Throwing it back to our 2025 Year in Review.🚀 2025 was about strengthening the foundation for decentralized Bitcoin development across Africa and the broader Global Majority. After several years of experimentation and iteration, the year marked a shift toward more structured execution; deepening the programs, partnerships, and systems that support open‑source contributors across the Bitcoin ecosystem. Throughout the year, we focused on building and strengthening the developer pipeline, from discovery and education to mentorship, grants, and long‑term contribution opportunities. Across our initiatives, more than 3,800 developers engaged with Btrust programs and ecosystem activities. From Btrust Builders, which continues to introduce engineers to Bitcoin open‑source development, to grants supporting contributors and initiatives across the ecosystem, our work centered on expanding opportunities for developers to learn, collaborate, and build. We also supported BitDevs communities across Africa, participated in global conferences, and brought together developers from Africa, India, and Latin America through gatherings and technical events designed to strengthen collaboration across the Global Majority. Together, these efforts reflect our long‑term mission of helping build a more geographically distributed community of engineers contributing to Bitcoin’s open‑source infrastructure. If you missed it the first time, read the full Btrust 2025 Year‑in‑Review blog here:

Btrust Blog

Btrust 2025 Year in Review

A recap of Btrust’s 2025 milestones in decentralizing Bitcoin open‑source development across Africa and the Global South.

Lightning⚡ is best known as a network for fast bitcoin payments. But what if the same infrastructure could also carry private messages? That’s the idea behind onion messages🧅. They rely on onion encryption, a technique where data is wrapped in multiple layers of encryption, like layers of an onion. As the message travels through the network, each node removes just one layer, learning only where the message came from and where it should go next. No single node ever sees the full route or the original sender and final recipient. In this article, Abdullahi Yunus explores how onion messages work, how they differ from traditional payment routing, and how they’re being implemented in LND. The piece also looks at why this small protocol change could turn Lightning into more than just a payment network. If you’re curious about how Lightning might evolve into a private communication layer, read the full blog to learn more:

Btrust Blog

Onion Messages: Lightning’s Private Messaging Layer

Written by Abdullahi Yunus Most people know the Lightning Network as a fast way to send Bitcoin payments. It’s a network of computers (called n...

As our work supporting Bitcoin developers and open‑source communities across the Global Majority continues to grow, we’re excited to welcome three new team members to Btrust. 🎉 Earlier this year, we opened applications for two roles on our team, programs & operations officer and communications associate, and received an incredible 536 and 529 applications respectively. After a thoughtful selection process, we’re thrilled to welcome Taiye Salami and Feranmi Famuyiwa to the team. We’re also excited to officially bring on Absalom Gavin as our Designer, after working closely with him over the past couple of years. Taiye Salami joins us as program & operations officer, bringing over seven years of experience leading and supporting large, multi‑stakeholder programs across Africa. Before Btrust, Taiye worked with organizations including AfriLabs, Microsoft, and EdTech Hub, where he coordinated grant‑funded initiatives, managed continent‑wide innovation and education programs, and supported founders, hubs, and ecosystem partners across multiple countries. His work has spanned program execution, stakeholder coordination, operations systems, and the delivery of large-scale initiatives backed by partners such as the World Bank, European Commission, GIZ, and UNFPA. Joining as Communications Associate, Feranmi Famuyiwa brings strong experience in digital marketing, storytelling, and community-focused communications. Prior to Btrust, she worked with Bitnob where she managed newsletters, blogs, and social media content while supporting campaigns, developer events, and product communications within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Her work focuses on making complex ideas easy to understand through thoughtful content and consistent messaging across digital platforms. We’re also excited to welcome Absalom Gavin as Designer. Absalom has been working with the team for the past couple of years, supporting design needs across our initiatives. With a background in graphic design, UI/UX, and technical systems, he brings a thoughtful mix of creativity and technical understanding to visual storytelling and product design. Please join us in welcoming Taiye, Feranmi, and Absalom to the team as we continue building and supporting the Bitcoin open‑source ecosystem in the Global majority.

Yesterday BitDevs Addis Ababa 🇪🇹 hosted its inaugural meetup, bringing together 75 developers and Bitcoin enthusiasts for the community’s first Socratic Seminar. 🚀 The session featured a lively discussion, led by Yeabsra Henok, exploring recent developments in the Bitcoin ecosystem. The level of engagement in the room made it clear that there is strong interest among developers in Addis to better understand Bitcoin from a technical perspective. If you're a developer in Addis Ababa curious about Bitcoin development, BitDevs Addis is building a local community where developers can connect, discuss Bitcoin’s technical developments, and discover resources, programs, and pathways that support getting started and contributing to the ecosystem. Join the community and attend the monthly meetups to be part of the conversation and connect with other builders in the ecosystem. A big thank you to @Kal Kassa, Hana Terefe, and Yeabsra for getting the ball rolling. 🧡

2025 was a defining year for Btrust as we focused on strengthening the foundations needed to decentralize Bitcoin development across the Global Majority. We focused on scaling what works, building stronger pathways for developers to discover Bitcoin, contribute to open‑source infrastructure, and grow sustainable careers. Here’s a snapshot of what that looked like in 2025: • 3,800+ developers engaged globally across Africa, Latin America, India, and beyond • 1,800+ applications to the @npub1353s...gajp program • $2M+ in grants awarded, with 39.7% going directly to developers • 18 developer grantees contributing to 15 open‑source Bitcoin projects • 13 BitDevs communities supported across 9 African countries, hosting 70+ meetups attracting ~1,900 developers • 16 global conferences attended, with developer grantees speaking at 9 • ~265 attendees at the second edition of the Btrust Developer Day in Mauritius 🇲🇺 A more geographically distributed Bitcoin developer ecosystem is already beginning to emerge, and the Global Majority is increasingly part of shaping it. Read the full Btrust 2025 Year in Review to see everything we built and learned throughout the year:

Btrust Blog

Btrust 2025 Year in Review

A recap of Btrust’s 2025 milestones in decentralizing Bitcoin open‑source development across Africa and the Global South.

Bitcoin works best when transactions don’t easily reveal who paid whom. But in practice, sharing addresses and receiving payments can still create privacy challenges. Silent Payments offer a different approach. They allow someone to publish a single address while still receiving payments that appear as unique, unlinkable transactions on the blockchain. In this blog post, Btrust grantee Sonkeng Maldini explores how Silent Payments work and why they’re an important development for Bitcoin privacy. The article also walks through a practical example of detecting Silent Payment outputs using Frigate, an experimental Electrum server, and the Bitcoin Dev Kit. If you're curious about how Silent Payments could improve privacy and how developers are experimenting with tools around them, this post is a great place to start. Read the full blog for more details:

Btrust Blog

Silent Payments: A Case Study of Frigate for Ephemeral Client Key Scanning

Written by Sonkeng Maldini Bitcoin is constantly evolving, and one of the recent developments attracting attention is Silent Payments. In this p...

We’re excited to announce the Q1 Btrust Developer Grant recipients, our largest cohort to date. 🚀 Ten Bitcoin open-source developers have been awarded grants, including six starter grant recipients and four open-source cohort members, including two renewals and two promotions from starter to long-term grants. This cohort also marks a couple of important firsts: support for Cashu 🥜 development and the introduction of a dedicated research role within the open-source cohort. This builds on our work across the stack, from core protocol development to wallets, privacy tools, and user-facing applications. The Btrust starter grant provides support for software engineers ready to contribute full-time to open-source Bitcoin development. It allows recipients to explore areas of interest, identify a focus for long-term contributions, and engage deeply with the global Bitcoin developer community with relevant support via mentorship and without financial constraints. Q1, 2026 starter grantees are: • Michael Ariwaodo working on Cashu • Frankline Omondi working on Bitcoin Core and bip353‑rs • John Osezele working on Bitcoin Dev Kit and Rust Payjoin • Victor Chabunda working on rust‑payjoin and UniFFI‑Dart • Muhammad Shehu working on Payjoin Dev Kit and Bitcoin Dev Kit • Sonkeng Maldini working on Bitcoin Dev Kit and Bitcoin Core The Btrust Open-Source Cohort offers long-term support to established Bitcoin open-source contributors, promoting a collaborative environment for sustained development. Members receive funding paid monthly in bitcoin, mentorship, and peer support to deepen their work on critical Bitcoin open-source projects. The cohort model aims to build a resilient, inclusive developer ecosystem, enabling contributors from the Global Majority to make meaningful, lasting impacts on Bitcoin's open-source ecosystem. Q1, 2026 long-term grantees are: • Chuks Agbakuru working on Lightning Dev Kit • Peter Tyonum working on Bitcoin Dev Kit • Enigbe Ochekliye working on Lightning Dev Kit with a focus on research • Tobechi Chukwuleta working on BTCPay Server Learn more about the recipients and what they’re working on in the blog:

Btrust Blog

Q1, 2026 Btrust Developer Grant Announcement

Africa, April 1, 2026 — We're excited to announce our largest Btrust developer grant cohort to date. Ten outstanding Bitcoin open-source develope...

Applications for Btrust developer grants are open year-round, with new grantees announced quarterly. If you’re a developer looking to contribute to Bitcoin open source projects, we encourage you to apply. Learn more about Btrust developer grants here: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/developer

Most bitcoin users never think about fee sniping; a scenario where a miner tries to re‑mine a recently mined block to capture the transaction fees inside it. To reduce the incentive for this, many wallets set a locktime, which helps ensure transactions are only valid for the next block. But this protective behavior has an unintended side effect: it can create patterns that make some transactions easier to identify on the blockchain. In our latest blog, Abiodun Awoyemi dives into BIP326, a proposal that improves privacy for Taproot wallets without requiring any change to the Bitcoin protocol. The idea is simple: instead of always using nLockTime for anti‑fee‑sniping protection, wallets can sometimes use nSequence instead. Many off‑chain protocols like the Lightning Network⚡ already use nSequence for timelocks. If regular wallets also start using it, transactions that settle from off‑chain systems will blend in with everyday on‑chain activity. That makes it much harder for blockchain analysts to distinguish between the two. The result is a larger anonymity set, better privacy, and stronger fungibility for Bitcoin users. Abiodun walks through the mechanics behind locktimes, Taproot and MAST, why HTLC‑based systems leak information, and how BIP326 helps close that privacy gap, all the way down to a practical Rust implementation. If you’re curious about how a small wallet behavior change can strengthen privacy across the Bitcoin ecosystem, this is a great deep dive. Read the full blog to learn more:

Btrust Blog

BIP326: Anti-Fee-Sniping as a Privacy Primitive for Taproot Wallets

Written by Abiodun Awoyemi Table of Contents 1. Introduction to BIP326 2. Locktime Fundamentals: nLockTime vs nSequence 3. Fee Sniping: T...

Bitcoin runs because of people. Developers who review code, fix bugs, debate tradeoffs, and quietly maintain the software behind a global monetary network. Btrust was created to help decentralize Bitcoin development across the Global Majority. One way we do this is by funding and supporting African developers contributing to Bitcoin open‑source projects. In 2025, we focused on building the systems to make this work better. We experimented, improved our processes, and strengthened the pipeline that supports developers contributing to Bitcoin. And our grantees delivered. They contributed to 15 Bitcoin open‑source projects, including Bitcoin Core, Lightning Dev Kit, Bitcoin Dev Kit, BTCPay Server, BlueWallet, Rust‑Bitcoin, and more. Together they produced 431 commits, 222 merged pull requests, and 475 code reviews, helping improve tools used across the Bitcoin ecosystem. This blog, co-authored by Kelvin Isievwore, breaks down the projects they worked on, the technical contributions they made, and the impact across the Bitcoin stack. Read the full blog to learn more:

Btrust Blog

2025 Btrust Developer Grantee Impact

At its core, Bitcoin is sustained by people; developers who review code, fix bugs, debate tradeoffs, and quietly maintain the software that powers ...

Learn more about our developer grant program and apply through our website: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/developer

Reminder 🚨 Tomorrow is the final day to apply for the Programs & Operations Officer and Communications Associate positions. We’ve received an overwhelming response, with over 490 and 480 applications respectively. Learn more and submit your application below: Programs & Operations Officer: https://btrust.homerun.co/programs-operations-officer/en Communications Associate: https://btrust.homerun.co/communications-associate/en

Rust 🦀 is quickly becoming one of the most important languages in the Bitcoin ecosystem. From wallet libraries to Lightning implementations, more projects are adopting Rust for its safety, performance, and reliability, traits that align perfectly with Bitcoin’s need for secure and predictable software. At the 2025 #BtrustDeveloperDay, Jamal ERRAKIBI explored this growing trend in his talk, breaking down what makes Rust different from other languages and why it’s reshaping how Bitcoin software is built. 🎥 Watch the session recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/bDxhY5p1yKQ?t=5145s In our latest blog, Jamal expands on that talk, diving deeper into how Rust’s memory safety, high performance, and strong type system power projects like rust-bitcoin, BDK, rust-lightning, and Fedimint. He also shares lessons from contributing to Rust-Bitcoin and practical advice for developers looking to get started or contribute. 👉 Read the full article here:

Btrust Blog

Why Rust Is Becoming Essential in Bitcoin

Written by Jamal Errakibi This article is a written version of my talk “Why Rust Is Becoming Essential in Bitcoin,” which I gave during the 20...

We recently had the pleasure of sponsoring and being part of the just concluded @Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town 🇿🇦 conference. Things kicked off on Thursday with the Bitcoin Circular Economy Summit, followed by the pre-conference hangout. It was a great chance to meet people, network, and enjoy some fun activities like sim golf ⛳ before the main event began. On day 1, @npub1zm2d...f260, a Btrust developer grantee working on Stratum V2, presented a session on mining decentralization. He broke things down from the basics all the way to the technical details, showing why mining pool centralization can become a censorship risk. He also shared how Stratum V2 helps miners choose their own transactions, making Bitcoin more secure and decentralized. On day 2, @npub12qj0...w8vy, our communications lead spoke about what it takes to support and sustain open-source development in Africa and the Global South. She reminded everyone that behind Bitcoin is a strong human layer, consisting of developers, reviewers, maintainers, and community builders whose work keeps the network running and growing. She also shared how developers help turn Bitcoin from just a protocol into tools people actually use every day, like wallets, self-custody solutions, and payment infrastructure. That’s why decentralization shouldn’t stop at the code. We need builders from more places, especially those who understand local challenges, helping shape the tools that will bring Bitcoin to the next billion users. We’re proud to support this work by creating more sustainable paths for contributors and helping strengthen the ecosystem. One of the coolest parts of the conference was seeing bitcoin used in real life. We were able to buy coffee using bitcoin, powered by @npub155m2...dcvg, one of the open-source projects helping make bitcoin payments possible. There was also a dedicated workshop space where builders got to share what they’re working on. It was exciting to see solutions being built from real local problems, and we loved connecting with the community and exploring new partnerships. A big thank you to the organizers and everyone involved for putting together such an amazing experience.

Btrust is hiring! 🚀 We’re looking for a Communications Associate to support the planning, creation, and execution of communications and marketing initiatives that amplify Btrust’s mission and showcase the impact of our work across the Global South. This is a full-time, remote role focused on content coordination, campaign support, community engagement, and storytelling around Bitcoin open-source development. If you’re proficient in communications, digital marketing, and building in the Bitcoin ecosystem, we’d love to hear from you. 📅 Application deadline: February 13, 2026 Learn more about the role and apply here: https://btrust.homerun.co/communications-associate/en

Btrust is hiring! 🚀 We’re looking for a Programs & Operations Officer to help execute and scale Btrust’s programs, grants, and community infrastructure across the Global South. This is a full-time, remote role at the center of our work supporting Bitcoin developers, grassroots communities, and open-source education initiatives. If you’re a strong operator who enjoys coordinating programs, improving systems, and delivering impact in a mission-driven organization, we’d love to hear from you. 📅 Application deadline: February 13, 2026 Learn more about the role and apply here: https://btrust.homerun.co/programs-operations-officer/en

A big thank you to the @npub17xvf...c9as team for featuring us in this week's edition of the Financial Freedom Report. 🧡 Read the full report and subscribe here:

Financial Freedom Report #106

We've been working on the BitDevs Playbook for a while, so it's incredibly rewarding to finally see it out in the world. The playbook is live and fully open-source, and you're welcome to give your feedback and contribute to it. You can access the playbook here:

GitHub

GitHub - btrustteam/the-bitdevs-playbook: A practical guide for running technical bitcoin developer meetups across Africa

A practical guide for running technical bitcoin developer meetups across Africa - btrustteam/the-bitdevs-playbook

Learn more about why developed it and what it aims to support:

Btrust Blog

Introducing the BitDevs Playbook

A practical guide for building and sustaining Bitcoin-only technical communities across the Global South.

We’re excited to be back at the @Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town Conference for the third year in a row and proud to return as a sponsor. 🚀 @npub12qj0...w8vy and @npub1zm2d...f260 will be on-ground speaking at the conference and sharing more about the work we’ve been doing at Btrust. We’re looking forward to reconnecting with the community, meeting new builders, and continuing the conversation around building a more sustainable and decentralized future for Bitcoin. See you soon! #abct26

Over the past few years, BitDevs communities across Africa have been building technical spaces rooted in learning, openness, and collaboration. Today, we’re sharing the guide that brings those lessons together. The BitDevs Playbook v0.1.0 is the first public release of a practical, open‑source guide for building and sustaining Bitcoin‑only technical communities across the Global South. Grounded in real experience from BitDevs communities across Africa, it explains what BitDevs is, why the model works, and how to start, run, and sustain high‑quality technical meetups with shared standards around learning, privacy, neutrality, and non‑commercial focus. In the accompanying blog, we reflect on why BitDevs matters, how the model creates space for open discussion and open‑source contribution, and how communities across Africa have grown beyond monthly meetups into hubs of ongoing learning and collaboration:

Btrust Blog

Introducing the BitDevs Playbook

A practical guide for building and sustaining Bitcoin-only technical communities across the Global South.

Many of these communities, supported by organizations like Btrust and @Bitcoin Zambia, have helped members access advanced programs such as Chaincode Labs’ BOSS program and the @npub1353s...gajp pathways. Some members have gone on to start careers in Bitcoin open‑source development, supported by organizations like Btrust and the @npub17xvf...c9as, while others have gone on to build products and projects of their own. The Playbook is fully open‑source and community‑driven. It covers the full lifecycle of a BitDevs location, from assessing local interest and hosting a first meetup, to maintaining quality, handling challenges, and even responsibly pausing or closing a location when needed. It’s designed for organizers, sponsors, contributors, and anyone who cares about building credible, technically grounded Bitcoin communities. Huge thanks to Stephanie Titcombe for authoring the playbook, and @npub1sn0q...tr2x, Simon from BitDevsNBO, and Tobechi Chukwuleta for shaping this first release with their experience and feedback. 📘 Explore the Playbook to learn how to use it and contribute your insights here:

GitHub

GitHub - btrustteam/the-bitdevs-playbook: A practical guide for running technical bitcoin developer meetups across Africa

A practical guide for running technical bitcoin developer meetups across Africa - btrustteam/the-bitdevs-playbook

Highlights from the 2025 #BtrustGalaDinner ✨ We called, and you answered. The theme for the night was elegant, and attendees showed up and showed out. It was a night filled with joy, and incredible energy! The evening kicked off with aperitifs and light bites at the backstage lounge, setting the tone for relaxed networking and easy conversations. As guests made their way into the hall, the host, Paul Eke, got things started with ice-breakers, followed by a welcome address from @npub1sn0q...tr2x. @npub1kp7j...487l then shared a moving farewell, representing the outgoing inaugural Btrust Board. Since 2021, this board has been responsible for overseeing the delivery of Btrust’s mission, guiding the organization through its formative yea rs and setting the foundation for future success. We celebrate and thank them for their vision and leadership. The night also saw us celebrate the 2025 cohort of the Btrust Builders pathways, recognizing top students for their dedication, growth, and excellence throughout the program. A special moment was dedicated to celebrating Abubakar Nur Khalil and formally welcoming him into the office of the CEO. Under his leadership, Btrust has experienced a period of significant growth and transformation, moving from early groundwork to executing at scale. This includes expanding our programs, launching new partnerships, growing our developer reach, strengthening our grants review and delivery processes, and refining our internal systems and team structure. We wrapped up the evening with great food, drinks, dancing, and conversations, the perfect close to an unforgettable year. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the night truly special. We hope to see you soon 🧡

On December 3rd, we hosted the #BtrustGalaDinner at the Hennessy Park Hotel in Mauritius 🇲🇺. It was an evening to pause, breathe, and celebrate after a year of hard work. Leaders, builders, and friends from across the Bitcoin ecosystem came together to reflect on our collective progress and strengthen the connections shaping Bitcoin’s future globally. A huge thank‑you to everyone who joined us and made the evening so special. 🧡

Events and conferences are often the gateway into Bitcoin open‑source development, spaces where curious builders can connect, learn, and take their first steps toward meaningful contribution. They’re where discovery turns into collaboration, and collaboration into lasting impact. That’s why we’re excited to present the recipients of our second round of 2025 Btrust event grants, supporting nine unique gatherings across Africa, Latin America, and beyond: • Dev/Hack/Day at @BTC Prague • OSCAFEST 2025 by Open Source Community Africa • Hack4Freedom by EVENTO • DevFest Mauritius 2025 by GDG Mauritius • Code & Chain: A Bitcoin Meetup by Bitnob • Bitcoin CoreDev Meetup organized by Brink • Bitcoin Dev Summit and Satsconf at the São Paulo Bitcoin Week • DevFest Lagos 2025 by GDG Lagos Each one is creating new entry points into the global Bitcoin developer ecosystem while strengthening the community in the Global South. Event Grants help keep these gateways open and inclusive, feeding into the long‑term pipeline of developer education programs, fellowships, and open‑source contribution, ensuring Bitcoin development remains decentralized and globally distributed. Read the full blog and meet the grantees:

Btrust Blog

Introducing the Second Round of 2025 Btrust Event Grant Recipients

Global, December 31, 2025 - At Btrust, we know that growing the Bitcoin open-source developer ecosystem starts with creating gateways; spaces where...

Applications for Btrust event grants are open year-round. Learn more and apply through our website: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/event