Getting started

Introduction to Blockcade

Blockcade is a crypto-native payment gateway. Accept USDC, USDT, BTC, ETH, or let customers pay with a card — settlement to your chosen currency happens automatically.

What you can do

Accept crypto payments — customers send USDC/USDT/BTC/ETH to a hosted checkout, you get notified via webhook.
Accept card payments — customers pay with Visa/Mastercard/Apple Pay/bank transfer; we auto-convert to crypto.
Sell products without any integration — create a payment link or product in the dashboard, share the URL.
Build integrations — one REST endpoint, official SDKs for Node.js, Python, PHP, and more.
Get paid out — auto-settle to your chosen currency and wallet address, or connect a bank account.

Two ways to use Blockcade

API integration

Add crypto payments to your app or website with a few API calls. Best for engineering teams building custom checkout flows.

Quickstart →

No-code dashboard

Create payment links and products directly in your dashboard. Share the URL — no integration required. Best for freelancers, creators, small businesses.

Open dashboard →

Core concepts

Merchant

You. Every account is either Individual (personal use, freelancing) or Business (company, needs KYB to go live). Both types can create payments — Business unlocks team members, invoicing, and higher volume tiers.

Payment Session

A single transaction attempt. Created via the API or the dashboard. Has an amount, currency, reference, status, and hosted checkout URL. Lifecycle:

open  →  paid       (customer completed payment)
      →  expired    (30 minutes with no payment)
      →  cancelled  (you or the customer aborted)

Payment Link

A persistent, shareable URL that creates a session on-demand each time it's used. Use it in emails, invoices, social posts. See Payment Links →

Product

A catalog item with name, description, and price. Each product has a permanent buy link. See Products →

Webhook

A signed HTTP POST from Blockcade to your server whenever a session changes state. Includes retries, exponential backoff, and a delivery log. See Webhooks →

Settlement

The process of converting received crypto to your chosen payout currency and sending it to your address or bank. Runs automatically once you've configured a settlement destination in Settings.

Test mode vs Live mode

Every merchant has both. Test-mode API keys start with sk_test_, live keys with sk_live_. Test sessions never move real money and show a "Simulate payment" button on checkout. Switch modes with the toggle in your dashboard sidebar.

What Blockcade is not

Not a wallet for storing your customers' crypto. Payments flow through to your settlement destination.
Not an exchange that customers trade on. It's a payment layer for accepting crypto at checkout.
Not custodial by default. You pick where funds settle — your wallet, your bank, or a treasury service.

Quickstart → Payments API SDKs