CryptoCheckout WordPress plugin (for WooCommerce) & Shopify app

layout: fr
title: CryptoCheckout, WordPress plugin for WooCommerce & Shopify app
author: Benraouane Soufiane
date: 02 November 2024
amount: 20
milestones:
  - name: WordPress plugin for WooCommerce merchants
    funds: 50% (10 XMR)
    done:
    status: unfinished
  - name: Shopify payment app
    funds: 50% (10 XMR)
    done:
    status: unfinished
payouts:
  - date:
    amount:
  - date:
    amount:

What

Overview

Secure simple decentralized crypto payments gateway.
The merchant must provide a valid XMR address when generating merchant ID in order to receive XMR payments (the only thing required).
The team think it's important developing this project to redefine the online payments by using the crypto wallet instead credit cards.

Project Details

Architecture

Tech stack

This project uses apache as web server (it can be nginx), php & javascript for the front & the back ends, nosql db to store useful data such as merchants, transactions, bayer details...

Documentation

Accepting crypto payments with CryptoCheckout does not require specific tech stack.
The merchant must insert valid XMR address & generate merchant ID from the home page (no signup required).
Include our script on the page where the products/services are, providing his merchant ID on the link eg:

<script src="https://cryptocheckout.co/crypto.js&id=fa8b" ></script>

Initialize the "Pay with CryptoCheckout" button

showbtn('MycontainerdivID',{usd:1},onApprove=function(transactionId){//Do something},onError=function(error){//Do something});

Handle the server side payment validation, by using this endpoint to get transaction details:
https://cryptocheckout.co/?transaction=transactionId, the transactionId is retreived from the onApprove(transactionId) event, eg in case using php:

<?php
if( isset($_GET['transactionId'] ){
    $transaction_object = json_decode(file_get_contents('https://cryptocheckout.co/?transaction='.$_GET['transactionId']));
    if( abs(floatval($product_price)*floatval($transaction_object->rate)-floatval($transaction_object->amount))<=0.000001 && $transaction_object->completed == true && !in_array($_GET['transactionId'],$transactions_list) ){
        blacklist_transaction($_GET['transactionId']);
        // generate orderId
        $orderId = md5(strval(round(microtime(true)*1000)));
        header('Content-type: application/json');
        echo json_encode(array('result'=>true,'msg'=>'Thank you for your purchase!','orderId'=>$orderId));
        die();
    }else{
        header('Content-type: application/json');
        echo json_encode(array('result'=>false,'msg'=>'We can\'t validate your payment'));
        die();
    }
}else{
    header('Content-type: application/json');
    echo json_encode(array('result'=>false,'msg'=>'transactionId is required'));
    die();
}

The MVP

The product demo (Pay with CryptoCheckout's button) available within the homepage for both users (desktop & mobile):
https://cryptocheckout.co

Limitation(s)

This project does not provide UI for the merchant's transactions history or sending funds, the merchant should use the platform/app where the provided address is generated.

Ecosystem Fit

• The project fit the ecosystem in its main coin (XMR), more specific in its transactions, simply by confirm such amount were sent from such buyer to such seller.
  

• The target audiance is any person has XMR address/wallet, it could be as a merchant has online business want to accept XMR, or naturel user want to pay using his XMR balance.
  

• This project meet these needs:

  • How to exploit the large maket ($2.28T), serve the large user base (at least 500M).
  • New online payments solution with reduced transaction fee.
  • Financial technology with high security levels, with more freedom (decentralized) & confidential.

• The previous needs identified within:

  • Scientific article: https://journals2.ums.ac.id/laj/article/download/743/480/5791, Cryptocurrencies as Digital Payment Media: Opportunities and Challenges, Denny & Hari Sutra Disemadi, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Feb 2023 (the page 7/15)
  • Case study: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/audit/us-corporates-using-crypto-pov.pdf, The Business Benefit of Using Cryptocurrency, Deloitte US (the pages 3/16, 4/16)
  • Press article (includes case study): https://www.cbn.com.cy/article/2024/5/9/774001/why-businesses-are-turning-to-crypto-payments/, Charlie Rexstrew, Cyprus Business News.

• There are about 10 projects like this (Coinbase Commerce, Binance Pay, Nowpayments, CoinGate,...) not sure if all accept XMR.

  • Differences:
    • CryptoCheckout require only the address, no private key/mnemonic phrase generated, required or stored.
    • No onboarding/sign up required, merchant can start from the first click/tap.
    • Available with all tech stack, not limited with javascript sites.
    • CryptoCheckout validate each transaction, unlike existing npm packages that add 'connect wallet' button does not validate the payment although it interact with browser extensions like signing a transaction.

Why

CryptoCheckout benefit the Monero network in several ways. Firstly, they increase the overall usage and adoption of the platform, which in turn drives up the value of XMR, the native cryptocurrency of Monero. Additionally, it facilitate microtransactions and peer-to-peer transactions, enabling new use cases and business models that were previously not possible. This leads to increased network activity, which enhances the security and decentralization of the Monero network. Furthermore, it also incentivize developers to build more decentralized applications (dApps) on the Monero network, which attracts more users and creates a self-reinforcing cycle of growth and adoption. Overall, it helps to create a more vibrant and sustainable ecosystem, which benefits all stakeholders involved.

Who

Team members

• Benraouane Soufiane (solo at this moment)

Contact

• Contact Name: Benraouane Soufiane
• Contact Email: admin@cryptocheckout.co or benrawane2012@gmail.com
• Website: /

Legal Structure

• Registered Address: (Still not incorporated).
• Registered Legal Entity: (Still not incorporated).

Team's experience

Benraouane Soufiane: I started his career as an Envato author (making WordPress plugins/themes, selling them within the marketplace), then he built the WP auto translator known as Hirak, an online tool like POEDIT, then by 2019, I developed mini web apps with their apis such as translator, ip to country, currency exchange rates, until 2021 I started with the AI where where he built the OCR using the tesseractjs package & the faceapi using the tensorflowjs package, by 2022 I started with the web3 & the development of the CryptoCheckout

Team Code Repos

• https://github.com/BenraouaneSoufiane/hypersub-bot
• https://github.com/BenraouaneSoufiane/glodollar-donation-frame/tree/main

The previous repos are my most recent attemps, both are on the farcaster protocol (decentralized social media), the second repo uses the nextjs open graph images

Team LinkedIn Profiles

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/benraouane-soufiane-5993bb275

Development Status :open_book:

The repo of the whole CryptoCheckout's project: https://github.com/BenraouaneSoufiane/cryptocheckout.co/tree/main/site

Built with php (without any framework) & jQuery, uses nosql bds for performance issues (located in the db directory)

• index.php constract the main page & contain the core functionalities, includes all the api requests (generating new merchant id, handling the script inclusion call, validating the payments,...).

• Folders with crypto currencies symbols contain the qr images for each transaction.

• Other folders contain the main index.php file of each page.

  • Documentation: the source code is in the app.js file, within the api folder.
    • At the initial release, where the wallet were generated on the site when the merchant hit generate merchant ID (changelog), this project used the official js packages for each crypto currency to implement the basic operations like generating wallets, creating, signing & submitting transaction fellowing the official documentation for each crypto currency. Below are examples but not limited:
      - This project used @rino-wallet/monero-javascript package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@rino-wallet/monero-javascript fellowing this documentation: https://github.com/rino-wallet/monero-javascript.
      - After the update, this project ignore the previous packages when generating & importing the wallet to be used for the transactions, to match the addresses with the TrustWallet & Metamask apps/extensions, it used the official TrustWallet package: - https://www.npmjs.com/package/@trustwallet/wallet-core, fellowing this official doc: https://developer.trustwallet.com/developer/wallet-core/integration-guide/wallet-core-usage.
      - Due to the pricacy of the merchants, the previous developments/edits were decprecated, the merchants prefer to not generate their wallets with CryptoCheckout, it enables the merchants to accept XMR by sharing only their addresses (the last update).

Development Roadmap

Overview

• Total Estimated Duration: Duration of the whole project is 1 month.
• Full-Time Equivalent (FTE): 1 FTE (considering 8 hours per day).
• Total Costs: 20 XMR.

Milestone 1 WordPress plugin- WooCommerce payment methods extension

• Estimated duration: 1-2 weeks
• FTE: 1
• Costs: 10 XMR

Number	Deliverable	Specification
0a.	License	Apache 2.0
0b.	Documentation	We will provide both inline documentation of the code and a basic tutorial that explains how a user (merchant) can accept XMR payments on his WooCommerce store, & how another user (buyer) use his XMR balance to purchase something using test network, which will show how the new functionality works.
0c.	Testing and Testing Guide	Core functions will be fully covered by comprehensive unit tests to ensure functionality and robustness. In the guide, we will describe how to run these tests.
0d.	Docker	We will provide a Dockerfile(s) that can be used to test all the functionality delivered with this milestone.
0e.	Article	We will publish an article/workshop that explains what was done/achieved as part of the fund
1.	WordPress plugin: WooCommerce payment method/gateway	We will create a WordPress plugin that will add crypto payments to the WooCommerce payment methods.
2a.	KPI, The tangible result	GitHub repo.
2b.	KPI, Who will use it?	Any WooCommerce merchant, there are 1.4M active merchants use WooCommerce.
2c.	KPI, How they access it?	Through the WordPress plugin directory.

Milestone 2 Shopify app- Shopify payment app

• Estimated duration: 1-2 weeks
• FTE: 1
• Costs: 10 XMR

Number	Deliverable	Specification
0a.	License	Apache 2.0
0b.	Documentation	We will provide both inline documentation of the code and a basic tutorial that explains how a user (merchant) can accept XMR payments on his Shopify store, & how another user (buyer) use his XMR balance to purchase something using test network, which will show how the new functionality works.
0c.	Testing and Testing Guide	Core functions will be fully covered by comprehensive unit tests to ensure functionality and robustness. In the guide, we will describe how to run these tests.
0d.	Docker	We will provide a Dockerfile(s) that can be used to test all the functionality delivered with this milestone.
0e.	Article	We will publish an article/workshop that explains what was done/achieved as part of the fund
1.	Shoify app: Shopify payment app	We will create a Shopify payment app that will add crypto payments to such Shopify store, unlike WordPress, the Shopify apps must be hosted, running on such vm or vps & connected to the main server, not just a source code, & unlike other Shopify apps, the development of payment apps requires a review to unlock features related with payment processing.
1a.	The Shopify payment app's phase 1	Developing the admin app settings, paying 200$ & submit for review.
1b.	The Shopify payment app's phase 2	Developing the UI of the buyer, implmenting the logic between admin app settings & the buyer UI, connections between front end & the backend....
2a.	KPI, The tangible result	GitHub repo.
2b.	KPI, Who will use it?	Any Shopify merchant, there are 2.1M active merchant use Shopify.
2c.	KPI, How they access it?	Through the Shopify app store.

Future Plans

Future plans are:

• Funding this project initially, by creating crowdfunding campaign on any platform, republic or kickstarter for example, for a pre seed round, then via VCs, it may also via token sale.
• Marketing plans in the short term are:
  • Introducing our saas to any online business, via email marketing fellowing spam act 2003/standards, by building our private mail servers, there are 200k of most visited online business, 6M whole online businesses.
  • Introducing our saas via the social media platforms, x for example if we get funded.
  • Making partnerships with any potential partner.
• After we get funded, we build the team & attaching roles & responsibilities, starting with
  • Growth resp that contact & handle partnerships
  • Full stack/DevOps engineers to customize, add new features, monitor & tracing fails,...
  • PR/marketing agents
  • Customer support to handle requests from clients & collect feedbacks.

Additional Information

How did you hear about the CCS Program? via Google

Additional info:

• We already build private mail servers & contact our clients, we don't get them first time, but let us understand our client needs, resulting updating functionalities, the UI (accessibility of the product), the pricing,...
• There are no other teams contibute financially to this project.