Toolkit for Stablecoin Payments

The light-token API matches the SPL-token API almost entirely, and extends their functionality to include the light token program in addition to the SPL-token and Token-2022 programs.
Your users use the same stablecoins, just stored more efficiently.

Creation Cost	SPL	light-token
Token Account	~2,000,000 lamports	~11,000 lamports

What you will implement

	SPL	Light
Receive	getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount()	createLoadAtaInstructions()
Transfer	createTransferInstruction()	createTransferInterfaceInstructions()
Get Balance	getAccount()	getAtaInterface()
Tx History	getSignaturesForAddress()	rpc.getSignaturesForOwnerInterface()
Wrap from SPL	N/A	createWrapInstruction()
Unwrap to SPL	N/A	createUnwrapInstructions() / unwrap()

Find full runnable code examples here.

Agent skill

Use the payments-and-wallets agent skill to add light-token payment support to your project:

Claude Code
Cursor
Any Agent

Add the marketplace and install:

/plugin marketplace add Lightprotocol/skills
/plugin install solana-rent-free-dev

Open Settings (Cmd+Shift+J / Ctrl+Shift+J)
Navigate to Rules & Commands → Project Rules → Add Rule → Remote Rule (GitHub)
Enter: https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills.git

npx skills add Lightprotocol/skills

For orchestration, install the general skill:

npx skills add https://zkcompression.com

Guide
AI Prompt

Setup

npm install @lightprotocol/compressed-token@beta \
            @lightprotocol/stateless.js@beta

Snippets below assume rpc, payer, mint, owner, recipient, and amount are defined. See the full examples for runnable setup.

import { createRpc } from "@lightprotocol/stateless.js";

import {
  createLoadAtaInstructions,
  loadAta,
  createTransferInterfaceInstructions,
  transferInterface,
  createUnwrapInstructions,
  unwrap,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
  getAtaInterface,
  wrap,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const rpc = createRpc(RPC_ENDPOINT);

One-time: Create interface PDA to existing SPL Mint

For existing SPL mints (e.g. USDC), register the SPL interface once. This creates the omnibus PDA that holds SPL tokens when wrapped to light-token.

Find a full code example here.

Check if the interface already exists:

import { getSplInterfaceInfos } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";

try {
  const infos = await getSplInterfaceInfos(rpc, mint);
  const exists = infos.some((i) => i.isInitialized);
  console.log("Interface exists:", exists);
} catch {
  console.log("No interface registered for this mint.");
}

Instruction
Action

import { Transaction, sendAndConfirmTransaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import { LightTokenProgram } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";
import { TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID } from "@solana/spl-token";

const ix = await LightTokenProgram.createSplInterface({
  feePayer: payer.publicKey,
  mint,
  tokenProgramId: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID,
});

const tx = new Transaction().add(ix);
await sendAndConfirmTransaction(rpc, tx, [payer]);

import { createSplInterface } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";

await createSplInterface(rpc, payer, mint);

Or: Create a new SPL mint with interface

Use createMintInterface with TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID to create a new SPL mint and register the interface in one transaction:

import { createMintInterface } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";
import { TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID } from "@solana/spl-token";

const { mint } = await createMintInterface(
  rpc, payer, payer, null, 9, undefined, undefined, TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID
);

Receive Payments

Find a full code example here.

Load creates the associated token account (ATA) if needed and loads any compressed state into it. Share the ATA address with the sender.

About loading: Light Token accounts reduce account rent ~200x by auto-compressing inactive accounts. Before any action, the SDK detects cold balances and adds instructions to load them. This almost always fits in a single atomic transaction with your regular transfer. APIs return TransactionInstruction[][] so the same loop handles the rare multi-transaction case automatically.

Instruction
Action

import { Transaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import {
  createLoadAtaInstructions,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const ata = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, recipient);

// Returns TransactionInstruction[][]. 
// Each inner array is one transaction. 
// Almost always returns just one.
const instructions = await createLoadAtaInstructions(
  rpc,
  ata,
  recipient,
  mint,
  payer.publicKey
);

for (const ixs of instructions) {
  const tx = new Transaction().add(...ixs);

  // sign and send ...
}

import {
  loadAta,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const ata = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, recipient);

const sig = await loadAta(rpc, ata, recipient, mint, payer);
if (sig) console.log("Loaded:", sig);

Compare to SPL

import {
  createAssociatedTokenAccountInstruction,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressSync,
  getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount,
} from "@solana/spl-token";

const ata = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, recipient);

// Instruction:
const tx = new Transaction().add(
  createAssociatedTokenAccountInstruction(payer.publicKey, ata, recipient, mint)
);

// Action:
const ata = await getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount(
  connection, payer, mint, recipient
);

Send Payments

Find a full code example: instruction | action.

Instruction
Action

import { Transaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import { createTransferInterfaceInstructions } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

// Returns TransactionInstruction[][]. 
// Each inner array is one transaction. 
// Almost always returns just one.
const instructions = await createTransferInterfaceInstructions(
  rpc,
  payer.publicKey,
  mint,
  amount,
  owner.publicKey,
  recipient
);

for (const ixs of instructions) {
  const tx = new Transaction().add(...ixs);

  // sign and send ...
}

Your app logic may require you to create a single sign request for your user. Here’s how to do this:

Sign all transactions together

const transactions = instructions.map((ixs) => new Transaction().add(...ixs));

// One approval for all
const signed = await wallet.signAllTransactions(transactions);

for (const tx of signed) {
  // send...
  await sendAndConfirmTransaction(rpc, tx);
}

While almost always you will have only one transfer transaction, you can optimize sending in the rare cases where you have multiple transactions. parallelize the loads, confirm them, and then send the transfer instruction after.

Optimize sending (parallel conditional loads, then transfer)

import {
  createTransferInterfaceInstructions,
  sliceLast,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const instructions = await createTransferInterfaceInstructions(
  rpc,
  payer.publicKey,
  mint,
  amount,
  owner.publicKey,
  recipient
);
const { rest: loadInstructions, last: transferInstructions } = sliceLast(instructions);
// empty = nothing to load, will no-op.
await Promise.all(
  loadInstructions.map((ixs) => {
    const tx = new Transaction().add(...ixs);
    tx.sign(payer, owner);
    return sendAndConfirmTransaction(rpc, tx);
  })
);

const transferTx = new Transaction().add(...transferInstructions);
transferTx.sign(payer, owner);
await sendAndConfirmTransaction(rpc, transferTx);

Compare to SPL

import {
  getAssociatedTokenAddressSync,
  createAssociatedTokenAccountIdempotentInstruction,
  createTransferInstruction,
} from "@solana/spl-token";

const sourceAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);
const destinationAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, recipient);

const tx = new Transaction().add(
  createAssociatedTokenAccountIdempotentInstruction(
    payer.publicKey, destinationAta, recipient, mint
  ),
  createTransferInstruction(sourceAta, destinationAta, owner.publicKey, amount)
);

import {
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
  transferInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const sourceAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, owner.publicKey);

// Handles loading, creates recipient ATA, transfers.
await transferInterface(rpc, payer, sourceAta, mint, recipient, owner, amount);

Compare to SPL

import {
  getAssociatedTokenAddressSync,
  getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount,
  transfer,
} from "@solana/spl-token";

await getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount(connection, payer, mint, recipient);

const sourceAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);
const destinationAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, recipient);
await transfer(connection, payer, sourceAta, destinationAta, owner, amount);

Show Balance

Find a full code example here.

import {
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
  getAtaInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const ata = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, owner);
const account = await getAtaInterface(rpc, ata, owner, mint);

console.log(account.parsed.amount);

Compare to SPL

import { getAccount } from "@solana/spl-token";

const account = await getAccount(connection, ata);

console.log(account.amount);

Transaction History

Find a full code example here.

const result = await rpc.getSignaturesForOwnerInterface(owner);

console.log(result.signatures); // Merged + deduplicated
console.log(result.solana); // On-chain txs only
console.log(result.compressed); // Compressed txs only

Use getSignaturesForAddressInterface(address) if you want address-specific rather than owner-wide history.

Compare to SPL

const signatures = await connection.getSignaturesForAddress(ata);

Wrap from SPL

Wrap tokens from SPL/Token-2022 accounts to light-token ATA.

Find a full code example here.

Instruction
Action

import { Transaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import { getAssociatedTokenAddressSync } from "@solana/spl-token";
import {
  createWrapInstruction,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";
import { getSplInterfaceInfos } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token";

const splAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);
const tokenAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, owner.publicKey);

const splInterfaceInfos = await getSplInterfaceInfos(rpc, mint);
const splInterfaceInfo = splInterfaceInfos.find((i) => i.isInitialized);

const tx = new Transaction().add(
  createWrapInstruction(
    splAta,
    tokenAta,
    owner.publicKey,
    mint,
    amount,
    splInterfaceInfo,
    decimals,
    payer.publicKey
  )
);

import { getAssociatedTokenAddressSync } from "@solana/spl-token";
import {
  wrap,
  getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface,
} from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const splAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);
const tokenAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressInterface(mint, owner.publicKey);

await wrap(rpc, payer, splAta, tokenAta, owner, mint, amount);

Unwrap to SPL

Unwrap moves the token balance from a light-token account to a SPL-token account. Use this to compose with applications that do not yet support light-token.

Find a full code example here.

Instruction
Action

import { Transaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import { getAssociatedTokenAddressSync } from "@solana/spl-token";
import { createUnwrapInstructions } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const splAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);

// Each inner array = one transaction. Handles loading + unwrapping together.
const instructions = await createUnwrapInstructions(
  rpc,
  splAta,
  owner.publicKey,
  mint,
  amount,
  payer.publicKey
);

for (const ixs of instructions) {
  const tx = new Transaction().add(...ixs);
  await sendAndConfirmTransaction(rpc, tx, [payer, owner]);
}

import { getAssociatedTokenAddressSync } from "@solana/spl-token";
import { unwrap } from "@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified";

const splAta = getAssociatedTokenAddressSync(mint, owner.publicKey);

await unwrap(rpc, payer, splAta, owner, mint, amount);

Integrate light-token APIs for stablecoin payments

Open in Cursor

---
description: Integrate light-token APIs for stablecoin payments
allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep, WebFetch, AskUserQuestion, Task, TaskCreate, TaskGet, TaskList, TaskUpdate, TaskOutput, mcp__deepwiki, mcp__zkcompression
---

## Integrate light-token APIs for stablecoin payments

Context:
- Guide: https://zkcompression.com/light-token/toolkits/for-payments
- Skills and resources index: https://zkcompression.com/skill.md
- Dedicated skill: https://github.com/Lightprotocol/skills/tree/main/skills/payments-and-wallets
- Packages: @lightprotocol/compressed-token, @lightprotocol/stateless.js
- Full examples: https://github.com/Lightprotocol/examples-light-token/tree/main/toolkits/payments-and-wallets

SPL → Light Token API mapping:
| Operation    | SPL                               | Light Token                              |
| Receive      | getOrCreateAssociatedTokenAccount() | createLoadAtaInstructions() / loadAta()  |
| Transfer     | createTransferInstruction()        | createTransferInterfaceInstructions()    |
| Get Balance  | getAccount()                      | getAtaInterface()                        |
| Tx History   | getSignaturesForAddress()         | getSignaturesForOwnerInterface()         |
| Wrap SPL     | N/A                               | createWrapInstruction() / wrap()         |
| Unwrap       | N/A                               | createUnwrapInstructions() / unwrap()    |

### 1. Index project
- Grep `@solana/spl-token|@lightprotocol|createTransferInstruction|getAccount|Connection|Keypair|stablecoin|payment` across src/
- Glob `**/*.ts` and `**/*.tsx` for project structure
- Identify: RPC setup, existing token operations, payment flow, wallet signing pattern
- Check package.json for existing @lightprotocol/* or @solana/spl-token dependencies
- Task subagent (Grep/Read/WebFetch) if project has multiple packages to scan in parallel

### 2. Read references
- WebFetch the guide above — review Instruction and Action tabs for each operation
- WebFetch skill.md — check for a dedicated skill and resources matching this task
- TaskCreate one todo per phase below to track progress

### 3. Clarify intention
- AskUserQuestion: what is the goal? (new payment integration, migrate existing SPL payment flow, add alongside existing SPL)
- AskUserQuestion: which operations? (receive, send, balance, history, wrap, unwrap — or all)
- AskUserQuestion: instruction-level API (build your own transactions) or action-level API (high-level, fewer lines)?
- Summarize findings and wait for user confirmation before implementing

### 4. Create plan
- Based on steps 1–3, draft an implementation plan: which files to modify, what code to add, dependency changes
- Verify existing connection/signer setup is compatible (createRpc with ZK Compression endpoint)
- Key pattern: import from `@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified` for all interface APIs
- If anything is unclear or ambiguous, loop back to step 3 (AskUserQuestion)
- Present the plan to the user for approval before proceeding

### 5. Implement
- Add deps if missing: Bash `npm install @lightprotocol/compressed-token @lightprotocol/stateless.js`
- Set up RPC: `createRpc(RPC_ENDPOINT)` with a ZK Compression endpoint (Helius, Triton)
- Import from `@lightprotocol/compressed-token/unified` for the interface APIs
- Follow the guide and the approved plan
- Write/Edit to create or modify files
- TaskUpdate to mark each step done

### 6. Verify
- Bash `tsc --noEmit`
- Bash run existing test suite if present
- TaskUpdate to mark complete

### Tools
- mcp__zkcompression__SearchLightProtocol("<query>") for API details
- mcp__deepwiki__ask_question("Lightprotocol/light-protocol", "<q>") for architecture
- Task subagent with Grep/Read/WebFetch for parallel lookups
- TaskList to check remaining work

Introduction

Light Token Program

PDA Accounts

For DeFi

For Data Streaming

For Stablecoin Payments

For Wallets

For Other Use Cases

Learn

Resources

Toolkit for Stablecoin Payments

What you will implement

Setup

One-time: Create interface PDA to existing SPL Mint

Receive Payments

Send Payments

Show Balance

Transaction History

Wrap from SPL

Unwrap to SPL

​What you will implement

​Setup

​One-time: Create interface PDA to existing SPL Mint

​Receive Payments

​Send Payments

​Show Balance

​Transaction History

​Wrap from SPL

​Unwrap to SPL

What you will implement

Setup

One-time: Create interface PDA to existing SPL Mint

Receive Payments

Send Payments

Show Balance

Transaction History

Wrap from SPL

Unwrap to SPL