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Payments & Stablecoins

Alby

Alby is an open-source browser extension that connects websites to the Bitcoin Lightning Network through WebLN, providing wallet access, payment and invoice flows, LNURL interactions, and signing for Nostr, Liquid and on-chain use.

Explore the practical guide ↓

Independent OpenViST project profile, based on linked sources.

Alby — OpenViST project profile in Payments & Stablecoins.
OpenViST project illustration. See the linked sources for product details.
Understand the project

Practical overview

When it fits

Use Alby when a website needs browser-mediated Lightning payment or authentication, or when browser-based signing is useful for Nostr, Liquid or on-chain interactions.

Who it is for

  • People using Lightning-enabled websites
  • Developers integrating WebLN payments or authentication
  • Users needing browser-based Nostr, Liquid or on-chain signing

Documented uses

  • Connect websites to Lightning wallet functionality
  • Send and receive Lightning payments and invoices
  • Handle LNURL payment, authentication and withdrawal flows
  • Authorize automated payments within configured budgets
  • Sign protocol interactions from the browser
Before you choose

Requirements & limits

The project documents official distributions for Chromium-based browsers and Firefox desktop and mobile. It also provides separate nightly builds for development versions.

  • WebLN support is central to the website interaction model.
  • The extension supports LND, CLN and custodial options rather than a single documented backend.
  • It includes LNURL-pay, LNURL-auth and LNURL-withdraw support.
  • Its scope emphasizes web payment and authentication flows instead of full node and channel management.
  • A native companion can relay calls to native applications for connections such as nodes behind Tor.

Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.

Source-based practical guide

Set up Alby from an official browser distribution

Install the Alby browser extension in a supported browser.

Before you start

  • A Chromium-based browser or Firefox desktop or mobile.
  • Access to the official Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons listing.

Steps

  1. Open the official Chrome Web Store listing for Chromium-based browsers, or the official Firefox Add-ons listing for Firefox.

  2. Add Alby to the browser using the relevant store listing.

  3. Configure the wallet connection for the intended Lightning account or node backend.

Expected outcome

Alby is installed in the browser and configured for a Lightning wallet connection.

Guide limitations

  • Nightly builds may require wallet reconfiguration after updates.
Documentation 1 ↗
COMPARE OPTIONS

Compare options for Wallet connections

These projects document a common task and share a project role. This is a source-based comparison, not an execution benchmark or a guarantee of interchangeability.

ProjectDocumented purposePlatformAccess and requirements
AlbyConnect websites to Lightning wallet functionalityBrowser ExtensionThe project documents official distributions for Chromium-based browsers and Firefox desktop and mobile. It also provides separate nightly builds for development versions.
X402 Triton GatewayGate historical Solana RPC queries behind HTTP 402 payment requirements.ServerThe documented primary flow requires a connected Solana wallet and USDC for query payments. The repository is public and specifies an MIT license.
Evidence and transparency

Sources & review

Official repository ↗
Source record details
Source availability
Active
Sources checked
3 October 2026
Original website title
getAlby/lightning-browser-extension · Official homepage title · retained in its source language
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