canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/nowpayments.io/nowpayments

# NOWPayments API

The NOWPayments API processes cryptocurrency payments, exposing price estimates, payments, recurring subscriptions, and sub-partner accounts over a REST interface. It lets you estimate a converted price, check minimum amounts, read a payment's status, and manage recurring payments and their plans. Requests carry an API key in the x-api-key header and return structured JSON your application can act on.

## For AI agents

Estimate converted crypto prices, check minimum amounts, read payment status, and manage recurring subscriptions with the NOWPayments API. Covers 16 endpoints across payments, subscriptions, and sub-partner accounts.

## Scope

Does not custody funds or provide a wallet UI. Use for price estimates, payment status, and subscription management only.

## Capabilities

- Estimate the converted crypto price for an amount and currency pair
- Get the minimum payment amount for a currency pair
- List payments and read a single payment's status by ID
- Read recurring payments and their subscription plans
- Read a specific subscription plan by ID
- Read sub-partner accounts and their balances

## Use cases

### AI Payments Assistant via Jentic

An AI assistant can quote crypto prices and check payment status without a developer wiring the NOWPayments API by hand. Through Jentic the agent searches for the estimate and payment operations by intent, receives the endpoints and their input schemas, and calls them with the API key injected at execution time. This lets the assistant answer payment questions directly against live NOWPayments data.

Example prompt: Search Jentic for 'estimate a crypto price', call GET `/v1/estimate` for the amount and pair, then GET `/v1/payment/{payment_id}` to report status

### Payment Status Monitoring

Merchants that accept crypto need to know when a payment settles. The NOWPayments API reads a payment's status by ID and lists recent payments, so a monitoring job can track each order to completion. Because the status comes straight from NOWPayments, the merchant's records stay in step with the processor.

Example prompt: Call GET `/v1/payment`/ to list recent payments, then GET `/v1/payment/{payment_id}` for the status of each open order

### Subscription Plan Reporting

Teams offering recurring crypto billing need visibility into their plans and active subscriptions. The NOWPayments API reads subscription plans and recurring payments, so a reporting job can summarize active plans and their subscribers. This keeps billing dashboards current without manual exports.

Example prompt: Call GET `/v1/subscriptions/plans` to read the plans, then GET `/v1/subscriptions` to summarize active recurring payments

## Key endpoints

| Method | Path | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GET | `/v1/estimate` | Get estimated price |
| GET | `/v1/min-amount` | Get the minimum payment amount |
| GET | `/v1/payment/` | Get list of payments |
| GET | `/v1/payment/{payment_id}` | Get payment status |
| GET | `/v1/subscriptions` | Get recurring payments |
| GET | `/v1/subscriptions/plans` | Get subscription plans |

## Key resources

- **Estimate** — Estimate converted crypto price and minimum amount
- **Payments** — List payments and read a payment's status by ID
- **Subscriptions** — Read recurring payments and subscription plans
- **Plans** — Read subscription plans by ID
- **Sub-partners** — Read sub-partner accounts, balances, and transfers

## Why Jentic

- **Setup:** Wiring the NOWPayments API by hand means setting the x-api-key header on every request and threading payment and subscription ids through the right endpoints yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import NOWPayments from the API Directory, store the key once, and your agent calls it.
- **Permission scoping:** NOWPayments puts the record id in the URL path (`/v1/payment/{payment_id}`, `/v1/subscriptions/{sub_id}`), so a rule can pin your agent to reading estimates and payment status. You choose the operations it may call, so payout and plan-update operations are not included unless you add them.
- **Credential handling:** Your NOWPayments API key is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
- **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'estimate a crypto price' or 'get payment status', and Jentic returns the matching NOWPayments operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

## Related APIs

- **Coinbase** — Crypto payments and wallet infrastructure
- **Stripe** — Card, wallet, and bank payment processing
- **PayPal Orders** — Order and checkout flows for traditional payments

## FAQ

### What authentication does the NOWPayments API use?

The NOWPayments API authenticates with an API key sent in the x-api-key header. Through Jentic the key is stored encrypted by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time, so it never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.

### How do I check a payment's status with the NOWPayments API?

Call GET `/v1/payment/{payment_id}` with the payment's ID to read its current status, or GET `/v1/payment`/ to list recent payments. This lets a monitoring job track each order until it settles.

### What are the rate limits for the NOWPayments API?

The OpenAPI spec does not specify rate limits. Check the NOWPayments API documentation at https://documenter.getpostman.com/view/7907941/T1LSCRHC for current limits before polling payment status at high frequency.

### How do I estimate a crypto price through Jentic?

Search Jentic for 'estimate a crypto price', which resolves to the GET `/v1/estimate` operation, and Jentic returns its input schema so your agent can request a quote for an amount and pair. Credentials are injected at call time from your own instance. To run it on your own infrastructure, install Jentic One from its GitHub repo.

### Can I restrict what my agent is allowed to do with the NOWPayments API?

Yes. Write a rule that allows only the read operations your agent needs, such as GET `/v1/estimate` and GET `/v1/payment/{payment_id}`, so it can quote prices and read status but cannot touch payouts, and every call it makes is logged by your own instance. You add other operations to the allowed set only when you decide to.

### Is there a NOWPayments MCP server?

You don't need an MCP server to give your agent NOWPayments. Jentic connects it directly from the API Directory: import NOWPayments, store your key once, and your agent calls the estimate, payment, and subscription operations on demand without loading another server's tool definitions into its context.