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FinXchange
Inspiration
Many Africans face daily struggles with currency exchange, cross-border payments, and limited access to global financial tools. High fees, unreliable infrastructure, and lack of trust in traditional systems make it difficult for merchants, students, freelancers, and families to move money. We were inspired to build FinXchange to provide a secure, low-cost, and accessible way to exchange Bitcoin and local currencies using mobile, web, and even USSD for non-smartphone users.
What We Learned
Through this hackathon, we learned the importance of designing for low bandwidth, ensuring security by default, and keeping user experience simple and clear. We also deepened our knowledge of Bitcoin/Lightning integration, FOSS tools, live exchange rate APIs, and collaborative open-source development.
How We Built It
Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript (mobile-first design, lightweight UI).
Backend: PHP with API integrations, Node.js microservices for real-time exchange rates.
Database: MySQL / PostgreSQL (via Supabase/Neon).
Blockchain Integration: Bitcoin Core + Lightning Network (for instant and low-fee transactions).
Payments: Solflare (crypto wallet), USSD for non-smartphone support.
APIs: Currencies API (for live FX rates between Naira, CFA, and others).
Hosting & Infra: Supabase, Docker for deployment and one-command setup.
Challenges We Faced
Ensuring low-cost, real-time conversion rates between fiat and crypto.
Integrating Bitcoin/Lightning securely while keeping the codebase lightweight.
Designing a UX that works on both smartphones and basic feature phones.
Managing security threats (phishing, wallet theft, bad actors in P2P trades).
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