Nostr notes by prochronist

This week, Tether issued more USDT-Liquid due to rising demand, ...

2025-06-20T19:56:43Z

This week, Tether issued more USDT-Liquid due to rising demand, tripling the amount in circulation (~100M) to surpass the total USDT in circulation on Tezos, Polkadot, and others.

A few points on why LiquidNetwork (npub1nyy…7gan) and other bitcoin L2s will continue to eat up liquidity from alts.

First, some context, Liquid has accomplished this with effectively:

- no speculative markets (governance token, NFTs, memecoins), the main driver of volume on alts.

- no comparable marketing budget, eg, Polkadot spent $37M alone in H1 2024 on promotion: https://forum.polkadot.network/t/polkadots-astonishing-marketing-spending/8945

Instead, the Liquid ecosystem has prioritized the development of native features and infra for bitcoin capital markets (confidentiality, Blockstream (npub1jg5…6n8n) AMP, legal frameworks, etc) -- resulting in organic growth of securities issuances. (RWA TVL on Liquid recently hit >2.5B).

This is further validation of the effectiveness of bitcoin's design philosophy vs crypto, ie the prioritization of security and low-time preference.

The downside, however, is that alts can fill these niche, emerging needs faster and extract value from bitcoin in the short term.

Alternatively, with the new language Simplicity coming to Liquid mainnet next month (and potentially bitcoin in the future), the gap in developer UX and expressivity will be largely addressed as Simplicity competes directly with ETH's Solidity.

It will certainly take longer for the larger-cap crypto L1s to succumb, but we've already started to see cracks and a shift back to bitcoin. Eg:

Vitalik wanting to simplify ETH like bitcoin: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/05/05/vitalik-buterin-wants-to-make-ethereum-as-simple-as-bitcoin

Hoksinson considering moving ADA treasury into BTC: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/charles-hoskinson-wants-to-swap-100m-in-ada-for-bitcoin-more/ar-AA1GJZq7

There's still a long way for Liquid to catch up, but as altcoin marketing budgets dry up and they continue to lose value relative to BTC, we will likely see this trend and convergence accelerate, possibly to the point where some re-denominate their governance tokens in BTC and market themselves as L2s.

The great thing is you can still front-run them all by buying bitcoin.

Does anyone have more info on the fedimint that went offline (via ...

2025-05-30T19:02:59Z

Does anyone have more info on the fedimint that went offline (via Fed app) for a certain amount of time a few months back and users were locked out? Was there ever a diagnostic report or anything explaining the incident and how it will be mitigated in the future?

A few months ago I was in BA and met the @nprofile…7txg guys. ...

2025-05-23T18:36:38Z

A few months ago I was in BA and met the LaCryptaOk (nprofile…7txg) guys. Their NFC card was the best bitcoin onboarding experience I’ve ever had and turned me into a NFC card maxi.

There’s a certain simplicity about just pulling out a tangible card and tapping it - hard to beat that UX with a phone.

It's almost inevitable at this point bitcoin will continue to ...

2025-05-23T18:30:45Z

It's almost inevitable at this point bitcoin will continue to eat up market dominance, and 99% of current crypto projects will deprecate or have to re-denominate and become bitcoin layer-2s.

thx but this looks like a twitch clone, was hoping for more like ...

2025-05-23T18:29:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…7rnj
_________________________

thx but this looks like a twitch clone, was hoping for more like a live auction app similar to whatnot but this may suffice

Hah, anything’s possible - who should we sync with locally?

2025-03-25T16:28:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…srp5
_________________________

Hah, anything’s possible - who should we sync with locally?

When am I going to be able to livestream on this and sell all my ...

2025-03-14T06:26:54Z

When am I going to be able to livestream on this and sell all my old fishing tackle for pristine sats?

Calling all turbo autists: here's your shot to yeet your ...

2025-02-28T02:19:40Z

Calling all turbo autists: here's your shot to yeet your dream project straight to market with the help of Blockstream. LFG.

blockstream.typeform.com/to/KLeflywl

quoting
nevent1q…85ql
Attention Bitcoin developer community! The grant application to collaborate with Blockstream on-site at our new Lugano Research Hub is now open. 🏗️

Do you have a passion project or idea you’d like to develop on Lightning or Liquid? ⚡️🌊

Apply now --> http://buildonl2.com

Opportunity details:

🌊 CHF 10,000 sponsorship for a founder or small startup team to live in Lugano.

⚡️ Work closely alongside the Blockstream team on-site for technical expertise and guidance.

🌊 Take your idea to market with a dedicated workspace for designing, prototyping, and launching your product in record time.

Direct application link --> https://blockstream.typeform.com/to/KLeflywl

Any questions? Drop a comment below or reach out via DM. 👇

Hah, did you apply? Ping me on TG and I’ll make sure we save a ...

2025-01-25T02:36:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…5mua
_________________________

Hah, did you apply? Ping me on TG and I’ll make sure we save a spot for ya

Currently at a nostr workshop from the guys at @npub1wqp…fvyy. ...

2024-11-09T19:03:24Z

Currently at a nostr workshop from the guys at Northwest Arkansas Bitcoin (npub1wqp…fvyy).

What is everyone’s favorite client/wallet combo? If I’m using primal mobile, best to just use the in-app wallet?

Many are asking how Greenlight numbers can be so high and why ...

2024-09-25T01:00:15Z

Many are asking how Greenlight numbers can be so high and why they're not reflected in public Lightning datasets like 1ML.

To help put things in perspective, let's break down the numbers and what this implies for the 'Lightning is dead' narrative that certain influencers have been peddling:

The first thing to know is that Greenlight nodes are unannounced/private and on-demand, so they aren't included in public estimates. This isn’t unique to Greenlight--many other Lightning infrastructure providers (think Lightspark) don’t broadcast for privacy and other reasons.

Each Greenlight node roughly corresponds to one user, meaning the 150k nodes represent about 150k users (unless large swaths of users are gaming the numbers by using different seeds with the same or multiple devices). When a Greenlight node isn't in use, it becomes dormant and then reactivates later as well, so no new nodes are created or destroyed in this process that could obfuscate the numbers.

More context: most of these new nodes are from Relai's recent integration of the Breez SDK, which runs Greenlight under the hood. A growing number of small Lightning startups, like Blitz, also use Greenlight on the backend, but those numbers often go unreported.

So, the narrative of Lightning's impending doom is likely vastly overstated, especially when infrastructure projects like Greenlight and their impact are almost always overlooked when discussing the growth of the network.

In my opinion, it's far more believable that Lightning is in a transitional phase due to new developments in bitcoin payment technology and infrastructure (Greenlight, Lightspark, Breez SDK, Ark, etc) and is just now coming into its own.

Greenlight's numbers are proof of this.

quoting
note14y0…7899
Greenlight has hit another milestone! Over 150,000 Greenlight nodes are live on the Lightning Network!

With the Breez_tech (npub1jug…fc28) SDK, these nodes power apps like Blitz, Cake wallet, and Elysium Labs—delivering instant, private, low-cost non-custodial Bitcoin payments⚡️

---

Learn more about what Greenlight brings to the table for app devlopers in this case study with Relai 🇨🇭 (npub1sqz…vk7v). ⬇️
https://youtu.be/gmG7li9LXx8?si=BHEPc_RZqOA6WkJG

---

Want to see how Lightning can fit into your app? Get your Greenlight developer certificate now and spin up 1,000 Lightning Network nodes for free!

https://greenlight.blockstream.com/

This would be sick

2024-08-29T05:31:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…dn4g
_________________________

This would be sick

More info on the lower sats/vB protocol change: ...

2024-08-04T01:48:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…rlcv
_________________________

More info on the lower sats/vB protocol change: https://community.liquid.net/c/announcements/beta-0-1-to-0-01-sats-vbyte

Many in the comments under impression fees would be too ...

2024-08-04T01:36:19Z

Many in the comments under impression fees would be too high…and though, yes, fees would be higher than Lightning, the idea here is to use Boltz (npub1psm…8970) on the backend, which has a sats/vB 10x lower (0.01) than usual (Liquid default is 0.1). This makes average fees ~40 sats. Pair the lower network fee rate with a threshold to be able to swap to Liquid from zaps…and you can see how it might be useful - as Liquid is more federated (15 vs a single custodian), has confidential transactions and you can cold store sats.

quoting note17u9…vpqn
Dear Nostr users, would the ability to send and receive zaps via Liquid be of interest?

We're currently discussing with Amethyst devs on ways to make this possible.

Let us know in the comments! ⚡️🌊note1w74…vfcm

The idea would be to use @npub1psm…8970 on the backend, which ...

2024-08-04T01:14:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…k8ys
_________________________

The idea would be to use Boltz (npub1psm…8970) on the backend, which uses a lower sats/vB…so tx fees would be ~40 sats, and liquid would only be available until a certain threshold would be met, say like 1000 sats.

There’s lots of innovation happening in the L2 wallet space. We ...

2024-07-31T15:19:31Z

There’s lots of innovation happening in the L2 wallet space.

We used AQUA Wallet (npub1ajl…zx3q) to accept mainchain, Lightning, and even some USDT (via LiquidNetwork (npub1nyy…7gan)) at the Blockstream booth at B24 without a hitch. It’s one of the best mobile wallets for POS and is what I personally recommend for onboarding newbies these days, given there is no channel rebalancing/management.

And if the rumors are true, looking forward to even more stables (there are quite a few now on Liquid) being added to the Aqua app soon.

My basic set up is using Aqua day to day and Green for long-term hodl - given it has hardware wallet integration and you can connect your node - but I am also keeping a close eye on the Blitz wallet.

Exciting times ahead!

re: Fold going public I was fold-pilled a few years ago, it's ...

2024-07-24T17:27:45Z

re: Fold going public

I was fold-pilled a few years ago, it's a great stacking tool, sometimes up to 10% back at select stores, but I've been quietly anticipating a bitcoin cashback credit card. That's when the real fun begins and they could 10x their appeal.

Many families - if financially literate and prudent - try to optimize cashback rewards in some way. Even with a standard 2% cashback on all purchases, a Fold credit card would be competitive, but many may not opt in, given that it's bitcoin.

If they can offer a 3% flat cashback (as no other issuer really offers this anymore besides the new RH Gold) or even 5% in select categories, it will be very appealing to individuals and families trying to save. (There is also an entire subculture of nerds who churn cards/optimize rewards - Fold should target these guys.) With a 3%/5%, these types will likely overcome their initial bitcoin hesitancy to give it a try.

Then once bitcoin's monetary theory becomes clear and their cashback grows (3% becomes 6% etc), you'll have effectively orangepilled them on bitcoin as a value savings mechanism

For those actually looking to make legitimate yield on their corn ...

2024-07-20T03:28:26Z

For those actually looking to make legitimate yield on their corn and not get rugged, check out the Blockstream Mining Note. It’s a tradeable hashrate backed token, so you can participate in proof of work and help secure the network without all the overhead of mining operations.

BMN1 yielded a net average of 32% bitcoin-on-bitcoin return or just under 2 BTC per BMN. The net average return in fiat terms was even greater, at 61%, and in both scenarios, it outperformed buying spot bitcoin.

Most are sleeping on security tokens, which come with investor protections and obligations from the issuer, they are not random sh*tcoins with empty promises.

32% was the average net return across all 8 series of the BMN1, too, some outperformed others, eg series 1 of BMN1 had a net btc return of 62%, so entry point in the market cycle is a factor.

quoting
note1ueu…0q9j
Today, we’re launching the next generation of Bitcoin mining investments: the Blockstream Mining Note 2 (BMN2). It offers investors direct exposure to hashrate generated at our Bitcoin mining facilities through a tradable security token on the LiquidNetwork (npub1nyy…7gan).

BMN2 builds on the success of BMN1, which recently matured, generating over 1,212 BTC with net returns of up to 102% over its three-year term. BMN2 offers a similar structure but extends the investment period to 48 months.

https://blog.blockstream.com/blockstream-mining-note-2-bmn2-debuts-on-stokr-offering-investment-opportunity-at-historically-low-hashprice/

Yes they’re full of shit, just eat like a hunter gatherer, no ...

2024-05-15T00:25:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…hw5f
_________________________

Yes they’re full of shit, just eat like a hunter gatherer, no processed food and all good

Those of you wondering if you’re still early to Bitcoin. ...

2024-05-07T02:06:41Z

Those of you wondering if you’re still early to Bitcoin.

https://www.rooster.info/p/ohio-state-chris-pan

Coin control is only available on the desktop version of Green ...

2024-03-04T19:32:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…ppl0
_________________________

Coin control is only available on the desktop version of Green atm

LBTC is available on DEXs like Bisq and Peach as well as Bitfinex ...

2024-02-07T01:00:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…wnvr
_________________________

LBTC is available on DEXs like Bisq and Peach as well as Bitfinex and a few other exchanges; where would you specifically like to see Liquid integrated?

A good question to ask: if your favorite bitcoin apps went ...

2023-12-23T16:19:16Z

A good question to ask: if your favorite bitcoin apps went offline tomorrow, would you still be able to buy, sell and trade for bitcoin?

If not, you have some work to do over this holiday break, building out your local P2P economy—myself included.

We must make direct P2P transactions outside of any third party, ...

2023-12-23T15:10:43Z

We must make direct P2P transactions outside of any third party, including "P2P exchanges," which still rely on infrastructure outside of Bitcoin, the default way to interact again. This is even more relevant in a high-fee market where we can avoid paying extra fees and markups.

It's time to form chat groups with friends and leverage local Bitcoin meetups to exchange P2P. We should also hasten the implementation of key encryption standards like NIP 87, NIP 38, etc., so that Nostr can have encrypted group chat capability.

By doing so, we can build a permissionless economy as originally intended and create a network of exchange that relies solely on the protocol.

Too many of us are using third-party apps and sites regularly. We must have a thriving local P2P economy first and foremost.

A good question to ask yourself: if every exchange, payment processor and bitcoin app went offline tomorrow, would you still be able to buy, sell and trade for bitcoin?

If not, you have some work to do over this holiday break—myself included.

Liquid isn't a long-term scaling solution on its own ...

2023-12-18T06:53:13Z

Liquid isn't a long-term scaling solution on its own (that's obvious), but federations can and will be part of the solution.

Many federations (both off-chain like Fedimint and on-chain like Liquid) will scale #Bitcoin alongside Lightning, which will play a key role as the connective tissue between different protocols.

There will be no 'one size fits all' scaling solution but rather a range of complementary protocols that cater to specific use cases and markets, each addressing different challenges with a unique set of trade-offs.

In July, I wrote about this and the importance interoperability will play within second layers and think it's even more relevant today with the discussions happening over the past week. Give it a read if you like.

https://blog.blockstream.com/increasing-interoperability-between-bitcoins-second-layer-protocols/

For the average pleb using a software wallet, your sats flow and ...

2023-12-15T13:36:45Z

For the average pleb using a software wallet, your sats flow and time horizons should be as follows:

Lightning <> Liquid -> Bitcoin
days -> months -> years

Stack smart, hodl Liquid in the mid-term and occasionally swap to Lightning for daily use, then to mainchain when fees are low for long-term savings.

It has had 85 support for awhile now my man.

2023-12-12T01:50:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…h763
_________________________

It has had 85 support for awhile now my man.

More educators and Bitcoiners should be onboarding newbies to ...

2023-12-12T01:47:14Z

More educators and Bitcoiners should be onboarding newbies to Liquid first, with Lightning as a next step, imho.

It's not just easier from a technical view to onboard to Liquid these days given the high-fee enviro but conceptually and in terms of natural learning progression it makes the most sense.

Sidechains are a far more digestible concept than payment channels/liquidity mgmt after first learning about Bitcoin and blockchains.

The issue with Argentina abolishing its central bank is that they ...

2023-12-10T08:08:29Z

The issue with Argentina abolishing its central bank is that they have plans to dollarize, so they are merely trading their own for one controlled by bureaucrats in DC, in which they’ll have far less agency with and control over. Situation is even more dire given their outstanding debts (some of the worst in the world) to the IMF and the like.

I understand dollarization (something El Salvador also did in the 2000s) is a somewhat necessary step to lower inflation and have price stability in the short term, but on the one hand, skipping dollarization and going right to bitcoinization would be the true “anti central banker” visionary move...and have the potential to free Argentina of the shackles of its international creditors much quicker.

Of course, another probably more politically viable option would be to follow Bukele's playbook of playing just nice enough with the IMF and other creditors while buying #bitcoin...with the same end goal in my mind.

Let's wait and see what role bitcoin will play, if any. The jury is still out in my opinion but they do have a historic opportunity to show the world the potential of bitcoin.

Nostr event nevent1qqs80g33z6kuq7zz0yseavr323quwjk0kj3m08kp20yg28mgwj343cszyzhcacamqpkuqh304hga2nfhcmpfztrxe79v5kq0gz0w735vgwhy7nmcy86

2023-12-08T04:09:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…vghl
_________________________

https://blog.blockstream.com/increasing-interoperability-between-bitcoins-second-layer-protocols/

Indeed, it has several stablecoins, recommend playing around with ...

2023-11-10T05:01:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…t7fv
_________________________

Indeed, it has several stablecoins, recommend playing around with sideswap.io to get a feel.

Payment failure is a major flaw in all account-based networks, ...

2023-11-09T23:05:58Z

Payment failure is a major flaw in all account-based networks, such as Tron, Ethereum, and other alts. The sad irony is that this impacts the demographic most likely to use crypto rails to begin with—those in emerging markets suffering from currency debasement and hyperinflation. Fortunately, there is a better alternative on #Bitcoin. 🧵

Estimates of Ethereum's payment failure rate range, but there was a consistent rate of over 1 million transactions per month during peak periods. A quick search on reddit will garner hundreds of threads like the one below of users losing money due to failures.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ethereum/comments/qq5iin/failed_transactions_costing_250_is_not_fine/

Even Vitalik himself cites a ~2.3% failure rate. Note, we shouldn't fault those flocking to Tron or Ethereum with strong stablecoin network effects (there is clear use case) but, instead, encourage awareness of the downsides and the better alternatives that exist on #Bitcoin.

With what looks like the early beginnings of a bull market, users in places like LATAM, particularly in Argentina, where stablecoin usage is surging, should expect a similar spike in transaction failures and consider more architecturally sound chains like the Liquid Network.

In contrast to #Ethereum or Tron's account model, the Liquid Network, a Bitcoin layer-2, opts for Bitcoin's UTXO model. This enables an "all-or-nothing" transaction, avoiding the possibility of losing funds when sending a payment.

Liquid's fees are competitive with the aforementioned account-based models and stay reliably low. There is also the added feature of confidentiality (no one can see asset type or amount).

https://blog.liquid.net/guide-to-confidential-transactions/

Our CPO Jeff Booetz, recently detailed the tradeoffs between the UTXO and account models in an op-ed. The latter's lack of transaction reliability is only one example of the many downsides: it's also much harder to scale, less secure, and less private. Highly recommended:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/11/07/why-bitcoin-may-offer-the-best-foundation-for-blockchain-based-finance/?sh=453db2457ba2

Last week, we announced a partnership with Swan regarding their ...

2023-10-10T16:00:19Z

Last week, we announced a partnership with Swan regarding their new collaborative custody solution that features Blockstream (npub1jg5…6n8n) Jade. For those unfamiliar with Jade, I've compiled an (incomplete) list of what makes it so unique and such a compelling piece of hardware 🧵

Entirely open source

Jade uses fully open-source hardware, software and infrastructure that is reproducible for greater security and peace of mind. This level of transparency is unmatched in the hardware wallet industry. Don't trust, verify.

https://github.com/Blockstream/Jade

Affordable

Because Jade uses commodity hardware, it's one of the most affordable options on the market. You can purchase two (even three) Jades and create your own multisig setup for the price of just one of the competitors —all without giving up quality or security.

Versatile

Jade is simple to use with great support (bitcoin_help (npub15r8…mk4g)) for easy onboarding, but has features like QR Scan, BIP 85, and a duress pin for more advanced users. Jade is also multi-platform and widely compatible, with no one dedicated companion app.

Fully air-gapped

Jade's built-in camera lets you scan and display QR codes, making it possible to send bitcoin and verify addresses without directly connecting to the internet with USB or Bluetooth—providing an extra layer of security.

https://youtu.be/Cvm0zUCvfMo?si=E79gYJ1RdJH7dh_F

Immune to physical key extraction

Jade deploys a virtual secure element comprising three separate secrets: a Jade secret (via an encrypted blob on the device), a user-generated unique pin, and a remote blind oracle, making extraction from the device alone impossible.

https://help.blockstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/12800132096793-Set-up-a-personal-blind-oracle

You can run your own blind oracle with cmd line (see link). The team is also placing the final touches on a new app for several plug-in-play solutions that would make setting up a personal blind oracle much easier.

https://help.blockstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/12800132096793-Set-up-a-personal-blind-oracle

DIY-able

Jade's FOSS software and unique security model allow you to install its firmware (without loss of functionality) on inexpensive, off-the-shelf hardware. [@YTCryptoGuide](https://twitter.com/YTCryptoGuide) has several video tutorials for building your own DIY Jade for $10-$40.

https://youtu.be/PeqP6oVnlIs?si=JEXFB5Jj6uMd5ZyU

Made for hyperbitcoinization

Jade's price, versatility, and DIY-ability make it an ideal choice for people in developing countries or those affected by currency debasement. It can be argued they need Bitcoin the most and, subsequently, a secure way to cold store, which Jade provides.

Cypherpunk tool

Due to its affordability, many pick up an extra Jade to use it solely as a more secure, private 2FA authentication device or to do fun things, like mine bitcoin. Because Jade can produce TOTPs for platforms that require 2FA, it can function similarly to an authenticator app, giving users more control over their personal data and providing better security than a regular authenticator.

https://help.blockstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/20182747993625-Use-Jade-as-a-2FA-authentication-device

Jade can also be set up as a #bitcoin miner, offering a fun way to learn the ins and outs. It does not require a wallet to be set up or accessed and can easily be reversed if you decide to go back to using it purely as a hardware wallet.

https://twitter.com/tatumturnup/status/1642510780984709121

I hope this thread provides a useful snapshot of Jade's unique security model and features and why you may want to snag one.

....it also now comes in orange. 😎

[https://store.blockstream.com/product/blockstream-jade-hardware-wallet/

Cool tidbit: other than SeedSigner, @npub1jg5…6n8n Jade is the ...

2023-10-04T05:05:30Z

Cool tidbit: other than SeedSigner, Blockstream (npub1jg5…6n8n) Jade is the only fully open-source Bitcoin hardware wallet that is impervious to physical key extraction.

You must collect three separate secrets to decrypt your keys: one is in the encrypted blob on the device, the second is the user-generated pin you set, and the third is only accessible via the blind oracle (that you can also run yourself).

Only with all three secrets, can you then get and decrypt the private key. So, by not having a secure element directly on the device, but rather this unique security model of three decentralized secrets, physical key extraction is not possible.

Bonus tidbit: the Jade is 50%-75% cheaper than any of the other Bitcoin hardware wallet on the market, meaning you can buy two or three of them (or even build a DIY ver for $15) for the cost of the others, allowing you to create your own multisig.

Jade definitely doesn’t get the attention it deserves!

quoting note19xa…r5p0
Heading to Pacific Bitcoin by Swan (npub1tft…xar5)?

Make sure your first stop is the Blockstream booth so you can get your hands on the new Jade stock!

Use it as a 2FA authenticator and mine bitcoin with it. Some ...

2023-09-20T04:38:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…jl32
_________________________

Use it as a 2FA authenticator and mine bitcoin with it. Some other things are in the works too.

The only #Bitcoin hardware wallet not susceptible to physical key ...

2023-09-14T18:05:37Z

The only #Bitcoin hardware wallet not susceptible to physical key extraction is the Blockstream Jade.

Jade uses a virtual secure element (blind oracle) so your seed is not stored on the device. You can also set up your own blind oracle or run it stateless with SeedQR (like a SeedSigner).

By not having a physical secure element, Jade can remain fully open-source and easily DIY-able.

You can read more here:

https://help.blockstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/15884462476953

Looking for a fun weekend Bitcoin project? In light of ...

2023-08-18T21:37:12Z

Looking for a fun weekend Bitcoin project?

In light of Blockstream Satellite's sixth anniversary, I wanted to highlight an overlooked feature: the ability to broadcast data into space with Lightning. In the demo, I use the new Greenlight-powered Blockstream Green wallet (public beta available soon, inside sources say next week).

When sending the message, I used the transmission page on the Blockstream site, but there are other frontends like http://satnode.space or P-38 (great for private, encrypted messaging), if you don't have access to the API directly via the blocksat-cli.

https://github.com/Nisaba/P-38

If you're curious to dig deeper into the Blockstream Satellite, its history, and how it can be a tool for freedom. Read my write-up below:

https://blog.blockstream.com/broadcasting-messages-in-space-with-lightning/

There's been some buzz around #stablecoins lately, given ...

2023-07-31T19:53:55Z

There's been some buzz around #stablecoins lately, given their increased usage in the Global South.

Using only your phone, here are two simple ways to get Tether USDt on Liquid—a Bitcoin L2 with multi-asset support and confidential transactions that is compatible with Lightning.

By using Liquid, you further hyperbitcoinization and the #Bitcoin ecosystem and avoid relying on inferior alts with backward incentives like #TRON or #Ethereum.

First, if you don't already hodl L-BTC, you'll need to either a) bridge BTC to L-BTC (aka peg-in) or b) use a swap tool like Boltz or SideShift to get some.

Both apps used in the video have native peg-in capability and non-custodial Liquid wallets built-in, but I'll use Boltz
and #BlockstreamGreen to move from LN-BTC to L-BTC in the second example to mix things up.

1. SideSwap

A registration-free mobile app with Tether USDt and EURx stablecoins available via atomic swap or limit order. Fees: 0.6% (swaps), 0.1% or 500 sats (orders), 0.1% (peg-in), Liquidity: ~0.75 L-BTC (swaps)

2. TDEX

A DEX protocol with Tether USDt, L-CAD, and Bitcoin-backed stablecoin FUSD (Fuji Money) available via atomic swap. Fees: dependent on market makers (swaps), no additional fee (peg-in), Liquidity: subject to mmkr

Note depending on your buy size, jurisdiction, desired privacy, or stablecoin needed, you may want to explore other platforms that have Liquid, including:

Bitcoin Reserve
Bisq
Bitfinex
BTSE
BTCTurk
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It’s a closed beta atm but will be available on both Android ...

2023-07-28T00:05:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…z6kk
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It’s a closed beta atm but will be available on both Android and iOS mobile devices when it’s open to the public next month. :-)

Not yet but there are plans to have in-app LN to Liquid swaps ...

2023-07-27T17:14:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…wm7c
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Not yet but there are plans to have in-app LN to Liquid swaps available once LN integration is complete :-)

The new Lightning-capable #BlockstreamGreen works flawlessly ...

2023-07-27T00:44:28Z

The new Lightning-capable #BlockstreamGreen works flawlessly (even in beta), receiving sats from Wallet of Satoshi and then zapping a friend on #Nostr.

#Bitcoin, Liquid, and Lightning in one, non-custodial, privacy-focused wallet. Open beta coming soon!

Green's Lightning integration works via Blockstream's Greenlight under the hood, which does most of the heavy lifting, while the Breez SDK acts as a facade and LSP service.

Don't miss out on other upcoming experimental features by signing up for Green's beta program:

https://help.blockstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/14884124911385?ref=blog.blockstream.com

Indeed

2023-07-19T06:54:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…0au8
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Indeed

Buhdonka

2023-05-31T00:34:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…ahec
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Buhdonka

Hehe, welcome

2023-05-29T15:03:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…tdkn
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Hehe, welcome

1) censorship: selective action like the ability to censor a ...

2023-05-29T13:57:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…aygx
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1) censorship: selective action like the ability to censor a certain UTXO on Liquid is mathematically impossible because you can't even identify outputs due to confidential transactions (which blind asset and asset type). They would need to know the UTXOs beforehand and even then you wouldn’t lose coins, it would just fail and you’d try again with a diff UTXO.

2) state: Liquid is resilient because the federation members (who custody the BTC multisig) are in multiple jurisdictions across the world and run physical HSMs, you literally have to go in-person to commandeer them and turn off. There’s also the Dynamic Federations upgrade last year which allows the Federation to add/remove entities to be able to peg-out (without them having to run functionaries/have HSMs), so in the event of a real globally coordinated state attack, there would be more options to peg out.

Hope this helps.

Hah, it’s not an altcoin, that’s a first. It’s a 1:1 BTC ...

2023-05-29T13:38:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…2wej
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Hah, it’s not an altcoin, that’s a first.

It’s a 1:1 BTC peg/IOU - you lock up BTC in a 15 member multisig (similar to the Fedimint model) and unlock L-BTC for increased confidentiality and speed.

These Federation members are geographically dispersed and also run physical, custom hardware security modules (HSMs) attached to host servers (known as functionaries) to make them tamper proof.

Liquid doesn’t take away from Bitcoin network effects (like DOGE or other shitcoins) because it uses Bitcoin as its native currency. It actually does the opposite, it furthers hyperbitcoinization by allowing for Bitcoin to be a settlement currency for capital markets and assets like digital securities - see the El Salvador Volcano bond that is planned.

Liquid was also the first Bitcoin sidechain built by OG Bitcoin Core devs and continues to be 1:1 parity at all times with Core, unlike many alts or even other “L2s” like Rootstock, which is built on ETH and legitimizes scammy altcoins.

As you should know, everything is a trade off with Bitcoin, which is fully permissionless and decentralized. In a hyperbitcoinized world, where most retail txs will be on L2, it’s important to understand each and how you should ideally apply them to your stack.

Personally use Lightning for fast, small, low-cost micropayments with friends and Liquid for confidential, secure medium and large transactions (esp when trading, lending) or midterm hodling. Use both to save on fees.

Here’s a fair breakdown between bitcoin and other L2s and custody solutions:

Security: Bitcoin > Liquid > Lightning > Exchange
Trust/uncensorable/unseizable: Bitcoin > Lightning > Liquid > Exchange
Confidentiality: Liquid > Lightning > Bitcoin
Speed: Lightning > Liquid > Bitcoin

It was our first choice but didn’t have the functionality we ...

2023-05-27T02:41:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…0624
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It was our first choice but didn’t have the functionality we were looking for yet, like the ability to have interactive lessons and search optimized threads. We’re confident we’ll get there though!

Haha, indeed

2023-05-26T18:20:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…dvga
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Haha, indeed

Adding a step by step checklist on screen (perhaps even as a pop ...

2023-05-26T18:18:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…klqs
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Adding a step by step checklist on screen (perhaps even as a pop up) would do the trick, so the user could follow along during the process.

- Transaction received
- Swapping
- L-BTC / LN-BTC sent to wallet
- Received
- Swap complete!

Something along those lines…

A bitcoin infrastructure company that has a list of bitcoin ...

2023-05-26T15:46:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…39l8
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A bitcoin infrastructure company that has a list of bitcoin products and solutions, including mining operations, a software and hardware wallet, several L2 implementations (CLN and Liquid), runs the Blockstream Satellite network, and does R&D for Bitcoin Core.

DM me if any questions, happy to help.

2023-05-25T01:50:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…2zvx
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DM me if any questions, happy to help.

With Boltz? No, they are an accountless swap platform, so clean. ...

2023-05-25T01:48:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…jdrk
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With Boltz? No, they are an accountless swap platform, so clean. But you’ll need a fiat on-ramp and those are all KYC (Strike, CashApp, any exchange). Luckily transactions are confidential on Liquid so when you hold any asset no one knows the asset type or amount. This may help obfuscate before pegging back into the mainchain eventually.

A great way to save on fees and continue to stack sats using ...

2023-05-25T01:34:56Z

A great way to save on fees and continue to stack sats using Bitcoin layer-2 during a sustained high-fee market like we saw a few weeks ago. Strike, CashApp or some other fiat on-ramp to Boltz to Green or Jade hardware wallet for cold storage - savings of upwards of 95% on fees.

Once fees drop sufficiently again you can bridge back into mainchain from Liquid for long-term HODLing.

Easy and cheap.

quoting note1lum…0n36
https://twitter.com/Liquid_BTC/status/1661450366100164629

The new Elements release v21.1.1 reduces a Liquid nodes memory ...

2023-03-30T06:02:12Z

The new Elements release v21.1.1 reduces a Liquid nodes memory footprint by nearly half, from 5529.6 MiB to 2764.8 MiB. This means users can confidently run Bitcoin, Lightning, and Liquid nodes concurrently on little more than a Raspberry Pi.

Memory consumption post-IBD sync with tests executed on 8GB RAM/4GB Swap VM 👇

It's really game over when Green adds Lightning (via ...

2023-03-22T23:15:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…t7tk
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It's really game over when Green adds Lightning (via Greenlight).

You'll be able to hodl your onchain bitcoin and assets like FUSD (a bitcoin-backed stablecoin) or the Blockstream Mining Note (earn tokenized hashrate) alongside access to Lightning for quick payments - all in one non-custodial #bitcoin wallet.