Oddbean

##### Why is zPay v4v & Other Related Features Taking So Long? https://video.nostr.build/2e5962aab1a5fc89bd4553c6f39badfdfff730c594fdcd189016d1b463feb486.mp4 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. --- ##### 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 --- ###### 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). --- ##### 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. --- ##### 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. --- ##### 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.