Open Bitcoin Wallet (OBW) is underrated
2470 sats \ 47 comments \ @dtonon 8 Dec 2022 bitcoin
Open Bicoin Wallet (OBW), developed by @fiatjaf, is an absolutely brillant non-custodial Lightning/Bitcoin wallet + LN node. It is really underrated imho, I rarely see it cited in pools, reviews and suggestions, I cannot understand why.
It has a nice UI, fast and responsive. UX is absolutely good, great for someone that have at least a bit of experience with LN. Hosted channels give inbound liquidity (~1.6M sats total) for free so the new orange-pilled friend can get a bunch of sats realtime to start; this wins the first main barrier for onboarding on LN/Bitcoin. A lot of cool features: split payments, multy party payments, lnurl-auth, lightning address, tor support, bip39 seed, channels backup, hardware wallet support, fingerprint lock, etc.
Adding an introductory wizard that teaches the LN channels basis with a final one-click procedure to open an hosted channel with some free inbound liquidity would make OBW a pitiless (and winning) Muun competitor.
Github page: https://github.com/nbd-wtf/obw Releases: https://github.com/nbd-wtf/obw/releases Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=wtf.nbd.obw @DarthCoin guide: https://darthcoin.substack.com/p/obw-open-bitcoin-wallet
Let's try it!
@fiatjaf thank you for your effort!
Some suggestions I think could improve OBW discovery/usage:
  • Tune the Play Store SEO for the "OBW" keyword, in the beginning I wasn't able to find it
  • Add some screenshots/video to the github page, the UI deserves them
  • Make it available on F-Droid
  • Create a Telegram/Matrix group
write
preview
related posts
312 sats \ 2 replies \ @knvb 9 Dec 2022 freebie
It has failed my first test. Opened a hosted channel ( custodial , I know ) and tried to receive from a faucet ( lightningnetworkstores.com/faucet ) and it failed. WoS works every time.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
That's not OBW or WoS fault. Is LN path finding fault. All depends of the peers and node operators, the LN code implementations, liquidity in the moment you did the payment, the fees in the route, many factors.
Here I did several tests with many LN wallets and is an ongoing test, to find out what is the real cause of these and help the developers.
Just complaining because one payment from a damn shity faucet didn't work, it doesn't mean "oh the app is crap, I am not gonna use it". That means you know shit about LN and how it works and you need to learn more.
How many LN wallets did you test in your entire life? How many LN nodes you run in your entire life? How many guides and documentation you read about LN in your entire life? How many things you did to help Bitcoin and LN devs to improve the things?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
No problems here:
https://i.postimg.cc/L438Wz4g/Screenshot-20221209-102750.png
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32 sats \ 2 replies \ @hampus 8 Dec 2022
OBW is great! It supports NameDesc now too.
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31 sats \ 1 reply \ @dtonon OP 8 Dec 2022
Blixt is great too :)
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 8 Dec 2022
https://i.postimg.cc/fyJnytYy/blixt-vader-stark.jpg
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 8 Dec 2022
Some memes...
https://i.postimg.cc/LhdDSNYK/blixt-obw.jpg
and
https://i.postimg.cc/zB57fsZc/hampus-fiatjaf.jpg
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453 sats \ 2 replies \ @knvb 9 Dec 2022 freebie
BLW --> SBW --> OBW. They just keep abandoning the project and changing the name. Not reliable.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
I call it evolution and diversification. When the tech standards are open there aren't problem at all in switching.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
You have no idea what are you talking about.
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @1fatmess 9 Dec 2022
Absolutely spot-on. Plus advanced users can hook it up to their own node, connect over Tor etc.
All I want to see is PSBT support (USB, NFC, or whatever) for hardware wallets added, and I could ditch most all of the other wallet apps. It would be nice to consolidate.
I heard it’s coming to iOS soon, too :)
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24 sats \ 2 replies \ @super_testnet 9 Dec 2022
Not sure if you realize this but hosted channels are custodial
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
An is nothing wrong with that. Are you keeping all your savings into a small HC? Also those HC are for starters, you can always run your own hosted channel server with your node.
People should use the damn three levels stash and learn how to take advantages of using non-KYC custodial services.
https://i.postimg.cc/1zVy4QNn/3level-stash.jpg
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
Sure, I know. Hosted channels are a bonus for a quick start with no funds.
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3 sats \ 2 replies \ @DarthCoin 8 Dec 2022
Indeed, is really underrated, a great LN NODE wallet on your mobile! This is where people still don't get it: IS A FUCKING LN NODE.
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1 sat \ 1 reply \ @dtonon OP 8 Dec 2022
Real! The first sentence was "non-custodial Lightning/Bitcoin wallet + LN node", then I cut the last part to avoid "too much". But have to be said, right! Adding it in my edit time.
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 8 Dec 2022
With the predecessors of this OBW, BLW and SBW, I onboarded at least 300 new bitcoin users. Just saying. Is really easy for a new user to get onboard with OBW.
Now that is in fiatjaf hands, will be much better, I think.
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @cokyjgz 8 Dec 2022
Thanks for sharing
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1 sat \ 2 replies \ @agux 8 Dec 2022
I love OBW but I'm waiting for the update. I have not been able to open my own channels.
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 10 Dec 2022
I confirm that should be a minimum sats limit. I opened a channel with Deezy without any problems.
A list of good peers: https://github.com/hsjoberg/blixt-wallet/issues/1033
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
It seems related to the minimum required liquidity, that varies for every node.
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @cryptocoin 8 Dec 2022
Another fork of SBW (Valet, formerly StandardSats) may be adding Tor support thanks to the open source code from OBW having that:
Legends of Lightning ⚡️: Introducing Valet #96971 https://makers.bolt.fun/story/introducing-valet--421
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1 sat \ 8 replies \ @thebtctoto 8 Dec 2022
Why does this look exactly like the simple bitcoin wallet?
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21 sats \ 7 replies \ @dtonon OP 8 Dec 2022
Because it is a SBW fork :) as stated on the first line of the github readme.
So thanks to SBW for making it possibile. I don't know why the develop stopped ad Feb 2022, perhaps someone has news about it?
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1 sat \ 4 replies \ @thebtctoto 8 Dec 2022
Thanks for the reply, makes sense.
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0 sats \ 3 replies \ @thebtctoto 9 Dec 2022
Is there a guide on how to 'fund' a channel from your bitcoin wallet in the app? I get an error but the message doesnt display, perhaps minimum sats requirement ?
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
If is something like:
DustLimitAboveOurChannelReserve, dustLimit=546 sat, channelReserve=3...
Yes, it's related to the min channel size. Unluckly is not possibile to expand the error and read more details.
Can I ask you with which max size have you tried to open the channel?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 10 Dec 2022
See #105036
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @senf 9 Dec 2022
Possibly, you also need to add the node info as nodeid@ip:port, I believe.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @senf 9 Dec 2022
The developer is Ukrainian, so he's been a little occupied with other concerns since February.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
Ohh :(
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1 sat \ 3 replies \ @ln123 8 Dec 2022
sod telegram. Matrix!
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1 sat \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 8 Dec 2022
why not NOSTR? Is even better, you don't need any node/server as a regular user.
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 8 Dec 2022
Right! I'm there too :D
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 8 Dec 2022
Your are right, I use Matrix too. Added. I think Telegram is fine and a good compromise to help new users.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @mburu 19 Dec 2022
Is there a way to get my Xpub from this wallet?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @02f125d44e 9 Dec 2022
sheeeeesh
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0 sats \ 6 replies \ @03a8c5f853 9 Dec 2022
A quick duckduckgo for "Open Bitcoin Wallet" returns "bitcoinwallet.com", which seems very sketchy, and other irrelevant results. I can't even find OBW except from your links. Even searching for "open bitcoin wallet github", doesn't find this OBW project. You can only find it with "OBW wallet" and even then, it's not the first hit, which is very risky for newcomers...
If the team behind open bitcoin wallet wants their software to be adopted, they have to change the name.
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1 sat \ 4 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
You are right about the actual situation. As pointed in the suggestions a little SEO/visibility tuning could help a lot, a full rebrand is not necessary imho.
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0 sats \ 3 replies \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
SEO is for lazy people
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2 sats \ 2 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
I'm not talking about be a SEO/Google slavery, but about valorizing the work studying the user behaviour and applying basic metadata / brands / semantic / accessibility / usability rules that are useful in a lot of contexts, not only the "main" search engines ones.
Not puting "OBW" on an H1 in the github page or on the app name in the Play Store is simply a missing opportunity without any benefit, so formally an error.
On this point of view SEO is for smart people that think about a tool and use it properly for a better finality.
All these, IMHO.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
OBW is already on play store. Only that google like to promote first shitcoin apps. Did you scroll down a bit and see that is there?
The whole SEO is a fucking mafia...
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2 sats \ 0 replies \ @dtonon OP 9 Dec 2022
It is on the play store but it is not findable at all for "OBW". Post a screenshot if is different for you, perhaps the algorithm is language sensible.
Did you scroll down a bit and see that is there?
Yes, till the end :)
The whole SEO is a fucking mafia...
It seems a bit toxic approach, isn't? Why don't take the better part and go on? Let's talk about accessibility, SEO should follow as natural effect.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 9 Dec 2022
You should stop googling and ducking... and go for verified sources:
But yes, if you are living only in "crapto world" you will never hear about these amazing developments and you just google it.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @03bc878fd1 22 Jul 2023 freebie
Underrated and now... archived :(
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @FreddyAllArk 9 Dec 2022
This is pretty awesome
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