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Frequently Asked Questions

General​

What is Lightning Enable?​

Lightning Enable is non-custodial enterprise enablement software that allows platforms to accept Bitcoin Lightning payments without touching funds, custody, or settlement. We provide the API middleware - OpenNode handles the actual payment processing.

How is Lightning Enable different from a payment gateway?​

AspectPayment GatewayLightning Enable
Fund custodyGateway holds fundsNever touches funds
KYC/ComplianceGateway handlesOpenNode handles
SettlementGateway settlesOpenNode settles
Revenue modelPer-transaction feesSubscription only
ArchitectureCustodialNon-custodial

Why do I need an OpenNode account?​

OpenNode is the payment processor that handles:

  • Bitcoin custody and settlement
  • KYC/AML compliance
  • Bank settlements (if desired)
  • Lightning Network infrastructure

Lightning Enable connects to your OpenNode account to create invoices and receive payment notifications.

Is Lightning Enable a money transmitter?​

No. Lightning Enable is software infrastructure, not a financial service. We never:

  • Hold or custody funds
  • Control private keys
  • Execute, block, or delay payments
  • Handle settlements

All money transmission, KYC, and settlement are handled by OpenNode.

Pricing​

How much does Lightning Enable cost?​

ProductPriceIncludes
Standalone API$199/monthFull REST API access for any platform
Kentico Commerce$249/monthXperience by Kentico integration
L402 Microtransactions$299/monthPay-per-request API monetization

All plans include: webhook notifications, refund support, multi-currency pricing, and priority email support.

Are there transaction fees?​

Lightning Enable charges a flat subscription fee only. OpenNode charges 1% per transaction for payment processing, which you pay directly to them.

Can I switch plans?​

Yes. Upgrade or downgrade anytime. Changes take effect immediately, with prorated billing.

Technical​

What programming languages are supported?​

Lightning Enable provides a REST API that works with any language. We have examples for:

  • JavaScript/TypeScript
  • C# / .NET
  • Python
  • PHP
  • Ruby

Do you have an SDK?​

Official SDKs are coming soon. For now, use our REST API with your preferred HTTP client.

What's the API latency?​

Typical response times:

  • Create payment: 200-500ms
  • Get payment status: 50-100ms
  • Exchange rates: 50-100ms

Most latency comes from OpenNode API calls.

Is there a sandbox environment?​

Yes. Use OpenNode's development environment (testnet Bitcoin):

  • Dashboard: app.dev.opennode.com
  • API: dev-api.opennode.com

No KYC required for testnet.

Payments​

How long do invoices last?​

Default: 60 minutes. After expiration, the invoice cannot be paid and you'll need to create a new one.

What currencies are supported?​

  • USD - US Dollar
  • EUR - Euro
  • GBP - British Pound
  • BTC - Bitcoin
  • sats - Satoshis

Fiat currencies are converted to Bitcoin at current rates.

How do refunds work?​

Since Lightning payments are instant and irreversible, refunds work differently:

  1. Customer provides a Lightning invoice
  2. You send payment to that invoice from your OpenNode account
  3. Requires sufficient balance in OpenNode

Refunds are available on Production and Platform plans.

What happens if a payment fails?​

Lightning payments either succeed instantly or fail immediately. If a customer's payment fails:

  • No funds are transferred
  • Invoice can be retried
  • Create a new invoice if expired

Webhooks​

How do I know when a payment is complete?​

Two options:

  1. Webhooks (recommended) - Receive instant notifications
  2. Polling - Check payment status via API

Webhooks are more efficient and provide real-time updates.

Are webhooks retried?​

Yes. If your endpoint fails, we retry up to 5 times with exponential backoff (1 min, 5 min, 30 min, 2 hours).

How do I verify webhooks?​

Webhooks include an HMAC-SHA256 signature in the X-Webhook-Signature header. Verify it using your webhook secret.

L402 Protocol​

What is L402?​

L402 is a protocol for HTTP 402 (Payment Required) that enables pay-per-request API access using Lightning payments. Perfect for:

  • AI API monetization
  • Premium content access
  • Metered API usage

Do I need L402?​

L402 is optional. Use it if you want:

  • Per-request payment instead of subscriptions
  • Anonymous API access without accounts
  • Micropayment monetization

Can I monetize third-party APIs?​

Yes. The L402 proxy feature lets you wrap any API with Lightning payments. You pay the upstream API, customers pay you.

Security​

Is my API key secure?​

Yes. API keys are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM. They're only decrypted in memory during authentication.

Should I use HTTPS?​

Yes. Always use HTTPS in production. We require HTTPS for webhooks in production environments.

What if my API key is compromised?​

  1. Generate a new API key immediately
  2. Update your application configuration
  3. The old key is automatically invalidated
  4. Review your access logs

Kentico Commerce​

Which Kentico versions are supported?​

Lightning Enable supports Xperience by Kentico (version 29.0 and later).

How do I install the Kentico integration?​

  1. Install the NuGet package: LightningEnable.Kentico
  2. Configure in appsettings.json
  3. Register in Program.cs

See the Kentico Commerce documentation for details.

Does it work with Kentico Commerce?​

Yes. Lightning Enable implements IPaymentGateway and integrates directly with the checkout flow.

Troubleshooting​

Payments not working​

  1. Check API key - Is it valid and for the correct environment?
  2. Check OpenNode - Is your OpenNode account active and verified?
  3. Check environment - Are you using dev/testnet for testing?
  4. Check logs - What error is returned?

Webhooks not received​

  1. Check URL - Is your webhook URL correct and HTTPS?
  2. Check firewall - Can external services reach your endpoint?
  3. Check logs - View webhook delivery logs
  4. Test manually - Use curl to test your endpoint

Invalid API key errors​

  1. Verify key is copied correctly (no extra spaces)
  2. Confirm environment matches (dev vs production)
  3. Check key hasn't been revoked
  4. Generate new key if needed

Rate limit exceeded​

  1. Implement request caching
  2. Use webhooks instead of polling
  3. Add exponential backoff
  4. Consider upgrading your plan

Support​

How do I get help?​

Is there an SLA?​

All plans include best-effort support with priority email response times. Enterprise SLAs are available on request for high-volume customers.

Where can I report bugs?​

Email support@lightningenable.com with:

  • Description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Error messages/logs
  • Your environment details

Still Have Questions?​

If your question isn't answered here:

  1. Check the API Reference
  2. Review the Product Guides
  3. Email support@lightningenable.com

We're here to help you succeed with Lightning payments!