Transacting with cryptos has become very popular these days, and businesses are increasingly adopting advanced ways to buy and sell online without using traditional money and classic means of payment.
Crypto assets have multiple use cases, and being a payment method is the most prominent where users can transfer any crypto with blockchain technology only using a crypto wallet.
E-commerce and virtual stores transact with digital currencies using a crypto payment API integrated with their page, facilitating Bitcoin payments and other currencies. Let’s explore these digital payment gateways and how to connect a payment API to your web page.
Understanding Crypto Payments
Cryptocurrencies emerged as a solid payment method, where Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and other currencies are transferred between crypto wallets instantly and easily. Thus, neither party has to deal with a central authority or the banking system, which promotes safe and rapid transactions.
E-commerce crypto payment has become a common payment method on the payment page while shopping at different online stores, where shop owners can integrate crypto payment APIs. The API keys interact with the blockchain and wallets to release funds from point A to point B once the transaction conditions have been met or the buyer has enough funds according to the requested purchase.
What are APIs?
Application programming interfaces are systems that exchange data with various servers to obtain a wide range of information. For example, the weather app, newsfeed and updated crypto prices are all powered by APIs that interact with the source and broadcast the information to a phone or website.
Crypto payment APIs are the facilitators for companies that accept crypto payments. The designated API works in the website’s backend and is triggered when a user chooses Bitcoin as a payment option.
How Do Crypto Payment APIs Work?
Crypto payment APIs bridge the merchant page to the buyer’s decentralised wallet to release crypto funds to the seller’s wallet.
Crypto payment processing companies utilise different interfaces and deploy smart contracts and other tools that interact with the blockchain to validate and register the transaction on the public ledger.
Some processors support credit cards to crypto payment gateways, where buyers use their credit/debit cards to purchase online. In the background, the gateway converts that fiat money to crypto and sends it to the seller.
Crypto gateways are usually faster than traditional payment methods, but some latency might happen depending on the congestion and activity level on the blockchain.
How to Integrate Crypto Payments on The Website
Integrating a crypto payment solution helps online stores, digital assets, and websites sell products and services quickly and easily with cryptocurrencies. Crypto-friendly payment processors provide you with a sophisticated API and software environment that connects your wallet to the blockchain of your choice, depending on the chosen crypto options (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.).
Start off by finding a reliable crypto payment gateway. These facilitators help you pay using your crypto wallet, just like how Stripe supports credit/debit cards and Apple Pay and PayPal support paying using digital wallets.
You have two options for the decentralised payment processor: pre-built integration or a white-label payment solution.
A pre-built gateway is a ready system that you can plug in and start. On the other hand, a white label solution is a customisable gateway that you can tweak according to your preferences and your users’ expectations.
You can change the layout design, improve the online payment experience, and add other features like a scannable QR code or create a merchant dashboard.
How to Connect Crypto Payment API
The crypto payment gateway API is the data exchange and the backend interactions when customers pay with Bitcoin or other currencies.
APIs help execute transactions seamlessly and without hassle or redirection to another window or leaving the app. Your choice of the decentralised payment API determines how quick the transaction is and the associated fees.
Cryptos usually have lower transaction fees than credit cards and transfers from bank accounts. However, blockchain network congestion can raise gas fees and incur relatively high costs.
Steps To Connect Crypto API
Choosing the best payment processor for crypto connects you with various blockchains and gets you the best transaction conditions at fast rates and low fees. You can accept crypto payments this way.
#1 Select a crypto wallet - your decentralised wallet is where the funds will be received from your clients and where you store your digital money. Therefore, ensure you choose a valid wallet provider with enhanced security and improved usability.
#2 Find a reliable crypto gateway - register your account with the crypto payment processor to integrate your wallet and start receiving money when clients pay using Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.
#3 Choose the coins and tokens options - select the currencies you want to make available through your website. Bitcoin and Ethereum are commonly used for crypto payments, while Ripple, Tether, and USDC are other solid choices.
#4 Integrate a gateway API - your crypto gateway solution system generates a fully-fledged API build and crypto payment plugins that you can add to your online store and launch. After that, you can start accepting crypto payments to your wallet payment address.
You can also consider fiat-to-crypto payment gateway APIs that allow customers who do not have decentralised wallets to pay with cryptos using their credit cards.
Advantages of Crypto Payment Gateway Services
Not only do businesses accept payments in cryptocurrency to respond to market demands and business needs, but it is also a faster and more secure way to safeguard your funds from central banks and authorities. Here is what you can expect when you accept crypto payments.
- Lower fees - Transacting with cryptos entails fewer intermediaries and centralised financial institutions. Therefore, they are cheaper.
- Global reach - Decentralised transfers help get around restrictions to dealing with certain foreign currencies or payment options.
- Enhance security - Sending and receiving Bitcoin and other coins does not require providing private information, promoting higher safety and identity preservation, unlike banks that collect users' info and control fiat currency transactions.
- Quick payments - Having fewer financial intermediaries in decentralised finance and peer-to-peer networks contributes to faster transactions almost instantaneously.
- Grow your business - Crypto enthusiasts and DeFi communities prefer platforms and websites that support decentralised transactions. Therefore, adopting crypto payments makes you more likely to grow your reputation and expand your business.
Conclusion
Accepting cryptocurrency payments opens more doors and opportunities to promote your company. People are increasingly using decentralised payment methods over classic bank account transfers to shop online and transfer crypto assets, and it is time for you to integrate a crypto payment API.
All you need to do is get a cryptocurrency wallet and integrate it with your website or online store using a decentralised payment processor. Use crypto payment plugins and add API key structure to trigger interactions with the blockchain and finalise crypto payments.
