BTCPay Server

@BTCPay what's the current status of our server instance, including sync state and supported payment methods?

Your BTCPay Server instance is running version 1.13.1. The server supports Bitcoin (on-chain), Lightning Network, and Monero as payment methods. Current sync status: Bitcoin mainnet is fully synchronized at block height 825,432. Lightning node has 12 active channels with 2.4 BTC total capacity. The server is accessible via Tor at btcpay...onion. No critical alerts detected.

This example demonstrates the server info retrieval tool, useful for health checks and configuration audits. Requires API key with 'ServerManagement' permission. The sync state and channel data reflect point-in-time snapshots — blockchain height advances continuously, so treat this as diagnostic context rather than real-time monitoring.

@BTCPay create a payment request for $250 USD in our 'Consulting Services' store, valid for 7 days, with description 'Q1 2024 Advisory Retainer'

Payment request created successfully. Request ID: pr_8x2k9mN4pL. Amount: $250 USD (approximately 0.0041 BTC at current rate). Expiration: 7 days from now (Jan 15, 2024). The payment link is btcpay.example.com/i/pr_8x2k9mN4pL. Customers can pay via Bitcoin on-chain or Lightning. Email notifications will be sent to store@example.com when payment is received. The request is now active and accepting payments.

This write-action example shows payment request creation, a core BTCPay workflow for invoicing. Requires 'StoreManagement' permission and a valid store ID. The BTC amount is calculated at creation time using the server's exchange rate provider — actual payment amount may vary slightly if the customer pays near expiration due to rate fluctuations.

@BTCPay review all payment requests created in the last 30 days across our stores and summarize which ones are still unpaid or expired

Analyzed 23 payment requests from the past 30 days across 3 stores. Status breakdown: 14 paid (total $3,420 USD), 5 expired unpaid (total $1,150 USD), 4 active awaiting payment (total $890 USD). The expired requests include two high-value items: 'Enterprise License' ($500) and 'Annual Support' ($400), both from the 'Software Store'. Active requests average 3.2 days remaining before expiration. Recommendation: Consider re-issuing the expired enterprise requests with extended validity periods.

This synthesis example pairs BTCPay's payment request listing with AI reasoning to surface actionable insights. Demonstrates how the MCP enables financial workflow analysis without exporting data to spreadsheets. Note that payment request retrieval may be paginated for stores with high transaction volumes — the AI will handle pagination automatically but response time increases with dataset size.

When BTCPay Server beats Stripe for crypto donations

A 6-person nonprofit running quarterly fundraisers needs to accept Bitcoin donations without paying 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. BTCPay Server wins here because the Create Payment Request and Get BTCPay Server Info tools let you generate donation links tied to specific campaigns, track payment status in real time, and reconcile everything against your own node—no middleman taking a cut. The API_KEY auth means your finance lead can provision stores and payment requests without touching the Lightning node directly. The threshold: if you're processing fewer than 20 crypto donations a month, the operational overhead of running your own BTCPay instance probably isn't worth it compared to a hosted processor. Above that volume, you're saving enough in fees to justify the setup.

Automating contractor payouts for remote teams

A 3-person agency paying 12 overseas contractors monthly in Bitcoin needs to avoid wire transfer delays and currency conversion fees. BTCPay Server's Create Store Payout and Delete Store Payout tools let you batch payments, cancel mistakes before broadcast, and track settlement without logging into a wallet UI every time. The Create BTCPay Server User tool means each contractor can get read-only access to their payment history without seeing the full ledger. This setup works when your payout cadence is predictable and your contractors are comfortable with crypto. If half your team still wants fiat, you're adding conversion steps that negate the speed advantage—stick with Wise or Deel in that case.

When self-hosted billing makes sense for privacy-first SaaS

A 4-person team building a VPN or encrypted storage product wants subscription billing that doesn't leak customer payment data to Stripe or PayPal. BTCPay Server's Create Payment Request and Get API Key tools let you generate recurring invoice links, verify payments on-chain, and provision access without a third party seeing who paid. The 17 tools give you enough control to build a lightweight billing loop in your backend. The trade-off: you're responsible for monitoring payment confirmations and handling edge cases like underpaid invoices or network congestion. If your product's value prop is privacy and your customers already use crypto, this is the right call. If you're chasing mainstream adoption, the UX friction of asking users to fund a Lightning wallet will kill conversion.