Lightning Enable MCP Server

Part of [Lightning Enable](https://lightningenable.com) — infrastructure for agent commerce over Lightning.

Remote serverstreamable-httpPython

What is the Lightning Enable MCP MCP server?

Connect Lightning Enable MCP to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Part of Lightning Enable — infrastructure for agent commerce over Lightning. The lightning enable mcp mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

  • Pay invoices — — Send Bitcoin via Lightning to any BOLT11 invoice
  • Access L402 APIs — — Automatically pay L402 challenges for seamless API access
  • Discover APIs — — Search the L402 API registry to find paid APIs by keyword or category, or fetch a specific API's manifest for full endpoint details and pricing
  • Track spending — — Budget limits, payment history, and balance checks
  • Create invoices — — Generate invoices to receive payments
  • Get BTC price — — Real-time Bitcoin price from Strike

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • pay_invoice — Free
  • pay_l402_challenge — Free
  • access_l402_resource — Free
  • test_l402_payment — Free
  • discover_api — Free
  • create_invoice — Free
  • check_invoice_status — Free
  • get_balance — Free
  • exchange_currency — Free
  • send_onchain — Free
  • get_btc_price — Free
  • get_payment_history — Free

Installation

Because this one is hosted, setup is mostly authentication — you point your client at the endpoint and approve access. Nothing runs on your machine, so there is no runtime to keep patched.

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: STRIKE_API_KEY, LND_REST_HOST, OPENNODE_API_KEY, LIGHTNING_ENABLE_API_KEY. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Where it fits

Among the payments and commerce options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Lightning Enable MCP's toolset — pay_invoice, pay_l402_challenge, access_l402_resource and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by refined-element; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Worth knowing first

  • Your data travels to the provider's service, so the usual questions apply about what you send and what they retain.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Lightning Enable MCP.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
pay_invoiceFree
pay_l402_challengeFree
access_l402_resourceFree
test_l402_paymentFree
discover_apiFree
create_invoiceFree
check_invoice_statusFree
get_balanceFree
exchange_currencyFree
send_onchainFree
get_btc_priceFree
get_payment_historyFree
get_receiptsFree
get_budget_statusFree

How to install the Lightning Enable MCP MCP server

**Python:**
```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lightning-enable": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["lightning-enable-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "STRIKE_API_KEY": "your-strike-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
STRIKE_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
LND_REST_HOSTEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Optional
OPENNODE_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
LIGHTNING_ENABLE_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Lightning Enable MCP to pay invoice.
  • Use Lightning Enable MCP to pay l402 challenge.
  • Use Lightning Enable MCP to access l402 resource.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Lightning Enable MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (pay_invoice, pay_l402_challenge, access_l402_resource, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Lightning Enable MCP directly.