BitLiFi

Hey Stackers, I have a stunning app for you that can really get anyone onboarded into LN. A simple app that lets you send LN bitcoin to any phone number. It was developed by the Czech cryptocurrency exchange Anycoin and will be available globally. According to my information the app is ready and only waiting for approval in the App store and Google play. But you can already enter your phone number on bitlify.com to be the first at the live launch.

According to my information, there is no need for the recipient to have the app installed. Simply send bitcoin from the app to a phone number with an international prefix, at which point a new LN address will be created in the format phonenumber@bitlifi.com and the recipient will receive a text message that they have received the bitcoin with a link to download the app where the sats will already be waiting for them. At the same time, you can also use any other LN wallet and send sats to phonenumber@bitlifi.com and again an address will be created and an SMS notification will be sent to that number. It will be a custodial solution, but as a first encounter with bitcoin, I find it ingenious. Anyone who has ever explained to someone how bitcoin works, where to buy it, how to store it safely, how to protect it and how to make a transaction understands how difficult and incomprehensible it is for most people. With BitLiFi, suddenly sending bitcoin will be as easy as sending a WhatsApp message. Plus, charging an LN wallet with an onchain transaction should be free, so it will probably be the cheapest way to get onchain bitcoin onto the LN network.

What do you think about such a solution? I'm excited about it and can't wait to try it out. Once again it turns out that despite all the legislative hurdles, the Czech Republic is a world leader in bitcoin development, adoption and education.

40 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 20 Apr 2023

Collecting phone numbers while also admitting that user data will be collected is alarming in my opinion.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @BubeniCZECH OP 20 Apr 2023

When using a prepaid card, the phone number is anonymous. Moreover, no one uses the LN wallet to keep their savings, only for small payments, settling the bill with friends at a restaurant, etc. Larger amounts of course belong in the HW wallet. It's not a solution for die-hard bitcoiners protecting their privacy. It's a solution for regular people who already have all their sensitive data on Facebook anyway. Someone has to manage the node, maintain the channels and create new addresses. How could this work without collecting numbers?

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @davidw 20 Apr 2023

Might be worth having a look at the lightsats site for inspiration and direction on how to differentiate this business

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BubeniCZECH OP 20 Apr 2023

Thanks it looks interesting, but I still find it too complicated for newbies. Being able to send bitcoin to someone's phone number instantly, without downloading anything and setting up an account, seems absolutely revolutionary to me. It's no coincidence that one of the most used communicators in the world is WhatsApp, which works on the same principle. I suppose there will be some education in BitLiFi too, because it's not a business project. It is made by convinced bitcoiners who want to promote adoption.