In this Node Tutorial, we'll cover how to use your Casa Node and Sats Extension with Fold—an incredibly easy way to use the Lightning Network to shop at your favorite retailers.

If the Fold team isn't already on your Lightning Companies to Watch list, they should be. Fold is focused on building on-ramps for mainstream cryptocurrency users, and is responsible for a couple of our favorite Lightning projects: Lightning Pizza and Fold App.

We love pizza, and that's probably the understatement of the century, but this Node Tutorial will focus on how to use your Casa Node and Sats Extension with the Fold App. Fold App is a great way to further BTC adoption by purchasing a gift card using BTC or Lightning.

Quick Prep

If you haven't already, download the Sats Extension to make using your Casa Node with Lightning apps 100 times easier.

Next, connect the Sats Extension to your Casa Node—the extension will guide you through the process.

If you've already got a handful of channels opened either manually or via Autopilot, you should be able to purchase without a problem. If your channels have low liquidity or you don't already have a few connections, we recommend connecting directly to Fold's node.

Using Fold

With that out of the way, let's head to foldapp.com and give the homepage a quick scroll-through. The immediately advertised method for purchasing a gift card is to download and use the Fold App. However, you can still seamlessly use the Fold App via desktop browser. Here's how.

Start by clicking the green Start Now button. Crazy, right? Trust us on this one.

On the next page, you're greeted by a couple of buttons for account login or signup. Below those buttons is an option to continue anonymously—perfect for one-off purchases or the privacy conscious individual!

Beyond this page, it's time to choose your gift card. There's a handful of awesome retailers to choose from, but keep in mind that they each have a minimum purchase amount.

Prime Day recently concluded, so in an ironic, untimely fashion, we'll purchase an Amazon gift card.

Click the Amazon box, then you'll be given the option to choose either a $5 or $25 value.

Important: Make sure you check the small Use Lightning box.

Click Pay Now. Next, review your transaction and click the Open Lightning Wallet button.

If you've already connected the Sats Extension to your Casa Node, a pop-up window will appear that allows you to quickly review your transaction before clicking Confirm Send.

Once your payment routes its way through the network, you'll see the following Fold confirmation screen, including a pat on the back from the thunder god himself:

Click Show Card and you'll be given your claim code to add the funds directly to your Amazon account. Now you can justify that random Amazon purchase you've been eyeballing—it's to help spread Bitcoin and Lightning adoption, duh!

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