Users can think of Machankura as similar to Wallet of Satoshi, but in its skeletal form, without a cumbersome user interface. Instead of having a smartphone app, you’re interacting with the wallet via the USSD menu. Machankura manages the requests through its custom Application Package Interface (API) infrastructure with the Lightning Network. Users broadcast requests via mobile networks and not an internet connection, the request is then accepted and relayed through the internet and the Lightning Network via the Machankura database and existing Bitcoin and Lightning nodes.

At the time of this writing, Machankura seems to work well and its website indicates it has coverage in at least six Africa countries — Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda — with the USSD codes and step-by-step instructions for use included as well.

Assuming your phone or sim card is stolen, that implies your funds have been stolen as well, or if someone sim swaps your number, they could gain access to your funds. You are expected to leverage Machankura as an amazing payment infrastructure rather than a long term self Custody product with the hope of anticipating different improvements and updates as it keeps unfolding.

BitText appears to be an open-source version of Machankura, throwing its two hands into the air with anticipation of global contributions that could fix and improve this Bitcoin-on-USSD solution by better targeting self custody, security and privacy, as well as transactions interoperability with Bitcoin’s Layer 2 Lightning Network.