. Square sellers in the US take Lightning through Square itself, and online stores can add Lightning to BTCPay Server. Payments settle in seconds for a fraction of a cent.
What are the limits on Square bitcoin payments?
Each payment can be up to the bitcoin equivalent of $600, with a $20,000 daily limit. Square settles each payment in dollars by default unless you choose to keep bitcoin, and bitcoin payments are not offered to businesses located in New York.
Is it free to accept bitcoin?
It is close to free. Square charges a 0% processing fee on bitcoin payments through December 31, 2026, then 1%. Lightning Network fees are typically a fraction of a cent regardless of the amount, far below the 1.5 to 3.5 percent of card networks. Self-hosting BTCPay Server has no processor fee at all beyond the tiny on-chain or Lightning cost.
Do I have to hold bitcoin if I accept it?
No. Most processors can auto-convert each payment to dollars the moment it lands, so accepting bitcoin does not mean taking on price risk. You can also choose to keep a percentage in BTC if you want exposure. It is your call, per transaction or as a default.
How does a customer pay with bitcoin in a store?
At checkout the terminal shows a QR code (or an NFC tap). The customer scans it with any bitcoin wallet, confirms, and the Lightning payment settles in seconds. It feels the same as a card tap or a mobile-wallet payment, just instant and final. Physical walk-in spots should also pin themselves on BTC Map.
How do I let people know my business accepts bitcoin?
If you sell online, put a badge on your site and list here. Galaxy Mind keeps a free, human-verified directory of 190 online shops that take native bitcoin · submitting yours takes a couple of minutes and there is no listing fee. Physical walk-in shops belong on BTC Map.