Alby Bitcoin Payments + Claude Desktop App: Complete MCP Integration

Alby Bitcoin Payments is a MCP server that Connect any bitcoin lightning wallet to your agent to send and receive instant payments globally with your agent..

When integrated with Claude Desktop App, you can:

• Send Lightning Network payments instantly
• Generate invoices to receive Lightning payments
• Check current Lightning wallet balance

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Alby Bitcoin Payments in Claude Desktop App, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Alby Bitcoin Payments will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Alby Bitcoin Payments tools directly in Claude Desktop App
• All Alby Bitcoin Payments capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 5 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Nostr Wallet Connect connection string from Lightning wallet
• Claude Desktop App installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Step 1: Install Alby Bitcoin Payments

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Claude Desktop App

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.json
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alby-bitcoin-payments": {
      "command": "alby bitcoin payments",
      "args": [""],
      "env": {
        "NWC_CONNECTION_STRING": "nostr+walletconnect://...",
        "ALBY_AUTH_TOKEN": "bearer_token_abc123"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop App

Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop App to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use Alby Bitcoin Payments in Claude Desktop App:

E-commerce Integration

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Ask Claude Desktop App: "Create invoice for $25 subscription payment"

Expected Result: undefined

Micropayments for Content

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Ask Claude Desktop App: "Pay 100 sats for premium article access"

Expected Result: undefined

Global Remittance

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Ask Claude Desktop App: "Send $50 worth of Bitcoin to family member"

Expected Result: undefined

Testing Your Setup

1. Start a new conversation in Claude Desktop App
2. Ask Claude Desktop App to list available tools
3. Try using Alby Bitcoin Payments functionality

Test prompts:

• "Can you list the available tools from Alby Bitcoin Payments?"
• "Please use Alby Bitcoin Payments to {example_task}"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Server Not Appearing

Symptoms: No server in interface, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration file error or server installation issue

Solution:

• Validate JSON syntax using online validator
• Check configuration file location
• Verify server installation
• Restart Claude Desktop completely

Server Error on Startup

Symptoms: Error messages in logs, Server fails to start

Cause: Missing dependencies or environment variables

Solution:

• Check server requirements are met
• Verify environment variables are set
• Check system logs for detailed errors

Alby Bitcoin Payments not appearing in Claude Desktop App

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check Alby Bitcoin Payments installation
• Restart Claude Desktop App
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that Alby Bitcoin Payments is integrated with Claude Desktop App:

• Explore all Alby Bitcoin Payments capabilities through Claude Desktop App
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Claude Desktop App
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to Alby Bitcoin Payments development

Need Help?

• Search for Alby Bitcoin Payments documentation
• Check the Claude Desktop App MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions