Build Bitcoin-Powered Workflows with n8n and NWC
The Future of No-Code Workflows with n8n
n8n isn’t trying to build agents. It’s building the nervous system they run on. The plumbing that makes everything work.
It’s still under the radar for many people, but n8n is already changing the game for AI builders, indie hackers, and no-code creators.
Think of it as Zapier, but better: open-source, AI-native, fully customizable, and self-hostable. No vendor lock-in. Full control.
What really makes n8n stand out is how easy it is to design your own workflows. With its visual builder and over 1,000 integrations, anyone, even without coding experience, can build smart automations.
And now, it just got even better: introducing n8n NWC
n8n NWC: bitcoin payments automated
n8n NWC makes it simple to connect any bitcoin lightning wallet that supports NWC (Nostr Wallet Connect) to your n8n instance. In just a few clicks, you can build bitcoin-powered workflows.
This integration was built by Matjaz, a valuable contributor to the community. He had this to say about the potential of adding NWC to n8n:
n8n and NWC are great companions, allowing connections between different integrations and NWC-enabled wallets. I am using them for time-based payments, webhook triggers, and spreadsheet changes. You can connect any integration n8n offers. Both n8n and NWC are general-purpose, but together they are becoming an integral part of payment automation.
How to get started
- Spin up your own n8n instance → n8n.io
- Add the community node →
n8n-nodes-nwc - Get your NWC credentials from your lightning wallet (e.g. Alby Hub, Primal, Coinos).
- For Alby Hub users: Open your Hub → Connections → Create new NWC connection → Copy the NWC secret.
- Start building AI-powered workflows 🚀
Build your own workflow
You can design custom workflows to automate payment processing and invoicing with n8n Nodes NWC.
Payment Automation
The workflow begins with a trigger such as a webhook or a scheduled event that activates the connected wallet to send bitcoin. A condition step then verifies whether the payment was successful, followed by an action that updates the database or sends a notification
Payment request
The workflow can be triggered manually or through an API call configured by a drag and drop tool. It prompts the connected wallet to create an invoice. The resulting invoice details are stored, and an action step ensures the invoice is delivered to the customer (e.g. displayed on a website).
Add-on: Subscription payments
Once the payment request workflow is implemented there is not much left to repeat the flow and charge a customer on a regular (e.g. monthly) basis. For this the customer needs to connect a wallet to your application. Bitcoin Connect, an open-source front-end library will help you.
Of course there are many more use cases: Charge for Zoom calls, send reminders for pending payments, or even monetizing your own workflow
Why It Matters
At Alby, we’ve been pushing boundaries to make bitcoin more usable for users, developers, and businesses alike. Two years ago, with one of our first n8n workflows, we showed how to scrape websites and pay ChatGPT using the L402 standard + bitcoin.
Now, with n8n NWC, there’s an official connector to build powerful workflows around any NWC-enabled lightning wallet.
"n8n is a beast for automation. self-hosting and low-code make it a dev’s dream. if you’re not automating yet, you’re working too hard." — Anderoav