What is a Crypto Payment Gateway?
A service that enables businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments from customers.
A crypto payment gateway is software that processes cryptocurrency payments for merchants. It handles the checkout flow, monitors blockchain transactions, confirms payments, and notifies the merchant — similar to how Stripe or PayPal handles card payments, but for crypto.
How Crypto Payment Gateways Work
When a customer initiates a payment, the gateway generates a unique wallet address or QR code. The customer sends crypto to that address. The gateway monitors the blockchain for the incoming transaction, waits for sufficient confirmations, and then marks the payment as complete.
Custodial vs Non-Custodial
Custodial gateways (Coinbase Commerce, BitPay) hold your funds temporarily. Non-custodial gateways (Zateway) route payments directly to your wallet via smart contracts. Non-custodial is safer — you eliminate counterparty risk entirely.
Key Features to Look For
Multi-chain support, stablecoin focus (USDT/USDC), low fees, API access, webhook notifications, sandbox mode, and non-custodial architecture. Zateway offers all of these with a 1% flat fee.