Alby
Alby builds open-source Bitcoin Lightning wallets (Alby Hub, Alby Cloud, Alby Go, Browser Extension) and developer APIs (NWC, MCP Server) that enable consumers, developers, and AI agents to send, receive, and manage self-custodial Bitcoin payments globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersDover, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Alby does
Alby Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated, privately held Bitcoin Lightning wallet and developer tools company operating from Dover, Delaware. The company was founded in 2021 by Michael Bumann and Moritz Kaminski and operates with a 1–10 employee headcount. Alby builds open-source infrastructure that lets users and applications send, receive, and manage Bitcoin Lightning payments, with a product suite spanning a self-custodial Lightning wallet (Alby Hub), a hosted cloud variant (Alby Cloud at $9.9/month), a mobile wallet interface (Alby Go), and a multi-standard browser extension implementing WebLN, NIP-07, WebBTC, and Liquid protocols.
For developers, Alby exposes the NWC Wallet API, a JavaScript SDK (Lightning Tools), and a Bitcoin Payments MCP Server that integrates with AI agents including Claude, Goose, Cline, Cursor, Windsurf, and N8N. The company's stated differentiation is first-mover positioning at the intersection of Bitcoin Lightning payments and AI agents, anchored on the Nostr Wallet Connect open protocol. Revenue is generated primarily through Alby Cloud subscriptions at $9.9/month, supplemented by Lightning channel distribution fees in which Alby acts as a reseller of channels from third-party LSPs. Alby raised approximately $2.725 million via a January 2024 SEC Form D securities offering against a $3.675 million target.
Distribution is entirely self-serve and global — website signups, browser extension stores, mobile app stores, GitHub, NPM, and AI agent marketplaces — supported by a community-led go-to-market model with active Discord, Nostr, GitHub, and bounty programs.
Alby firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alby
- Legal name
- Alby Inc.
- Website
- https://getalby.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Alby builds open-source Bitcoin Lightning wallets (Alby Hub, Alby Cloud, Alby Go, Browser Extension) and developer APIs (NWC, MCP Server) that enable consumers, developers, and AI agents to send, receive, and manage self-custodial Bitcoin payments globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alby industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bitcoin Lightning Wallet & Payment Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Contract Wallets / Account Abstraction (MPC/AA, social recovery, paymasters) (FSAPACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Account Abstraction & Smart Wallet Tooling (AA SDKs, paymasters, session keys) (FSAPABAK), Embedded Wallets (Platforms & Marketplaces) (FSAMAEAM)
Keywords
Where Alby is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alby business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Alby Cloud Subscription: Monthly subscription for cloud-hosted Alby Hub with $9.9/month pricing. Includes 24/7 hosting, zero transaction fees, first lightning channel free, unlimited sub-wallets, and integrated LSP services.
- Lightning Channel Distribution: Alby acts as distributor of lightning channels from third-party Lightning Service Providers (LSPs). Users purchase channels through the platform with payment deducted from wallet balance or stored payment method.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Alby Cloud paid tier at $9.9/month |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier with basic features |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Alby product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alby builds self-custodial Bitcoin Lightning wallet software (Alby Hub, Alby Go mobile app, and the Alby Browser Extension) available as a free self-hosted product or a $9.9/month cloud-hosted service (Alby Cloud). It also offers a developer platform with APIs, JavaScript SDKs, an MCP server for AI agents, and tools like NWC Wallet API and PaidMCP for embedding Lightning payments into apps, websites, and autonomous AI workflows.
Product overview
Alby is a comprehensive Bitcoin Lightning wallet and developer platform offering both consumer and enterprise products. The core product lineup includes Alby Hub (self-custodial Lightning wallet available as cloud-hosted Alby Cloud or self-hosted), Alby Go (mobile wallet interface), and Alby Browser Extension (browser-based Lightning interaction). For developers, Alby provides the NWC Wallet API, Lightning Tools JavaScript SDK, Alby Bitcoin Payments MCP Server, and PaidMCP framework. The platform integrates with multiple AI agents (Claude, Goose, Cline, Cursor, Windsurf) via Model Context Protocol, enabling autonomous Bitcoin operations. Alby implements open standards including WebLN, WebBTC, NIP-07 (Nostr), Liquid, LNURL, and L402 for broad interoperability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Alby Hub: Self-custodial, open source lightning wallet with functionality allowing for connecting to applications
- Alby Cloud
- Alby Go
- Alby Browser Extension
- NWC (Nostr Wallet Connect)
- Bitcoin Connect
- PaidMCP
- Lightning Tools
- Alby CLI Skill
- Alby Agent Skill
Products and services
- Alby Hub Server-optimized self-custodial Lightning wallet that enables connecting web, desktop, and mobile apps for seamless in-app payments, with sub-wallets and per-app spending budgets. Available free as self-hosted or via Alby Cloud subscription.
- Alby Cloud Cloud-hosted Alby Hub subscription at $9.9/month providing 24/7 online node operation, zero added transaction fees, first lightning channel free, unlimited sub-wallets, and integrated LSP services for individual and business users.
- Alby Go Mobile-optimized wallet interface for accessing and interacting with Alby Hub from iOS and Android smartphones, enabling on-the-go Lightning payments.
- Alby Browser Extension Browser-based extension enabling interaction with Bitcoin Lightning Network and compatible services, injecting window.webln, window.nostr, window.liquid, window.webbtc, and window.alby objects for browser-based Lightning payments. Open source under MIT license.
- NWC Wallet API REST API for web and mobile apps enabling native Lightning payment experiences via Nostr Wallet Connect protocol without managing payment infrastructure. Targets software developers building Bitcoin apps.
- Lightning Tools JavaScript SDK for backend Bitcoin payment processing, supporting invoice requests, payment verification, LNURL interactions, Nostr zaps, L402 paywalls, and fiat-to-satoshi conversions. Targets web developers.
- Alby Bitcoin Payments MCP Server Model Context Protocol server enabling AI agents and developer tools (Claude, Goose, Cline, Cursor, Windsurf, N8N) to autonomously send, receive, and manage Bitcoin Lightning payments. Supports remote HTTP Streamable connections.
- Bitcoin Payments Agent Skill AI agent skill that gives autonomous AI agents their own Bitcoin wallets for independent sending, receiving, balance management, and production-ready Bitcoin app development through prompting.
- Bitcoin Builder Skill AI agent skill that transforms coding agents into Bitcoin app builders, generating Lightning-powered apps, payment flows, and wallet logic from natural language prompts.
- PaidMCP Framework for monetizing MCP server tools by charging Bitcoin (sats) per tool call, enabling revenue-generating AI workflows without building billing infrastructure. Built on Model Context Protocol and NWC.
- Developer Sandbox Zero-setup testing environment offering test wallets with 10,000 sats via NWC Faucet, payment scenarios, ready-to-use code examples, and one-shot prompts for AI coding agents. Targets developers building Bitcoin apps.
- Bitcoin Connect Frontend widget enabling seamless Bitcoin Lightning payments directly on websites with optimized, low-friction user experience. Targets merchants and website owners wanting to accept Bitcoin.
Companies that use Alby
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alby technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration23 records
AI capability7 records
Feature13 records
Alby partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Claude (Anthropic)coreAlby Bitcoin Payments MCP server integrates with Claude, enabling the AI assistant to send, receive, and manage Bitcoin Lightning payments autonomously. Users can connect their Alby Hub wallet to Claude for agentic payments.
- GoosecoreAlby MCP integration enables Goose Desktop app users to control their Lightning wallet through terminal or GUI, with natural language payment capabilities.
- ClinecoreCline AI coding agent integration via Alby MCP enables autonomous Bitcoin payments within the development workflow.
- N8NcoreAlby MCP server connects to N8N workflow automation platform via SSE transport, enabling Bitcoin payment capabilities in automated workflows.
- WindsurfcoreWindsurf AI coding agent integration enables developers to incorporate Bitcoin Lightning payments into their coding workflows.
- OpenClawcoreOpenClaw AI agent integration with Alby Hub enables autonomous shopping, paid service access, and dedicated sub-wallets for agents.
- Codex (OpenAI)coreCodex AI agent integration enables Bitcoin Lightning payment capabilities for shopping, service access, and wallet management through Alby Hub.
- Lightning Service Providers (LSPs)coreAlby distributes lightning channels from third-party LSPs, providing incoming liquidity and payment routing services. Alby acts as a distributor, not an LSP itself.
- Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC)coreNWC is an open protocol that Alby helps develop and promote. It enables connecting apps to Lightning wallets and is described as the bitcoin 'USB-C' for AI agents.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alby competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wallet of Satoshi: Custodial Bitcoin Lightning wallet with consumer focus. Directly comparable to Alby's consumer-facing Lightning wallet offering, though custodial rather than self-custodial.
- Phoenix (by ACINQ): Self-custodial Lightning wallet from ACINQ that abstracts channel management via integrated LSP — same core user problem as Alby Hub, with comparable UX-first positioning.
- Breez: Self-custodial Lightning wallet and SDK provider that also publishes open-source SDKs for developers — direct overlap with Alby's consumer wallet plus Lightning Tools SDK strategy.
- BlueWallet: Bitcoin wallet with Lightning support and LNDHub connector — comparable target audience of Bitcoin power users and feature parity around LNDHub, on-chain, and Lightning balances.
- Zeus: Mobile Lightning wallet with remote node connectivity (LNC, LND, Core Lightning via Commando). Many of the same node connector integrations are supported by Alby Browser Extension.
Broad incumbents
- Strike: Established Bitcoin Lightning payments app with global expansion and institutional capital. Operates broader in payments/financial services but competes for the same everyday-Bitcoin-payments user.
- Voltage: Lightning Network infrastructure provider operating its own LSP. Adjacent competitor in the Lightning-as-a-service space and a potential LSP partner for Alby's channel distribution.
- Cash App (Block): Mass-market consumer payments app with built-in Bitcoin Lightning buying/sending. Far larger incumbent but competes for the everyday-bitcoin-spending user Alby targets.
- River Financial: Bitcoin-focused financial services company with Lightning payments and custody. Competes for the same Bitcoin-native customer segment but at higher price points and with regulated offerings.
Emerging players
- WalletConnect: Open protocol for connecting wallets to dapps across chains — analogous concept to NWC at the architectural level. Provides a benchmark for how wallet-connectivity protocols can become ecosystem standards.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Alby social profiles
Digital presenceAlby financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alby leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Alby funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alby M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alby
What does Alby do?
Alby builds self-custodial Bitcoin Lightning wallet software (Alby Hub, Alby Go mobile app, and the Alby Browser Extension) available as a free self-hosted product or a $9.9/month cloud-hosted service (Alby Cloud). It also offers a developer platform with APIs, JavaScript SDKs, an MCP server for AI agents, and tools like NWC Wallet API and PaidMCP for embedding Lightning payments into apps, websites, and autonomous AI workflows.
Is Alby a public or private company?
Alby is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Alby founded?
Alby was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Alby based?
Alby is headquartered in Dover, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alby make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Alby Cloud Subscription is the primary driver. The others are lightning Channel Distribution.
Who are Alby's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wallet of Satoshi, Phoenix (by ACINQ), Breez, BlueWallet and Zeus. Broad incumbents are Strike, Voltage, Cash App (Block) and River Financial. WalletConnect is listed as an emerging player.
Does Alby have an API?
Yes. Alby offers multiple APIs including: NWC Wallet API for web and mobile apps to enable native payment experiences; Alby Browser Extension APIs exposed via window.webln, window.nostr, window.liquid, window.webbtc, and window.alby objects for browser-based interactions; Lightning Tools (JavaScript library) for backend payment processing including invoice requests, payment verification, LNURL interactions, and L402 monetization; and PaidMCP for monetizing MCP server tools via Lightning payments. Authentication uses secure API keys or OAuth 2.0, with HTTPS (TLS 1.2+) required and rate limits enforced. Developer documentation is at guides.getalby.com/developer-guide.
What industry is Alby in?
Alby's product category is Bitcoin Lightning Wallet & Payment Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPACAB, Smart Contract Wallets / Account Abstraction (MPC/AA, social recovery, paymasters), with a secondary code of FSAPABAK, Account Abstraction & Smart Wallet Tooling (AA SDKs, paymasters, session keys). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.