diff --git a/cashu/core/models.py b/cashu/core/models.py
index e96f4ea06..369f81390 100644
--- a/cashu/core/models.py
+++ b/cashu/core/models.py
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ class PostMeltRequest(BaseModel):
     outputs: Union[List[BlindedMessage], None] = Field(
         None, max_length=settings.mint_max_request_length
     )
+    prefer_async: Optional[bool] = Field(default=None)
 
 
 class PostMeltResponse_deprecated(BaseModel):
diff --git a/cashu/mint/ledger.py b/cashu/mint/ledger.py
index fcf756a94..717b4ab88 100644
--- a/cashu/mint/ledger.py
+++ b/cashu/mint/ledger.py
@@ -399,11 +399,11 @@ async def get_mint_quote(self, quote_id: str) -> MintQuote:
             if status.settled:
                 # change state to paid in one transaction, it could have been marked paid
                 # by the invoice listener in the mean time
-                async with self.db.get_connection(
-                    lock_table="mint_quotes",
-                    lock_select_statement="quote = :quote",
-                    lock_parameters={"quote": quote_id},
-                ) as conn:
+                async with self.db.get_connection(
+                    lock_table="mint_quotes",
+                    lock_select_statement="quote = :quote",
+                    lock_parameters={"quote": quote_id},
+                ) as conn:
                     quote = await self.crud.get_mint_quote(
                         quote_id=quote_id, db=self.db, conn=conn
                     )
@@ -821,6 +821,36 @@ async def melt_mint_settle_internally(
 
         return melt_quote
 
+    async def async_melt(
+        self,
+        *,
+        proofs: List[Proof],
+        quote: str,
+        outputs: Optional[List[BlindedMessage]] = None,
+    ) -> PostMeltQuoteResponse:
+        """Invalidates proofs and pays a Lightning invoice asynchronously.
+
+        Args:
+            proofs (List[Proof]): Proofs provided for paying the Lightning invoice
+            quote (str): ID of the melt quote.
+            outputs (Optional[List[BlindedMessage]]): Blank outputs for returning overpaid fees to the wallet.
+
+        Returns:
+            PostMeltQuoteResponse: Melt quote response with pending state.
+        """
+        # get melt quote
+        melt_quote = await self.get_melt_quote(quote_id=quote)
+        if not melt_quote:
+            raise TransactionError("melt quote not found")
+        if not melt_quote.unpaid:
+            raise TransactionError(f"melt quote is not unpaid: {melt_quote.state}")
+
+        # Launch actual melt task
+        asyncio.create_task(self.melt(proofs=proofs, quote=quote, outputs=outputs))
+
+        melt_quote.state = MeltQuoteState.pending
+        return PostMeltQuoteResponse.from_melt_quote(melt_quote)
+
     async def melt(
         self,
         *,
@@ -862,8 +892,8 @@ async def melt(
             # _verify_outputs checks if all outputs have the same unit
             await self._verify_outputs(
                 outputs, skip_amount_check=True, expected_unit=unit
-            )
-
+            )
+
         # verify SIG_ALL signatures
         message_to_sign = (
             "".join([p.secret for p in proofs] + [o.B_ for o in outputs or []]) + quote
@@ -1049,15 +1079,15 @@ async def swap(
         await self.db_write._verify_spent_proofs_and_set_pending(
             proofs, keysets=self.keysets
         )
-        try:
-            Ys = [p.Y for p in proofs]
-            lock_parameters = {f"y{i}": y for i, y in enumerate(Ys)}
-            ys_list = ", ".join(f":y{i}" for i in range(len(Ys)))
-            async with self.db.get_connection(
-                lock_table="proofs_pending",
-                lock_select_statement=f"y IN ({ys_list})",
-                lock_parameters=lock_parameters,
-            ) as conn:
+        try:
+            Ys = [p.Y for p in proofs]
+            lock_parameters = {f"y{i}": y for i, y in enumerate(Ys)}
+            ys_list = ", ".join(f":y{i}" for i in range(len(Ys)))
+            async with self.db.get_connection(
+                lock_table="proofs_pending",
+                lock_select_statement=f"y IN ({ys_list})",
+                lock_parameters=lock_parameters,
+            ) as conn:
                 await self._store_blinded_messages(outputs, keyset=keyset, conn=conn)
 
                 # Calculate fees
diff --git a/cashu/mint/router.py b/cashu/mint/router.py
index 55f0439eb..059b267a0 100644
--- a/cashu/mint/router.py
+++ b/cashu/mint/router.py
@@ -333,9 +333,14 @@ async def melt(request: Request, payload: PostMeltRequest) -> PostMeltQuoteRespo
     Requests tokens to be destroyed and sent out via Lightning.
     """
     logger.trace(f"> POST /v1/melt/bolt11: {payload}")
-    resp = await ledger.melt(
-        proofs=payload.inputs, quote=payload.quote, outputs=payload.outputs
-    )
+    if payload.prefer_async:
+        resp = await ledger.async_melt(
+            proofs=payload.inputs, quote=payload.quote, outputs=payload.outputs
+        )
+    else:
+        resp = await ledger.melt(
+            proofs=payload.inputs, quote=payload.quote, outputs=payload.outputs
+        )
     logger.trace(f"< POST /v1/melt/bolt11: {resp}")
     return resp
 
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py b/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
index 2c766e490..068279977 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/cli/cli.py
@@ -261,11 +261,24 @@ async def cli(
 @click.option(
     "--yes", "-y", default=False, is_flag=True, help="Skip confirmation.", type=bool
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--async",
+    "-a",
+    "prefer_async",
+    default=False,
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Pay asynchronously.",
+    type=bool,
+)
 @click.pass_context
 @coro
 @init_auth_wallet
 async def pay(
-    ctx: Context, invoice: str, amount: Optional[int] = None, yes: bool = False
+    ctx: Context,
+    invoice: str,
+    amount: Optional[int] = None,
+    yes: bool = False,
+    prefer_async: bool = False,
 ):
     wallet: Wallet = ctx.obj["WALLET"]
     await wallet.load_mint()
@@ -422,7 +435,11 @@ async def pay(
 
     try:
         melt_response = await wallet.melt(
-            send_proofs, invoice, quote.fee_reserve, quote.quote
+            send_proofs,
+            invoice,
+            quote.fee_reserve,
+            quote.quote,
+            prefer_async=prefer_async,
         )
     except Exception as e:
         print(f" Error paying invoice: {e}")
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/v1_api.py b/cashu/wallet/v1_api.py
index 6c7a9f2d5..27ed02672 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/v1_api.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/v1_api.py
@@ -486,12 +486,15 @@ async def melt(
         quote: str,
         proofs: List[Proof],
         outputs: Optional[List[BlindedMessage]],
+        prefer_async: Optional[bool] = None,
     ) -> PostMeltQuoteResponse:
         """
         Accepts proofs and a lightning invoice to pay in exchange.
         """
 
-        payload = PostMeltRequest(quote=quote, inputs=proofs, outputs=outputs)
+        payload = PostMeltRequest(
+            quote=quote, inputs=proofs, outputs=outputs, prefer_async=prefer_async
+        )
 
         def _meltrequest_include_fields(
             proofs: List[Proof], outputs: List[BlindedMessage]
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
index 1b63b8eab..f788935b5 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
@@ -828,7 +828,12 @@ async def get_melt_quote(self, quote: str) -> Optional[MeltQuote]:
         return melt_quote
 
     async def melt(
-        self, proofs: List[Proof], invoice: str, fee_reserve_sat: int, quote_id: str
+        self,
+        proofs: List[Proof],
+        invoice: str,
+        fee_reserve_sat: int,
+        quote_id: str,
+        prefer_async: Optional[bool] = None,
     ) -> PostMeltQuoteResponse:
         """Pays a lightning invoice and returns the status of the payment.
 
@@ -836,7 +841,7 @@ async def melt(
             proofs (List[Proof]): List of proofs to be spent.
             invoice (str): Lightning invoice to be paid.
             fee_reserve_sat (int): Amount of fees to be reserved for the payment.
-
+            prefer_async (Optional[bool]): Whether to pay asynchronously.
         """
 
         # Make sure we're operating on an independent copy of proofs
@@ -858,7 +863,9 @@ async def melt(
         await self.set_reserved_for_melt(proofs, reserved=True, quote_id=quote_id)
         proofs = self.sign_proofs_inplace_melt(proofs, change_outputs, quote_id)
         try:
-            melt_quote_resp = await super().melt(quote_id, proofs, change_outputs)
+            melt_quote_resp = await super().melt(
+                quote_id, proofs, change_outputs, prefer_async=prefer_async
+            )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.debug(f"Mint error: {e}")
             # remove the melt_id in proofs and set reserved to False
diff --git a/tests/mint/test_async_melt.py b/tests/mint/test_async_melt.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a7af55173
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/mint/test_async_melt.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import asyncio
+
+import httpx
+import pytest
+
+from cashu.core.base import MeltQuoteState
+from tests.conftest import SERVER_ENDPOINT
+from tests.helpers import is_fake, pay_if_regtest
+
+BASE_URL = "http://localhost:3337"
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not is_fake, reason="only on fakewallet")
+async def test_async_melt(ledger):
+    # This test uses direct API calls because the wallet fixture issue
+    # for async melt is complex in this setup.
+    from cashu.wallet.wallet import Wallet
+    wallet = await Wallet.with_db(url=SERVER_ENDPOINT, db="test_data/wallet_async_melt", name="wallet_async_melt")
+    await wallet.load_mint()
+
+    # Setup: get some funds
+    mint_quote = await wallet.request_mint(64)
+    await pay_if_regtest(mint_quote.request)
+    await wallet.mint(64, quote_id=mint_quote.quote)
+    assert wallet.balance == 64
+
+    # Create invoice to melt to
+    mint_quote = await wallet.request_mint(64)
+    invoice_payment_request = mint_quote.request
+
+    # Get quote
+    quote = await wallet.melt_quote(invoice_payment_request)
+    inputs_payload = [p.to_dict() for p in wallet.proofs]
+
+    # Melt with prefer_async=True
+    response = httpx.post(
+        f"{BASE_URL}/v1/melt/bolt11",
+        json={
+            "quote": quote.quote,
+            "inputs": inputs_payload,
+            "prefer_async": True,
+        },
+        timeout=None,
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    result = response.json()
+    assert result["state"] == MeltQuoteState.pending.value
+    
+    # Wait a bit for the background task to complete
+    await asyncio.sleep(2)
+    
+    # Verify it became paid
+    response = httpx.get(f"{BASE_URL}/v1/melt/quote/bolt11/{quote.quote}")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    result = response.json()
+    assert result["state"] == MeltQuoteState.paid.value
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not is_fake, reason="only on fakewallet")
+async def test_async_melt_nonexistent_quote(ledger):
+    # Melt with prefer_async=True and a fake quote
+    response = httpx.post(
+        f"{BASE_URL}/v1/melt/bolt11",
+        json={
+            "quote": "nonexistent_quote_id",
+            "inputs": [],
+            "prefer_async": True,
+        },
+        timeout=None,
+    )
+    # Expect failure (404 or 400 is fine)
+    assert response.status_code != 200