Ah ok. I will update Blocktank as well then.

And yeah, it seems blind signing is not being used anywhere. So the focus should be on the improved security VLS can bring, to your point. Seems I have more work to do to change our positioning back to security.

Appreciate your feedback!

As I understand it, the node handles most of the complex, high-risk stuff: gossip, routing, channel management, networking. The signer just validates and signs. By moving that logic onto a separate, hardened device, you can cut down the attack surface compared to everything running inside one node process.

You can also split signing roles: one signer that’s always on for receiving, and another that only turns on when you want to send or close channels. That isn’t possible with a monolithic node.

Thanks for the feedback Justin. That was my bad, I did not research these well enough. I've updated Voltage, Lightspark and WoS to correctly categorize them and will ship with the next round of updates in the next day or two.

For Synonym, AFAICT, while Bitkit is a mobile LND hot wallet, the Blocktank LSP seems to be a blind signer. From their website : "Instant Bitcoin transactions require a Lightning connection. Blocktank provides you with a self-custodial, stable, and seamless experience, while eliminating the complexity of managing a node."

Unless I'm missing something.

Thanks! That's great to hear ☺️

Love what you're doing with Stacker News as well! Imo it's a much better model than legacy social media

PS really like the zap forwarding feature. Is that new?

Breez is using Greenlight, who are using VLS to separate LN keys from the node

Maybe @roy can provide more details, as I'm not sure on what it will look like

The devs building VLS into their Lightning apps will be able to configure which actions do/don’t require user input.

They may also provide optional velocity controls which will allow routine payments to known destinations up to a limit (per hour/day/week/etc) defined by the user

VLS normally asks the user to approve transactions, so it will refuse to sign if the user didn't initiate the action. And since the device running VLS holds the LN keys, the node will not be able to independently sign the transactions (unlike a blind signer which would be open to the exploit you describe)

Do you mind elaborating how you think VLS might violate privacy? We will address your concern, but just want to make sure we understand first

Also, it should get easier from here as LN companies like Stakwork build user facing solutions that integrate VLS with an UI

That being said, we recommend everyone practice safe transactions, use VLS (whenever possible) 😉

I don’t think debt will be as prevalent as it is in the fiat system, mainly because the supply of bitcoin is limited, so there won’t be enough to pay back the interest on all debt if the percentage of the economy that is debt financed is too high.

As for housing prices, the reason they are so high and require so much debt to purchase is two fold imo:

It’s hard to know for sure, but I imagine a world where Bitcoin allows for a house to no longer be multiples of average income, and be affordable for the average pleb

This is a great question and I think this depends on their preferred LN setup and security needs/budget. A lot of plebs I’ve talked to have asked why do I need VLS if I have my Lightning node on an Umbrel or why do I need VLS if I’m keeping small amounts on my node?

Those are good questions to ask. From an individual’s perspective, given their specific circumstances, the cost to setup VLS or the time required to manage it may not be worth it. Or they may prefer to have full control over the node from one device, rather than splitting the keys from the node. This may even apply to small merchants depending on their risk tolerance and security needs/budget.

When we’re talking about larger merchants/enterprises, with more significant volumes flowing through their node, I find it hard to imagine a case where they are using the Lightning network and not using VLS or something like it.

This seems like a 3-of-3 multi-sig setup where each person holds 1 key.

While LN multi-sig is not yet ready, we are following work being done by Lightning core devs on multi-sig protocols which should allow for this to happen.

As a side note, 3-of-3 setups are dangerous if you don't properly backup your keys, as one lost key means you lose your funds.

To add to what Ken said, VLS is focused on building a library and reference implementation which can be used by LN companies and developers to build into their solutions. VLS will be capable of running on cheap personal signing devices that plebs can use, but if the pleb is not a dev the solution they use will need to be built by one of these LN companies/devs

Japan, hands down.

It was an amazing experience, because everything is done so meticulously with great attention to detail. You can walk into a 7-11 and have a better meal from the frozen section than most restaurants in north america.

The restaurants there, especially the ramen and sushi are another level (though this may mean you can't enjoy these foods at home anymore).

And the parks in the cities and the scenery in the country side are beautiful.

Highly recommend you go, though not sure if they accept Bitcoin, I went before I discovered it. A quick look at BTC Map shows its not many places unfortunately.