Start with your payout wallet
The first decision is not which coins customers can pay with. It is what you want to receive. In Apa, that means creating a payout wallet with an asset, a network and a wallet address you control.
That profile becomes the destination for payment links and checkout sessions. It also creates the difference between direct payments and routed payments.
- Only the exact payout asset on your payout wallet's network is direct.
- Different asset or network means routed when a safe route exists.
- The payout wallet remains yours.
Choose links or API checkout
Payment links are best for invoices, single sellers, services and one-off payments. API checkout is better for ecommerce stores that need order references, redirects and webhooks.
A merchant can use both. A store may use API sessions for cart checkout and payment links for support invoices.
Handle payment states
Crypto payment status is asynchronous. A payment can be created, pending, routing, settling, paid, failed, expired or refund-required. Your customer experience and backend should reflect that.
For fulfillment, treat paid as the clean success state. Pending and routing are active states, not final states.
FAQ
Can a merchant accept crypto without custody?
Yes. A non-custodial checkout can coordinate the payment while funds settle to the merchant's own wallet.
Do customers need an account?
No. In Apa's hosted checkout, customers open a payment link or checkout session and pay from their own wallet.