Setting Up Bitcoin Wave on a VPS

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a computer in the cloud that runs 24/7. You rent it by the month, and your Bitcoin node runs on it permanently. This guide assumes zero technical knowledge — follow each step exactly.

What you need before starting:

A Bitcoin Wave license key ($49 one-time at btcwave.app)
An AI agent (Claude Code, or similar) — this is what does the actual setup
A credit card for the VPS hosting (~$20–40/month)
A pen and paper (for your wallet seed — not optional)

Step 1: Choose a VPS provider

You need a server with at least 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, and 1 TB of SSD storage. Here are providers that work well:

Provider	Plan	Monthly cost	Notes
Vultr	High Frequency 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 1 TB NVMe	~$36/mo	Good global coverage, Bitcoin-friendly
Hetzner	CPX31 / 4 vCPU / 8 GB / 1 TB	~$20/mo	Best value, EU-based
OVH	B2-15 / 4 vCPU / 15 GB / 1 TB	~$30/mo	Strong privacy, no KYC on some plans
DigitalOcean	Premium 4 vCPU / 8 GB / 1 TB	~$40/mo	Beginner-friendly interface

Important: You need at least 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage. The Bitcoin blockchain is currently over 850 GB. Regular hard drives are too slow. If a provider only offers 500 GB, it won't work.

Step 2: Create your server

Sign up at your chosen provider
Create a new server (they may call it a "droplet", "instance", or "VPS")
Choose Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 12 as the operating system
Select the plan with at least 1 TB NVMe SSD
Choose a region close to you (lower latency, but any region works)
Set a strong root password — or better, upload an SSH key if you know how
Click "Create" and wait for it to start (usually under 60 seconds)

Once created, you'll see an IP address — a number like 203.0.113.45. Write this down. You'll also have the password you set.

Step 3: Tell your agent

Open your AI agent (Claude Code or similar) and say:

    Install the btcwave skill and set up my Bitcoin node.

    My license key is WAVE-FULL-XXXX-XXXX.

    The target server is 203.0.113.45, username is root,

    password is [your password].

Your agent will:

Connect to your server via SSH
Check the hardware meets requirements
Install Bitcoin Knots (the node software) with verified checksums
Configure everything — Tor for privacy, optimised settings for your hardware
Start the initial blockchain sync

Step 4: Wait for sync

The blockchain needs to download and verify. This takes 6–24 hours depending on your server's speed. You don't need to do anything during this time. Your agent can check progress anytime:

Check my Bitcoin node sync progress.

Step 5: The seed ceremony

Once synced, your agent will tell you it's time to create your wallet. This is the one step only you can do:

Your screen will display 24 words
Write them on paper with a pen
Do NOT type them anywhere, screenshot them, or save them digitally
Store the paper somewhere safe — a fireproof safe, a bank deposit box
These 24 words ARE your money. Anyone who has them controls your Bitcoin

Your agent will NOT see these words. Bitcoin Wave is designed so that your seed never passes through any software, AI, or network. Paper only. This is non-negotiable.

Step 6: You're done

After the seed ceremony, the rest of the stack installs automatically:

Lightning Network — for fast, cheap payments
Electrum Server — connect any Bitcoin wallet
BTCPay Server — accept Bitcoin payments for your business
Dashboard — see your node's status in a web browser
MCP Server — your agent can now manage your node ongoing

From here, your agent manages everything. Ask it to check your node health, open Lightning channels, or monitor the mempool — all through natural conversation.

Monthly costs

Item	Cost	Frequency
Bitcoin Wave license	$49	One-time
VPS hosting	$20–40	Monthly
Total first month	$69–89
Ongoing	$20–40	Monthly

FAQ

Can I use a provider not listed here?

Yes — any VPS with 2+ CPU cores, 4+ GB RAM, and 1+ TB NVMe SSD running Ubuntu or Debian will work. Avoid providers that block Bitcoin traffic (rare, but it happens).

What if my server goes down?

Your Bitcoin is safe — it's secured by your seed words, not by the server. When the server comes back, your node resumes syncing automatically. If you need to move to a new server, your agent can set up a fresh node and your wallet recovers from the seed.

Can I access my node from anywhere?

Yes. Your agent connects via SSH, which works from anywhere with internet. The dashboard can be accessed directly via your server's IP address.

Is my data private?

Bitcoin Wave configures your node to run over Tor by default, which hides your server's IP from the Bitcoin network. Your VPS provider can see that you're running a Bitcoin node, but cannot see your transactions or wallet balance.