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What is River Link?

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Article Summary

This article explains how River Link works, including sending and claiming bitcoin, fees, expiration, cancellation, and gifting options.

River Link allows you to send or gift bitcoin through your favorite messaging app by sharing a link without an invoice or public address. For instructions on how to send bitcoin with River Link, please see this Help Center article.

You also have the option to print a PDF version of your River Link for physical gifting.

For more information on how to claim a River Link, please see this Help Center article.

Why use River Link?

Before River Link, you would first need to know a client's bitcoin address, Lightning invoice, LNURL-Pay, or Lightning address in order to send them bitcoin. With River Link, you can easily share bitcoin by only inputting the amount you want to send and sharing an automatically generated link.

  • Create a River Link for sending or gifting bitcoin.
  • Share the River Link with the recipient through your preferred messaging app. You can also print your generated River Link for a physical gift.
  • The recipient can claim and deposit the River Link in 3 different ways:
    To a current River account with no network fees
  • To a new River account with no network fees*
  • To an external wallet of the recipient's choosing with network fees


Please note that if your recipient creates a River account to accept the River Link, they will count as a referral. 

Where can I view all my River Links?

You can view all your River Links — including unclaimed, pending, and past links — on your "Activity & Orders" page, found on the left side of the River homepage.

Do I need a River account to claim a River Link?

You don't need a River account to claim a River Link. Creating a River account lets you claim the bitcoin with zero fees. You can also claim a River Link to an external wallet, but network fees will be deducted.

Your River Link may be in a pending state after the receiver has claimed the bitcoin. There may be additional security steps in place before the transaction can proceed.

How do network fees apply for River Link?

Fees only apply if bitcoin is sent to an external wallet, paid by the receiver. River charges $0 to send or receive bitcoin.

Am I able to cancel a River Link?

You are able to cancel a River Link in your "Activity & Orders" page if the receiver has not yet claimed the bitcoin. 

Unclaimed River Links automatically expire after 30 days.

What if I forgot to share my access key?

River does not save access keys for security reasons. If you forgot to share your access key, you will need to cancel the River Link and generate a new one. 

You can send a River Link to anyone. However, only residents of supported states can deposit to a River account. Otherwise, the recipient would need to deposit the received bitcoin to an external wallet.

Can I hide my name from the recipient?

You can choose to include or omit your name when sending a River Link.

When bitcoin is sent on-chain, it can take a few hours to reach your external wallet. When bitcoin is sent with the Lightning Network or to a River account, the bitcoin should appear immediately.

How do I personalize my River Link?

If you wish to further personalize your River Link, you can add a theme and a short message for the recipient. The message you enter during the creation flow will appear on your River Link and when you press print. 

How do I print my created River Link?

If you'd like to share a River Link in-person, you will now have the option to print a PDF version of your link after its creation. Please see this Help Center article for instructions on how to generate a River Link. 

The printable version of your River Link will include your personalized message, the link's QR code, the claim URL, the bitcoin amount, expiration date, and your name, if added.

The bitcoin associated with your River Link will be reserved on your account until the bitcoin is either claimed by the recipient or is canceled. Additionally, the River Link will expire if it is not claimed or canceled within 30 days.

Please note that the only time you will be able to access the printable version of your River Link is after its creation. Once you leave the screen for sharing details, you will no longer be able to print it.

Anyone with access to the printed QR code or URL will be able to claim the River Link, so be sure to store the paper safely until it's properly gifted.

Any River Links requiring an access key cannot be printed.

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