Beginner's Guide to Create a Bitcoin Store and Accept Lightning Payments

Setup: BTCPay Server hosted on Bitcoin Aruba with Blink Wallet integration

Aug 21, 2025

Start accepting fast, secure Lightning (LN) payments for your products, services, or events quickly, smoothly, and for free, with no prior experience required.

Keep in Mind

BTCPay Server: free open-source bitcoin project, not a "company"
Bitcoin Aruba: independent BTCPay Server instance
Blink: custodial bitcoin wallet mobile app (formerly Bitcoin Beach Wallet)
Store vs Point of Sale: multiple Points of Sale can exist under one store
- Store: backend hub for settings
- Point of Sale: public-facing view that customers see

What You’ll Need

Email address and new secure password: to create a BTCPay Server account
Blink app: available on the App Store, Google Play, and App Gallery
Email address or phone number: to create a Blink wallet

Decisions to Make

Store name: name for backend hub, not automatically visible to customers
Point of Sale name: name customers will see
Currency preference: BTC, SATS or fiat options that will be displayed
API key name: something that identifies this setup (e.g., "BTCPay Server + [Point of Sale name]")
Tips, taxes, and discounts: toggle on or off as needed

⚠️ Important

Blink API key secrets will be generated only once; save them securely

Get Started

1. Create a BTCPay Server Account

Go to: https://btcpay.btc.aw/register
Sign up with your email and a secure password
Click Create account

✅ BTCPay Server account created successfully

NOTE

ℹ️ This account is only for the Bitcoin Aruba BTCPay Server instance, there’s no global BTCPay Server login.

2. Create Your BTCPay Server Store

Store Name: enter your store’s name
Default Currency: select from BTC, SATS, or a choice of fiat
Preferred Price Source: recommendations will be given
Click Create Store

✅ BTCPay Server store created successfully

NOTE

ℹ️ Your store can have multiple Points of Sale. Store refers to the backend hub for settings.

3. Connect to a Lightning Node

From the sidebar, select: Wallets → Lightning

✅ You should see : “Connection configuration for your custom Lightning node”

TIP

📌 Leave this page open. You’ll return here in Step 9.

🔧 Set Up a Blink Wallet

4. Download Blink

Go to: https://www.blink.sv
Download the app for your device
Sign up with email or phone

IMPORTANT

⚠️ Blink is a custodial wallet . It’s convenient for everyday payments, but you trade off control and security. DYOR and move sats to self-custody regularly.

5. Log in to Blink Dashboard

Go to: https://dashboard.blink.sv
Log in to your Blink account

NOTE

ℹ️ You will be asked to enter the verification code that is sent to your email or phone.

6. API Keys

In the Blink dashboard:

From the sidebar, select: API Keys
Click + to create one

7. Create API Key

Name: enter a name that helps you remember what this key is used for (e.g., "BTCPay Server + [Point of Sale name]")
Expires in: select duration from the dropdown
Select Read and Receive (to invoice and receive funds)
Click Create

IMPORTANT

⚠️ The BTCPay Server admin can access your API key. Selecting Write allows for funds to be sent.

8. Save Your API Key Secrets

Copy and save all 3 API key secrets:
- token
- BTCPay connection string BTC Wallet
- BTCPay connection string USD Wallet
Once saved, click Close

NOTE

ℹ️ Only the “BTCPay connection string BTC Wallet” is used for this setup.

IMPORTANT

⚠️ Blink API key secrets will be generated only once; save them securely.

🔗 Connect Blink to BTCPay Server

9. Paste API Connection String

Return to the BTCPay Server store page from Step 3
Copy the API Key secret “BTCPay connection string BTC Wallet” and paste it into the connection box

It starts: type=blink;server=https://api.blink.sv/graphql;api-key=blink_XXXXXX

Click Test Connection

✅ You should see : “Connection to the Lightning node successful.”

Scroll down to click Save

🏪 Create and Customize Your Point of Sale

10. Create a Point of Sale

From the sidebar, select: Point of Sale
App Name: enter a name for this Point of Sale
Click Create

NOTE

ℹ️ Your store can have multiple Points of Sale. Point of Sale refers to the public-facing view that customers see.

11. Customize Your Store

Choose layout from:

Product List: single products / event tickets
Product List with Cart: multiple products
Keypad: custom amounts
QR Code: print

Click Save

🎉 Congratulations! Your Lightning Store is Now Live! ⚡️

Powered by BTCPay Server, hosted on Bitcoin Aruba with Blink Wallet integration.

Next Steps:

Run a test purchase
- Adjust a test product price if needed
- Save changes, view your live store, and confirm checkout works
Add real products with images, descriptions, and prices
Customize your Point of Sale with your logo, brand colors, and HTML if desired
Share your store link
- Use a short link or custom domain
- Add your store to the Bitcoin Directory

Heads Up

Bitcoin Aruba and Blink are custodial / permissioned services. Great for onboarding, but the goal is to graduate to self-hosting your BTCPay Server and Lightning node when you’re ready.

✨ Acknowledgements

This guide was created by FAFO Rocks. Big thanks to the free, and open-source bitcoin projects and communities that make this possible:

Without their work, tools like this guide wouldn’t exist. Support them, contribute if you can, and share what you build.

This guide is (hopefully) part of a growing series. It will be updated as more lessons are learned in practice, including on-chain payments and automated email setup.

Connect with us to share feedback, suggest improvements, or follow along as new guides are released:

FAFO Rocks

Website: tinyurl.com/FAFO-Rocks (created with 🧡 at 丰 London using this guide.)
X: @FAFORocks21
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⚡️ Made Possible by Free, Open-Source Bitcoin Projects 🔥

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