What is a crypto payment gateway and how does it work?

A crypto payment gateway lets a business accept cryptocurrency the way a card processor lets it accept cards. It creates the payment request, watches the blockchain, tells your system when the money has arrived, and lets you withdraw or convert what you received.

You could accept crypto by posting a wallet address, but that breaks down fast. You can't tell which order a payment belongs to, prices in crypto go stale, and nobody updates your orders. A gateway solves those problems.

What a gateway does

• Invoices with live pricing. You price in dollars, euros or any currency, and the gateway quotes the exact coin amount at the current rate.
• A unique address per payment, so every payment is matched to its order automatically.
• Blockchain monitoring. It watches for the payment, counts confirmations and handles underpayments and overpayments.
• Notifications. It calls your server (a webhook or callback) when the status changes, so orders update by themselves.
• Balances and payouts. Received funds collect in a balance you can withdraw to your own wallet or pay out to many people at once.

How a payment flows, step by step

1. The customer checks out on your site and picks crypto.
2. Your site asks the gateway for an invoice. The gateway returns a payment page with the amount, the network and a deposit address.
3. The customer pays from their wallet or exchange.
4. The gateway sees the transaction on the blockchain and waits for enough confirmations. That takes about a minute on TRON and around twenty minutes on Bitcoin.
5. The invoice is marked paid and your server receives a signed callback. You ship the order.
6. The funds are in your balance, minus the gateway's fee.

Custodial vs non-custodial gateways

AywaPay is a custodial gateway: payments collect in your balance, and you withdraw to your own wallet whenever you like. Holding a balance is what makes features like mass payouts and refunds from your balance possible.

How gateway fees work

Most gateways charge a percentage of each payment, sometimes with a monthly fee on top. The blockchain network fee is separate: the customer pays it when sending, and you pay it when withdrawing. AywaPay charges 0.5% per payment (1.5% with white label), with no setup or monthly fees. Withdrawals cost $0.25 plus the network fee. See pricing.

How to choose a crypto payment gateway

• Coins and networks. Make sure it supports what your customers hold, especially USDT on TRON and BNB Smart Chain.
• Fees. Compare the percentage, minimums, monthly fees and withdrawal costs.
• Integrations. Look for a plugin for your platform, payment links, and a documented API with signed callbacks.
• Security. Two-factor authentication, withdrawal limits, saved addresses and alerts protect your balance.
• Payouts. If you pay affiliates or freelancers, check for mass payouts.
• Languages. A payment page in your customer's language converts better.

Ready to try one? Start with how to accept USDT on your website, or browse all features.