Highlights from day one of the 2025 #BtrustGathering 🎉 Day one of set the tone for the work that's to come in 2026. It was a day focused on sharing progress, celebrating program highlights, and reflecting on our collective impact across the ecosystem.

We recently announced our Q4 2025 Btrust Developer Grant recipients at this year’s #BtrustDeveloperDay 🚀 We’re celebrating six exceptional Bitcoin open‑source developers from across Africa who are driving forward decentralization, privacy, and scalability in the Bitcoin ecosystem. This cohort includes four starter grant recipients and two long‑term open‑source cohort members, all building critical infrastructure that strengthens the global Bitcoin ecosystem. Read the full announcement and meet the recipients on our blog:

Btrust Blog

Announcing Q4, 2025 Btrust Developer Grant Recipients

Africa, December 12, 2025 — We’re excited to recognize six outstanding Bitcoin open-source developers awarded Btrust grants, including four sta...

The Btrust Starter Grant empowers software engineers to contribute to open‑source Bitcoin development full‑time, offering mentorship, community support, and the freedom to focus on impactful, long‑term projects. Shammah Destiny Agwor is advancing privacy and reliability within Rust‑Payjoin, enhancing transaction‑level privacy through metrics‑driven adoption tracking, performance optimizations, and security enhancements. He will also lead the creation of a community Payjoin PR Review Club to onboard new contributors. Mohamed Emad is improving Bitcoin privacy infrastructure by enhancing the Mill‑IO event‑loop library and leading the migration of Coinswap to an event‑driven architecture. His work will bring Bitcoin‑specific performance optimizations, a new RPC framework, and detailed developer documentation to strengthen privacy and scalability. Simon focuses on mining decentralization through the Stratum V2 Template Provider and sv2‑apps. As co‑founder of BitDevs Nairobi, Btrust Builders faculty member, and Bitcoin educator who has facilitated developer bootcamps both within and outside Kenya, he is helping nurture the next generation of open‑source contributors. Ifeanyichukwu Amajuoyi is strengthening Lightning infrastructure through production‑level improvements to LDK‑Server, adding PostgreSQL support for high availability, a unified logging system, and comprehensive telemetry. His work addresses core stability and operability for Lightning Service Providers (LSPs) worldwide. The Btrust Long‑Term Grant sustains established open‑source contributors with year‑long support, mentoring, and funding to help them expand their impact across vital Bitcoin projects. Abdullahi Yunus, a former Starter Grantee and Btrust Builders alum, is deepening his work on Onion Messaging (BOLT 4) and BOLT 12 Offers in LND, pushing forward privacy‑preserving, invoice‑less Lightning payments. He will also enhance Lightning Polar with new developer tooling and testing features to support broader interoperability in the Lightning Network. Sulaiman Aminu Barkindo is driving VLS (Validating Lightning Signer) to mainnet readiness, integrating secure persistence, fuzz testing, dual funding, and splicing support while improving entropy security and enterprise‑scale validation. His long‑term focus on security and enclave deployments will make VLS production‑ready for non‑custodial Lightning operators. Five of the six recipients are graduates of the Btrust Builders program, which offers structured learning pathways covering Bitcoin fundamentals, open‑source contribution practices, and mentorship from seasoned Bitcoin developers. Their journey, from Builders graduates to funded grantees, highlights Btrust’s commitment to cultivating long‑term open‑source careers in the Global South and expanding the network of independent Bitcoin contributors worldwide. Applications are now open for the 2026 ₿OSS (Bitcoin Open‑Source Software) Challenge, a structured, hands‑on program for developers taking their first steps into Bitcoin open‑source development, created by Chaincode Labs. Learn about the ₿OSS Challenge:

Btrust Blog

Btrust Builders & Chaincode Labs Partner Again for the 2026 BOSS Challenge

Applications are ongoing for the 2026 ₿OSS (Bitcoin Open-Source Software) Challenge, kicking off January 12, 2026.

Apply for the 2026 cohort:

Chaincode Labs

BOSS Challenge cohort applications close December 31st, 2025. Btrust developer grant applications are open year-round, with new recipients announced quarterly. If you’re a developer passionate about contributing to Bitcoin open-source development, we encourage you to apply. Learn more about our grant programs and apply through our website: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/developer

Applications for the Btrust Board are ongoing 🚨 We are seeking new board members from the Global South region to join our mission-driven organization and help shape its next chapter. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to Btrust’s vision of strengthening Bitcoin open-source development across the Global South. The incoming members will succeed our inaugural board as part of Btrust’s planned transition process. Following this first three-year term, all future boards will serve two-year terms, with staggered transitions to ensure continuity and stability. If you’re passionate about open-source development, Bitcoin, and community-driven impact, we’d love to hear from you. 🗓 Applications close: 22nd December, 2025 📢 Notifications sent by 26th January, 2026 Learn more and apply here:

Call for Board Members

We’re excited to partner with Chaincode Labs for the 2026 ₿OSS Challenge, through our engineering program, @Btrust Builders.🎉 Learn more about the partnership and program here:

Btrust Blog

Btrust Builders & Chaincode Labs Partner Again for the 2026 BOSS Challenge

Applications are ongoing for the 2026 ₿OSS (Bitcoin Open-Source Software) Challenge, kicking off January 12, 2026.

Applications are open until the 31st of this month. Apply to join the cohort here:

Chaincode Labs

We're excited to be sponsoring this year's @npub1ndzn...5nva, happening from December 3-5 at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis, Mauritius. The conference brings together builders, businesses, innovators, policymakers, and community members from across Africa and beyond, all working to advance bitcoin on the continent. This year, we've flown in over 90 people from across our ecosystem, including the Btrust team, grantees, members from Btrust Builders, Bitshala, Vinteum & Librería de Satoshi, #BtrustDeveloperDay speakers, and more, to attend the conference. You'll see us throughout the event, with some of our community members speaking at the conference. We'll also have a booth, so make sure to stop by to learn more about what we're working on and grab some merch. We're looking forward to networking with fellow builders, innovators, and community members. See you soon! #ABC25 #BtrustInMauritius

1 day to go 🚀 Get ready for a full day of building at this year's #BtrustDeveloperDay. Tomorrow we dive into hands-on sessions, real-time problem-solving, and a full lineup designed to help you learn, collaborate, and create. We'll be sharing updates across our social media channels throughout the day, so stay tuned and follow along. And don't forget to bring your laptop. Learn more and register on our website: devday.btrust.tech

The 2025 #BtrustDeveloperDay schedule is live. 🚀 If you’ve been waiting to see what’s in store, from workshops and keynotes to live demos and lightning talks, it’s all up now. Catch all the sessions and plan your day on our website:

Btrust Developer Day

Btrust Developer Day

Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY Get ready for a full day of learning, building, and connecting with the global Bitcoin developer community. ⚡

If you’re joining us at the #BtrustDeveloperDay, we’ve got you covered. We’re offering free transport for all attendees to make getting to the venue as easy as possible. 🚍 Buses will be running from 7am to 11am, and if you’re coming from Middlesex University, pickups will go until noon. Here are the routes where you can catch a ride: • University of Mauritius (UoM) → Reduit → Moka • Middlesex University → Coastal Road → Uniciti → Flic‑en‑Flac • African Leadership College (ALCHE) → 21001 Powder Mill Road → Pamplemousses When the event wraps up, return buses will depart from 4:30pm, following the same routes back. Find your route, hop on, and enjoy the ride. Your transport to Dev Day is on us! 🎉 👉 Register to attend: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

New to bitcoin? Stop by the Bitcoin 101 booth at the #BtrustDeveloperDay to get guided, hands‑on help from our team.  Our booth will walk you through the fundamentals of bitcoin, what it is, how it works, and why it matters, while helping you set up your wallet. You’ll get to explore user‑friendly tools like Wallet of Satoshi and @Blink Wallet and learn how to send, receive, and secure your bitcoin with confidence. Our team will be available throughout the event to answer questions, share practical tips, and help you take your first steps toward bitcoin ownership and financial independence. 👉 Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY 

Visit the Btrust and BitDevs Mauritius 🇲🇺 booth at #BtrustDeveloperDay to learn more about how you can start your journey in Bitcoin open‑source development and get involved with developer communities across Africa and the Global South. At the booth, visitors can explore Btrust‑supported programs, discover opportunities for training, mentorship, and grants, and find guidance on how to contribute to major open‑source Bitcoin projects. You’ll also learn how to connect with local builders through BitDevs Mauritius, a vibrant community hosting regular meetups, workshops, and discussions for developers passionate about Bitcoin and Lightning. Learn more about Btrust:

Btrust

We locate, educate and renumerate Bitcoin Open-Source Engineers in the Global South

Learn more and join the BitDevs Mauritius community here:

BitDevsMauritius

👉 Register to attend Btrust Developer Day: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

We’re excited to have the @Alby🐝 team joining us at the #BtrustDeveloperDay! ⚡ Alby builds simple, powerful tools on Bitcoin that make sending and receiving payments as easy and open as sharing information online. With a strong focus on usability and interoperability, Alby is helping individuals, communities, and businesses take full control of their money, reduce payment friction, and unlock new possibilities for value transfer across the open internet. At their booth, attendees can explore how Alby’s open‑source ecosystem, including browser extensions, APIs, and Lightning integrations, is enabling seamless Bitcoin payments for apps, websites, and content creators around the world. Stop by the Alby booth to meet the team, see the tools in action, and discover how they’re helping make Bitcoin part of everyday internet experiences. Learn more about Alby:

Alby — Bitcoin Lightning Wallets & Tools

Alby offers open-source wallets and tools for using Bitcoin as everyday money online, in apps, and in person. Try Alby Cloud or self-host Alby Hub.

👉 Register to attend Btrust Developer Day: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

Explore Flash, a platform bridging Bitcoin and the Lightning Network with mobile money across Francophone Africa. ⚡ Flash makes it easy for users to buy and sell bitcoin via mobile money and even make payments directly to mobile money accounts using bitcoin, connecting the power of bitcoin to one of Africa’s most widely used financial systems. Visit the Flash booth at the #BtrustDeveloperDay to meet the team, see the platform in action, and learn about how they’re empowering financial access in Francophone Africa through bitcoin. Learn more about the platform here:

Bitcoin Flash - Bitcoin à partir de 100 XOF

Bitcoin Flash - Bitcoin à partir de 100 XOF

👉 Register to attend the Developer Day: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

Discover three powerful tools transforming payments and infrastructure in the bitcoin ecosystem at the #BtrustDeveloperDay. BTCPay Server is a secure, self‑hosted, and open‑source payment processor that’s private, censorship‑resistant, and free to use. Ideal for merchants and developers looking for full control over their Bitcoin payments. Mavapay is a flexible Lightning Network API simplifying digital payments across Africa. Experience live demos featuring instant borderless transactions, e‑commerce checkouts, and custom payment links, showcasing how easy it is to integrate scalable bitcoin payment solutions for businesses and apps. NodeGaze is an open‑source observability tool for Lightning node operators, allowing real‑time monitoring of node performance, channel health, and logs. Explore how the event propagation API enables instant alerts, automation, and seamless integrations for Lightning infrastructure management. Visit their booth to interact with the teams, test live demos, and learn how these projects are empowering developers and merchants to build secure, scalable Bitcoin payment systems. 👉 Register to attend Btrust Developer Day: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

Clooza is a social event and experience platform that helps you discover activities and creators while giving organizers everything they need to manage and grow their communities. From ticketing and communication to analytics, creator loans, and fast payouts through a digital wallet, Clooza provides a seamless all‑in‑one solution to monetize and expand your audience. At the #BtrustDeveloperDay, the Clooza team will be showcasing how their platform is powering the next generation of events and creator experiences. Stop by, meet the team and explore the platform. Learn more about Clooza here:

Clooza

Clooza

Discover events, activities, people, and places tailored to your interests with Clooza.

👉 Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

Curious about building on Bitcoin? Pass by the @Bitcoin Dev Project booth at the #BtrustDeveloperDay to explore free, open‑source resources designed to help you grow as a Bitcoin developer. Whether you’re already contributing to Bitcoin open‑source software (BOSS) or just getting started, the team will be there to answer questions, share tools, and connect you with the broader developer community. You’ll also be able to experience live demos of some flagship products like ChatBTC, Decoding Bitcoin, and Saving Satoshi, interactive platforms that make learning Bitcoin development engaging, accessible, and fun. Learn more about the Bitcoin Dev Project here: bitcoindevs.xyz 👉 Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

Get ready for some fun and learning at the @Evento booth during the #BtrustDeveloperDay! 🚀 The team has lined up some exciting activities for attendees to explore, play, and build around bitcoin, including: • Mario Kart double sats: Race your friends, have fun, and earn bitcoin via the Lightning Network! It’s gaming meets real‑time bitcoin rewards. • #Hack4Freedom 2026: Learn more about this upcoming two‑week, all‑women hackathon dedicated to building freedom technologies and empowering female builders across the bitcoin ecosystem. • The Evento App: Experience the new version of the Evento app, now featuring a custom built‑in Lightning ⚡ wallet. RSVP for their session here:

Evento

🏁 Evento x D++ @ Btrust Dev Day - Evento

Evento at Btrust Dev Day 🇲🇺Visit the Evento booth at Btrust Dev Day to try out new tools, play games for sats, and take part in our second-ev...

👉 Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

3 days to go 🎉 Today's highlight is a fun perk for everyone joining us in Mauritius. Registered attendees get free merch at this year's #BtrustDeveloperDay. If you've signed up, you'll walk away with something special to mark the day. It's our little way of saying thank you for showing up, learning, contributing, and being part of the community pushing Bitcoin forward. Learn more and register here: https://www.clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

We’re excited to have the Bitika team showcasing at the #BtrustDeveloperDay! ⚡ Bitika is a bitcoin on‑ramp for everyday Kenyans 🇰🇪, allowing anyone to instantly convert mobile money (M‑Pesa) directly into bitcoin in just three simple steps. Their mission is to make bitcoin accessible, practical, and inclusive for everyone. At their booth, attendees can learn how Bitika works, explore how it integrates seamlessly with widely used payment systems, and see firsthand how they’re making bitcoin adoption smooth, local, and user‑friendly. Learn more about Bitika here:

Bitika

Bitika - Buy Bitcoin with M-Pesa

The easiest way for Kenyans to buy Bitcoin using M-Pesa

👉 Register to attend Btrust Developer Day: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

We’re excited to have the Minmo team showcasing their project at the #BtrustDeveloperDay! 🎉 Minmo is an embedded exchange providing tools that empower agents to professionalize their services and better serve end‑users across apps and communities. Through its infrastructure, Minmo enables developers and businesses to build seamless bitcoin on‑ and off‑ramp experiences, connecting liquidity directly where users need it most. At their booth, you’ll have the chance to meet the team, see product demos, and learn how Minmo’s APIs and agent network are powering a new wave of bitcoin adoption across Africa and beyond. Stop by the Minmo booth to connect, explore, and experience how they’re building practical tools that bridge technology and real‑world use for everyday Bitcoin users. Learn more about Minmo:

Minmo - Serve your Community.

Use Minmo services to connect and professionally integrate Bitcoin into your community.

Register to attend the Developer Day here: https://clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY

4 days to go 🎉 Today's theme is a fun one. Have you thought of what to wear to the #BtrustDeveloperDay?🤷‍♂️ Mauritius is warm, so think light, comfortable, and practical. You'll be moving around, coding, and joining hands-on sessions, so dress in whatever keeps you focused and relaxed. No suits, no pressure. Wear what feels like you. Just bring the laptop. We'll handle the rest. Learn more and register to attend here: https://www.clooza.com/events/BTRUSTDEVELOPERDAY