Unveiling the Top Self-Custody Lightning Wallet

• Examining Self-Custodial Lightning Wallets in Rural Zimbabwe
• A Look at the Circumstances
• About Anita Posch
• Lightning Wallets: The First Test
• Goal of the Wallet Test
• Testing Set-Up
• Opening a Channel
• Channel Opening Costs
• Testing Location Choice
• Testing Process
• Swapping to Liquid
• Payment Costs
• Payment Reliability and Speed
• Wallet Features and Differences

Examining Self-Custodial Lightning Wallets in Rural Zimbabwe

A Look at the Circumstances

The exploration of self-custodial Lightning wallets in Zimbabwe, particularly within rural areas, has shed light on their usability and the challenges users face. Despite the scarcity of Africa-developed self-custodial wallets, their usefulness in sending small payments in areas with limited internet connectivity is being evaluated. The Lightning network's novelty and intricacy, coupled with the task of operating a node network on mobile devices, has added to the examination's complexity.

About Anita Posch

Anita Posch is a globally acknowledged Bitcoin$42,260 -0.64% educator. She is the author of (L)earn Bitcoin and the founder of the online academy Crack the Orange and the non-profit initiative Bitcoin for Fairness.

Lightning Wallets: The First Test

In 2023, the only two self-custodial Lightning wallets available were Breez and Phoenix$1.05 -3.25%. However, the options increased in the following year and included Blixt, Mutiny, Green, Zeus, and Phoenix. The Wallet of Satoshi, a custodial wallet, was also tested for comparison purposes. The wallets underwent significant changes and will continue to evolve, with new ones like Mutiny, Blixt, and the Lightning integration in Blockstream's Green wallet only emerging recently.

Goal of the Wallet Test

The primary objective was to determine which wallets were best for sending and receiving bitcoin in a reliable, quick, easy-to-use manner, and to compare the costs involved.

Testing Set-Up

Before embarking on testing in rural areas, the wallets were set up and a Lightning payments channel was opened in Harare to anticipate low internet signal challenges. Despite having the fastest internet provider in Harare, it still took time to install the apps, secure the private keys, and open a Lightning channel, demonstrating the complexity of the process.

Opening a Channel

All wallets followed a test protocol to ensure consistency. Each wallet had 100,000 sats (~$42 at current prices) sent to open a Lightning channel, a process that requires two transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain. Methods to open a channel varied, from sending on-chain Bitcoin, transferring Lightning directly from another wallet, or through a swap from Liquid. These methods affected set-up speed and fees.

Channel Opening Costs

The channel opening cost varied, with Blixt being the most expensive due to high on-chain transaction fees at the time, and the cheapest being the direct use of Lightning from another LN wallet. The balance after channel opening also varied, with Zeus having the lowest balance and Green boasting the highest.

Testing Location Choice

The payment test was carried out in a rural area 30 km from the capital, Harare. The challenge was finding a stable internet signal, as network coverage was inconsistent. Despite the challenges, the payments test was carried out using three devices: a Google Pixel 4, iPhone 13 Pro, and an iPad Air (3rd generation).

Testing Process

The first test involved sending 50,000 sats from different wallets to the iPhone's Phoenix wallet. Phoenix was the quickest, completing the transfer in just three seconds. In contrast, Blixt and Zeus did not function. The next test involved receiving 30,000 sats from the Phoenix wallet on the iPhone. The final test involved sending 20,000 sats to a Lightning address. Green managed to send a payment to a Lightning address, while Blixt and Zeus could not.

Swapping to Liquid

The option to swap 20,000 sats for Liquid under these conditions was tested. Both Phoenix and the Wallet of Satoshi successfully completed the swap from Lightning to Liquid Bitcoin. Mutiny failed in this swap.

Payment Costs

Payment costs varied significantly across wallets when opening a channel. Zeus was the most expensive, whereas Green was the cheapest. However, the costs for sending and receiving were approximately the same across different wallets.

Payment Reliability and Speed

Phoenix and the Wallet of Satoshi were the most reliable for payments. Moreover, Phoenix was even faster than the Wallet of Satoshi. Green and Mutiny also showed satisfactory performance when they functioned correctly.

Wallet Features and Differences

The wallets were assessed for user-friendliness and security. Notably, Green and Phoenix use 12-word seeds, while Blixt, Mutiny, and Zeus opt for 24

Edited by Jonathan Stoker