Bitcoin cares not for borders. And if applications and services rely on them, they haven't been built correctly.
It hasn't always been the case (and in which case I'd argue some were just early) but at this time there are GOOD, better options that achieve self-custody and do not discriminate based on geographical location.
We can do better. We must do better.
quotingMy Recent Experience with Lightning Wallets
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Over the last two weeks, I explored #nonKYC and #noncustodial #Lightning wallets, looking for one with WalletConnect functionality for #Nostr zapping that works in the US.
As an iOS user not running my own Lightning server, I couldn't try Blue, Electrum, or Zeus. I found that Strike, Speed, Alby, Current, and Blink require some form of KYC, and Eclair is only available on Android.
Here are the wallets I tested:
Mutiny Wallet - https://www.mutinywallet.com/
#Mutiny Wallet was easy to set up, and the user interface is intuitive. The fees are very low, and payments are quick. It runs on both web and mobile, and support on Discord was responsive. It is a non-custodial wallet with a seed phrase for recovery. I also tried the Mutiny+ service, which had a 14,000 sat monthly fee. Unfortunately, the Wallet Connect service is temporarily unavailable due to issues with their federations, leading to many payment failures. They will announce updates on their Nostr Mutiny Wallet (nprofile…lvvk)
Muun Wallet - https://muun.com/
#Muun Wallet's mobile app is easy to set up and very intuitive, with very low fees. It is a non-custodial wallet with three recovery methods, including email, a private key and an emergency kit. I avoided the email backup function to maintain privacy, but the other two options required no contact info. Muun supports both Bitcoin Main Chain and Lightning. Although I didn't need to contact support, there is a support email in the app ([email protected]). The only downside is the lack of a WalletConnect address.
Breez Wallet - https://breez.technology/mobile/
#Breez Wallet's mobile app was easy to set up, and transactions are fast, but I experienced a high rate of failed transactions. There are fees for opening new channels and a 0.4% fee for transactions over 45,000 sats. While I didn't need to contact support, the developers respond to questions in the iOS store, and support is available at [email protected]. Breez is non-custodial, but the only backup method is through Google, iCloud, or a remote server, which is less secure than a seed phrase. I recommend using this wallet for small amounts only. There is no wallet connect.
Conclusion
My current wallet of choice is Muun. It is a fully developed wallet, and while it doesn't support Nostr zapping directly, I can still zap with Lightning Invoices, which is what I am used to as an iOS user.
When Mutiny resolves its issues, I would consider using Mutiny.
Did I miss any wallets? Let me know if you have any suggestions.