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npub1478w...lr8c
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prochronist 2 years ago
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). 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
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prochronist 2 years ago
Last week, we announced a partnership with Swan regarding their new collaborative custody solution that features @Blockstream 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 🧵 image 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. 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. image Versatile Jade is simple to use with great support (@npub15r8c...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. image 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. 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. 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. 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/ image
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prochronist 2 years ago
Cool tidbit: other than SeedSigner, @Blockstream 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! View quoted note →
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prochronist 2 years ago
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:
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prochronist 2 years ago
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 or P-38 (great for private, encrypted messaging), if you don't have access to the API directly via the blocksat-cli. 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:
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prochronist 2 years ago
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 Bull Bitcoin Hodl Hodl Peach Bitcoin Sideshift
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prochronist 2 years ago
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
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prochronist 2 years ago
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. View quoted note →
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prochronist 2 years ago
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 👇 image