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Bitcoin & Lightning

You don't need to be a Bitcoin expert to integrate Coinsnap. Here's what actually matters for your integration.

The short version​

Think of it like this:

Bitcoin (on-chain)Lightning
Speed~10–60 minutesInstant (seconds)
FeesVariable, can be highVery low (fractions of a cent)
Best forLarge amountsSmall payments, eCommerce
AnalogyBank wire transferCredit card swipe

By default, Coinsnap offers both Lightning and Bitcoin on an invoice. If needed, you can restrict the invoice to specific payment methods via the API. The customer chooses from the methods you allow.

What is Bitcoin?​

Bitcoin is a digital currency with no central bank. Payments are recorded on a public ledger (the blockchain). Transactions are:

  • Irreversible — no chargebacks
  • Global — no currency conversion needed
  • Settled to your wallet — Coinsnap forwards funds to your configured Bitcoin wallet

What is the Lightning Network?​

Lightning is a payment layer built on top of Bitcoin. It enables instant, low-fee payments by routing transactions through a network of payment channels — without writing every payment to the blockchain.

For eCommerce, Lightning is almost always the preferred payment method:

  • Payments confirm in 1–3 seconds
  • Fees are negligible
  • No waiting for block confirmations

How Coinsnap handles this for you​

When you create an invoice, Coinsnap generates:

  1. A Lightning invoice (BOLT11 string starting with lnbc...) — used by Lightning wallets
  2. A Bitcoin address (starting with bc1...) — used by on-chain wallets

Both are presented to the customer via QR code. When either is paid, you receive the same Settled webhook — your code doesn't need to care which method the customer used.

Invoice response (simplified)
{
  "lightningInvoice": "lnbc100u1p3xnhl2pp5...",
  "bitcoinAddress":   "bc1qxy2kgdygjrsqtzq2n0yrf2493p83kkfjhx0wlh",
  "status":           "New"
}

What about exchange rates?​

Coinsnap handles the conversion. You create an invoice in your fiat currency (EUR, USD, etc.) and Coinsnap calculates the exact Bitcoin amount at the current market rate. Your customer pays Bitcoin; you see the fiat equivalent in your dashboard.

What you actually need to know​

For your integration, you only need to understand:

  1. Create invoice → you specify a fiat amount
  2. Customer pays → via Lightning (instant) or Bitcoin (minutes)
  3. You receive a webhook → Settled with your orderId
  4. Full amount arrives in your wallet → automatically forwarded by Coinsnap (fees are billed from your prepaid balance, not deducted from payments)

That's it. Everything else is handled for you.