What happens when learning Bitcoin stops being just about understanding the technology and starts becoming about building something with it? In the latest episode of Btrust in Focus, Paul Eke sits with Fidel Otieno, founder of @npub1pcwq...eat5, to talk about his path into Bitcoin development and the experiences that shaped his approach to building. They discuss the challenges of learning Bitcoin as a developer, the programmes and communities that helped Fidel deepen his technical understanding, and how those experiences eventually led to Bitika, a platform making it easier for people in Kenya 🇰🇪 to access Bitcoin through M-Pesa and Lightning⚡. The conversation also explores Fidel's vision for building useful Bitcoin products in Africa and his advice to developers who have ideas but are still waiting for the right moment to act on them. Watch the full episode here:

Last week, we had the pleasure of sponsoring and presenting at the Genesis Workshop hosted by OSGuild in Mauritius 🇲🇺. Two of our developer grantees, @Chuks and @npub1zm2d...f260, joined the workshop to share their knowledge and experiences with the local community. On day 1, Sy introduced participants to the fundamentals of bitcoin, covering the basics of how it works, and mining ⛏️. Chuks ended the day with a session on the Lightning Network⚡, explaining how it enables fast, low-cost bitcoin payments and the technology that makes it possible. On day 2, they joined a panel discussion to share their journeys into Bitcoin open-source development, offering practical advice and encouragement to developers looking to contribute to the ecosystem. Across the two days, participants took part in technical presentations, thoughtful discussions, and the interactive @npub1vmpf...xhm7 LARP, making for an engaging and collaborative learning experience. A huge thank you to Sadiq Rabiu and the OSGuild team for organizing such a fantastic event. We're grateful to have been part of it and look forward to supporting more initiatives that help grow the Bitcoin open-source community.

At Btrust, we believe a stronger Bitcoin open-source ecosystem starts with better developer education. Developers need structured learning, mentors, and communities that help them grow from learners into contributors. We’re excited to announce the first round of 2026 Bitcoin Developer Education Grant recipients. 🚀 This round, we’re awarding $904,000 across five education initiatives: • Hack4Freedom by @npub1ytws...ju8r • Summer of Bitcoin • @bitshala • @npub13s0k...5g70 • @ISMOS & B4OS Together, these programs are helping developers across Africa and the Global Majority build technical skills, contribute to open-source Bitcoin projects, and become the next generation of maintainers, educators, and full-time Bitcoin developers. From hackathons and fellowships to study cohorts, internships, mentorship, and long-term developer support, each program creates meaningful pathways into Bitcoin open source. Read more about the programs we're supporting:

Btrust Blog

Announcing the First Round of 2026 Bitcoin Developer Education Grant Recipients

Over $900k awarded across five education initiatives supporting Bitcoin open-source development in Africa and the Global Majority.

Btrust Education Grants are open year-round to initiatives advancing Bitcoin developer education, mentorship, and open-source contribution across Africa and the Global Majority. Learn more and apply here: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/education

For many developers, the first step into Bitcoin open source is often a meetup, workshop, hackathon, conference talk, or technical session. These events create entry points for curious developers, connect new builders with mentors and peers, and give contributors a platform to share their work and find collaborators. We’re excited to announce the first batch of 2026 Btrust event grant recipients. 🚀 This round, we are supporting eight events: • @Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town 2026 • @npub129hv...pkpk Lightning Developer Bootcamps • @btcplusplus Nairobi & Seoul 2026 • Code & Chain Senegal by Bitnob • The Genesis Workshop by OSGuild • Dakar Bitcoin Days IV • DevFest Kaduna 2026 Learn more about the recipients here:

Btrust Blog

Introducing the First Batch of 2026 Btrust Event Grants

For many developers, the first step into Bitcoin is not a grant, a fellowship, or a full-time open-source role. It is a local meetup, workshop, hac...

Btrust event grants are open to events, conferences, bootcamps, workshops, hackathons, and technical gatherings growing the Bitcoin open-source ecosystem. Learn more and apply here: https://www.btrust.tech/grants/event

We're excited to support the Genesis Workshop in Mauritius 🇲🇺, a two-day hands-on Bitcoin and open-source workshop organized by OSGuild in collaboration with BitDevs Mauritius. Designed for developers, students, and curious builders, the workshop introduces participants to open-source culture, Bitcoin development, and real-world contribution pathways through practical, mentor-led sessions. We're also excited to have two of our developer grantees, @Chuks and@npub1zm2dg6fjl8aw0rcmhhc8kcdax6nzmsvvdwxcwc9upnvctl5vvwlslpf260, joining the workshop as speakers, sharing their experience and helping guide the next generation of Bitcoin open-source contributors. If you're in Mauritius, don't miss this opportunity to get started. 🔗 Learn more and register to attend here:

Genesis Workshop — Building Open Source Developers

Join the Genesis Workshop to build your skills as an open source developer, connect with industry experts, and get funding for open source contribu...

Lightning⚡ can make bitcoin payments fast and low cost, but building a Lightning-enabled app from scratch can still feel like a lot. There are channels to open, liquidity to manage, invoices to create, payments to track, and events to handle. LDK Node makes that path more practical by packaging the hard infrastructure choices into a smaller, production-ready API. In our latest blog, 👩‍💻 Rita Anene walks through building a working Lightning node in Rust 🦀, step by step: connecting to a peer, opening a channel, handling the ChannelReady event, receiving and sending BOLT11 payments, creating and paying BOLT12 offers, and sending a spontaneous payment without an invoice. It is a hands-on starting point for developers who understand Bitcoin and want to begin building on Lightning, without needing to learn every layer of the protocol first. Read the full article here:

Btrust Blog

Getting Started with LDK Node: Building a Lightning Node in Rust

Written by Rita Anene If you've spent time in the Bitcoin developer space, you've probably heard of LDK, (the Lightning Development Kit). LDK g...

Getting your first pull request merged is a milestone, but it is rarely the point where the journey becomes easier. If anything, it marks the beginning of deeper learning, greater responsibility, and continued contribution. In this article, we spoke with our Head of Engineering Kelvin Isievwore and two long-term developer grantees, Abubakar Sadiq Ismail and Enigbe Ochekliye, about what really changes after that first merge. From navigating code reviews to finding your place within an open-source project, they reflect on the lessons that stayed with them long after their first contribution was accepted. Read the full article on our blog:

Btrust Blog

What Happens After Your First Merged PR?

There are few moments in open source that feel as rewarding as seeing your first pull request merged. For many contributors, it marks the end of d...

https://blossom.primal.net/302f47427723a7ebb5c31bf1a5744f05927e2dd19f819622a2dd7c4a4b439809.jpgp

We’re excited to announce the Q2, 2026 Btrust developer grant recipients. 🚀 Seven Bitcoin open-source developers were awarded grants last quarter, including three starter grant recipients and four long-term open-source cohort members. The Btrust starter grant supports software engineers who are ready to contribute full-time to open-source Bitcoin development. It gives recipients the time, mentorship, and financial support they need to explore a focused area of Bitcoin open source, make meaningful contributions, and grow into long-term contributors. Q2, 2026 starter grantees are: • Jemimah Nagasha working on Polar ⚡ • Oyindamola Oladapo working on Rust-Payjoin and the Payjoin Development Kit • Yankho Ngolleka working on @Mostro The Btrust Open-Source Cohort provides long-term support to established Bitcoin open-source contributors. Members receive funding, mentorship, and peer support to deepen their work on important Bitcoin open-source projects and build long-term careers in the ecosystem. Q2, 2026 long-term grantees are: • Abiodun Awoyemi working on Bitcoin Dev Kit and BDK-TX • Ojok Emmanuel Nsubuga working on BlueWallet • Jamal ERRAKIBI working on rust-bitcoin, rust-secp256k1, and cryptographic performance • Brandon Odiwuor Odiwuor working on Bitcoin Core CI with CTest and CDash Learn more about the recipients and what they’re working on in the blog:

Btrust Blog

Announcing Q2, 2026 Btrust Developer Grant Recipients

Africa, July 13, 2026 - We’re excited to announce the Q2 2026 Btrust developer grant recipients. Last quarter, seven 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 and explore other Btrust grants here:

Grants

Get funding to work on Free and Open-Source Bitcoin projects

The final day of @btcplusplus Nairobi 🇰🇪 brought together developers, educators, and builders for a full day of talks, workshops, hackathon presentations, and community discussions. Sessions explored a wide range of topics, including bitcoin mining, Lightning payments, privacy, mobile money integration, and open-source development. The workshop track offered hands-on learning opportunities, with Abdullahi Yunus leading an L402 workshop on using Lightning for API authentication and payments, while Sonkeng Maldini demonstrated how developers can send and receive Silent Payments using Bitcoin Dev Kit tooling. Several Btrust community members took the stage throughout the day, including Simon, Abdullahi Yunus, Muhammad Shehu, Sonkeng Maldini, Michael Ariwaodo, Ojok Emmanuel, and @npub12qj0...w8vy, sharing insights on open-source development, privacy, Lightning, mining, and community building. The afternoon featured the hackathon finals, where teams showcased innovative projects spanning developer tooling, financial infrastructure, privacy, and open-source maintenance. The event concluded with the hackathon awards, celebrating the builders and projects that stood out during two days of intensive hacking and collaboration.

Day 2 of @btcplusplus Nairobi 🇰🇪 kept the momentum going with a mix of technical deep dives, design conversations, and discussions about the future of bitcoin adoption. The day explored how bitcoin can become more accessible and usable across different contexts, from Lightning⚡ as bitcoin's translation layer and cross-platform wallet development, to open bitcoin mining and building better on and off-ramp experiences. There were also conversations around product design, the role of African designers in shaping bitcoin's future, and how more women across the continent are contributing to and reimagining Bitcoin innovation. We're especially proud of our grantees who took the stage, including John Osezele, who shared insights on building cross-platform bitcoin wallets with Flutter and BDK-Dart, and Tobechi Chukwuleta, who spoke about extending BTCPay Server through plugins while maintaining the integrity of the core project. Meanwhile, hackers continued building throughout the day, refining their projects, collaborating with mentors, and turning ideas into working solutions ahead of the Hackathon Expo.

Last week, the Btrust team had the privilege of attending the Oslo Freedom Forum, joining builders, activists, technologists, and advocates from around the world in conversations about freedom, human rights, and open technologies. Our CEO, @Abubakar Nur Khalil, took the stage during the closing panel of the Freedom Tech Track alongside Anaïse Kanimba, @npub1kp7j...487l, and @npub1ykgz...xf8j to discuss one of the most important questions in the Bitcoin ecosystem today: How do we make bitcoin practical for everyday people? A key theme throughout the discussion was Africa's growing role in Bitcoin adoption. Across the continent, people are already using Bitcoin for payments, savings, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment, demonstrating real-world use cases at scale. The conversation explored how builders, entrepreneurs, and advocates can continue creating tools that reduce barriers to access, expand freedom, and make bitcoin more useful in people's daily lives. Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Q-7xMYnMXfc?t=12208 A huge thank you to the @npub17xvf...c9as team for curating such an impactful space for dialogue, learning, and collaboration.

On June 2nd, @npub17xvf...c9as will be hosting the Freedom Tech Track at the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, bringing together builders, founders, and advocates exploring the role of technology in advancing freedom around the world. Our CEO, @Abubakar Nur Khalil, is one of the featured speakers and will be joining the panel on bitcoin adoption in practice. He’ll be speaking alongside: • Anaïse Kanimba, director & founder, Africa Bitcoin Institute • @npub1kp7j...487l, founder & CEO, @Fedi • @npub1ykgz...xf8j, co-founder, @Tando.me 📍 Oslo Konserthus, Deep Dive Stage ⏰ June 2nd, 5:45pm This is one session you won’t want to miss. Check out the Freedom Tech Track speaker lineup and schedule here:

Oslo Freedom Forum

Freedom Tech at the Oslo Freedom Forum

June 2, 2026 June 2 Buy Tickets June 2, 2026 June 2 Buy tickets Meet Our Freedom Tech Speakers Meet Our Workshop Speakers Explore the Freedom Tech ...

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.

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 @Abubakar Nur Khalil. @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 🧡

Highlights from this year's @npub1dtvs...wc6t in Mauritius 🇲🇺. On day one, our CEO, @Abubakar Nur Khalil, delivered his keynote on Btrust in 2026, sharing our achievements in 2025 and our strategic roadmap for the year ahead. Later that day, Abubakar Sadiq Ismail led a technical workshop on building a Bitcoin Node using the libbitcoinkernel library, introducing Bitcoin Core’s upcoming consensus engine. Day two featured a presentation on BTCPay Server plugins by Tobechi Chukwuleta, highlighting how plugins expand merchant tools and create new business opportunities. In the afternoon, Raj, CEO of @bitshala, spoke about training Bitcoin developers in India 🇮🇳 and the Global South, outlining a roadmap for developer growth and contribution. Day three brought education and collaboration to the fore, with Tuedon Tuoyo kicking off the BOSS Challenge by Chaincode Labs, giving participants a practical entry point into Bitcoin open‑source contribution. Applications for the BOSS Challenge are open until December 31st, offering aspiring developers a chance to join a hands‑on, skill‑building journey. Apply to join the 2026 cohort here:

Chaincode Labs

The final day was also a moment of pride for our community, as Abubakar Nur Khalil was named most impactful African Bitcoiner of 2025, and @npub1353s...gajp was recognized as the African Bitcoin project of 2025. A huge thank you to the @African Bitcoiners team for the recognition. As a sponsor, we also had a booth which was a point for conversations, and learning about our programs, with visitors leaving with exclusive merch and new ways to get involved. We are proud of the incredible representation from our ecosystem at #ABC2025 and grateful to everyone who interacted with us in Mauritius. We’re looking forward to the work ahead as we continue building the future of open‑source Bitcoin development across the Global South.🧡 #ABC25

We recently had the pleasure of sponsoring and taking part in this year’s @npub1dtvs...wc6t, held from December 3–5 at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis, Mauritius 🇲🇺. The Africa Bitcoin 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 brought in over 90 people from across our ecosystem, including the Btrust team, grantees, members from @npub1353s...gajp, @bitshala, @npub13s0k...5g70, @ISMOS, #BtrustDeveloperDay speakers, and more, to attend the conference, lead sessions, and connect with the wider Bitcoin community. Beyond the sessions and conversations, we had a great time reconnecting, learning, and building alongside the community. Huge thanks to the Africa Bitcoin Conference organisers for the amazing event and for the work that went into making it a success. #ABC25 #ABC2025

On November 29 and 30, we hosted our annual #BtrustGathering at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port Louis, Mauritius 🇲🇺. This year’s theme, mapping the future ofnopen‑source collaboration across the Global South, set the tone for two days of deep learning, open conversation, and collective action. We welcomed around 75 participants from across our community, including the Btrust team, grantees, and members from @npub1353s...gajp, @bitshala, @ISMOS and @npub13s0k...5g70. Together, we explored the evolving landscape of open‑source Bitcoin development and how collaboration can accelerate progress across the Global South. Two days of exchanges, workshops, and genuine connection reminded us of the power of community and what’s possible when developers across the Global South co‑create the future of open‑source Bitcoin development. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us, and we’re looking forward to the work ahead of us.

"This is my first time outside India 🇮🇳 to an international bitcoin conference or gathering. The bar has been set really high for me now." Paperpsych from @bitshala. Day two of the 2025 #BtrustGathering built beautifully on the momentum from day one, diving deeper into collective learning and collaboration.

Day one of the #BtrustGathering began with an engaging opening plenary by Stephanie Titcombe, followed by the state of Btrust address from our CEO, @Abubakar Nur Khalil, who shared a thoughtful year‑in‑review, key milestones from 2025, and the outlook for 2026. The morning continued with the 2025 program reports, where @npub1353s...gajp, @npub13s0k...5g70, @bitshala, and Libreria de Satoshi presented updates on their work, growth, and the impact they’ve created in supporting open‑source Bitcoin development across the Global South. In the afternoon, participants joined cross‑organization working groups to explore opportunities for collaboration on joint programs, developer connectivity, localization, and technical cooperation. Discussions also covered shared initiatives, developer exchange and communication, grants and sustainability, as well as community growth, storytelling, and brand alignment. These sessions were energetic and idea‑driven, with groups sharing thoughtful outputs that reflected the strength of cross‑community collaboration. The day captured the essence of what the gathering stands for; connection, transparency, and collective progress. It was a powerful reminder of how much can be achieved when builders from across the Global South come together to advance open‑source Bitcoin development.

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