iefan 🕊️ on Nostr: Just a heads up: zPay will no longer be a closed app. After the next update, it'll ...

Just a heads up: zPay will no longer be a closed app.


After the next update, it'll adopt an open protocol and include self-hostable lightweight relays for a distributed, decentralized network.

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##### Why is zPay v4v & Other Related Features Taking So Long?



It’s not just because I’m lazy—though I am. 😂 But because I want this to be truly open, permissionless, decentralized, and distributed. Not just another closed app, but an open protocol.

##### Why Not Just Use the Nostr Protocol and Its Relays?

While Nostr was a good option, zPay’s no-database, serverless architecture opened up the potential for something new and purpose-built.

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##### Introducing zPay Serverless Relay (Under Development)

Instead of a conventional backend, I’m turning the zPay “backend” into a ridiculously lightweight serverless relay.

###### I know “self-host” might sound a bit intimidating, but hear me out.

Don’t compare “zPay Serverless Relay” self-hosting with Nostr relay hosting, or even with setups like LNbits or BTCPay Server. It’s not even close, or fair.

- Ridiculously lightweight & fast
- Free & one-click serverless self-hosting
- Built-in auto-scaling with a robust rate-limiter

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###### Putting It in Perspective:

Even if your self-hosted zPay serverless relay serves tens of thousands of daily users, executing over 10 million transactions per month, you likely wouldn’t pay a penny (bonus: up to 50M+ transactions/month with AWS Lambda).

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##### Replacing the Database with the URL

Instead of a centralized database, all necessary parameters are packed directly into the original URL and QR code. This includes:

- Encrypted content (`cn`)
- Creator’s Lightning address (`ln`)
- Optional unlock price (`pr`)

All of these are cryptographically signed.

With these parameters (`cn`, `ln`, and `pr`), the zPay relay initiates payment, verifies it, decrypts, and delivers content after successful verification.

This creates a distributed, tamper-proof system without a database. The only trade-off? Long URLs, but this is easily managed with zPay’s built-in URL shortener proxy. Short URLs simply redirect to the original URL with all parameters visible in the browser.

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##### zPay Relay Core Features

Beyond paywalled URLs, zPay provides core building blocks to craft nearly any kind of Lightning integration.

###### Core Features Include:

- URL package generation with cryptographic signatures
- URL integrity checks
- Lightning invoice creation
- Real-time payment verification
- Content encryption/decryption
- Auto-delivery after payment
- Custom triggers upon invoice settlement

These core features are fully customizable and adaptable to a wide range of needs—from paying for digital and physical products to content access or even paid AI services. zPay relay is designed to make these integrations easy.

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##### Summary

Instead of a closed app, zPay will be an open protocol supported by distributed, lightweight relays. It’s fast, lightweight, free, and simple to self-host, with built-in auto-scaling and rate limiting, so you can focus on building new ideas.

The zPay serverless backend becomes a self-hostable relay with features like invoice generation, payment verification, encryption/decryption, and custom triggers on payment settlement.

It operates at nearly zero cost, even for tens of thousands of users or 10M+ transactions per month (up to 50M+ with AWS Lambda). There’s no need for a 24/7 live server—it’s serverless, with built-in auto-scaling to handle spikes and a reasonable rate-limiting system.