# Non-custodial crypto checkout for merchants

Canonical: https://apa.app/solutions/non-custodial-crypto-checkout

Give customers a simple crypto checkout while private keys, payout wallets and settlement stay outside Apa custody.

## Product fit

### The merchant controls the payout wallet

Apa checkout is designed around a saved payout wallet: asset, network and wallet address. Checkout sessions and payment links reference that saved payout wallet, so payments are tied to where the merchant wants to receive funds without passing a raw wallet in every request.

- Merchant payout wallet stays under merchant control
- Customers pay from their own wallets
- Apa never exposes a merchant balance to withdraw

### Simple for customers, explicit for merchants

Customers see the amount, asset, network and price hold before paying. Merchants see status, route type, expected output, actual output and webhook events after the payment moves.

- Clear asset and network selection
- Wallet payment and QR/manual payment paths
- Payment states for created, pending, routing, paid and failed flows

## Key capabilities

- No withdrawal queue: The payout is the payment. Once confirmed or routed, the result lands in the merchant's own wallet.
- Refunds stay merchant-controlled: Because Apa is non-custodial, customer refunds are sent by the merchant from their wallet and recorded in Apa.
- Safer API key model: Live payments reference saved payout wallets, so a request cannot redirect funds to an arbitrary wallet.

## FAQ

### Who holds the merchant's funds?

The merchant does. Apa does not keep a merchant balance or custody payout funds.

### Does non-custodial mean no dashboard?

No. Apa still provides a dashboard, statuses, API keys and webhooks. Non-custodial describes where funds settle and who controls keys.

### Can Apa reverse a crypto payment?

No. On-chain payments are irreversible once confirmed. If a refund is needed, the merchant sends it from their own wallet.