Lightning Remit

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  WalletView

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  invoiceView

Inspiration

I was inspired by my 2023 Summer of Bitcoin project, where I developed a native iOS wallet app. Building on that experience, I decided to create a wallet that can settle payments both on-chain and off-chain. The idea of combining traditional and modern financial systems intrigued me, and I wanted to create a tool that could facilitate seamless cross-border transactions using the Lightning Network.

What it does

Lightning Remit is a versatile lightning wallet that offers good user experience remittance services across borders with multi language and multi currency support. It integrates both on-chain and off-chain transaction capabilities, enabling users to send and receive payments efficiently. The wallet has a localization feature that maps currency and languages together (it translates the wallet to the language of the currency selected and provides real-time currency conversion with CoinGecko API, making it accessible and convenient for users worldwide.

How we built it

Lightning Remit was built from the ground up using native iOS technologies, ensuring a smooth and responsive user experience. I leveraged the Lightning Dev Kit (LDK) library to incorporate lightning network functionalities, ensuring robust and seamless payment processing. it also uses the coinGecko Api to perform currency conversions between currencies. The app was developed with a focus on connecting users across borders while giving them a good user experience utilising Swift and SwiftUI to create a modern and intuitive interface.

Challenges we ran into

One of the major challenges was getting up to speed with the Lightning SDK, as I was less familiar with layer 2 protocols. Understanding the entire process of setting up a node, connecting a peer, opening channels, and paying invoices was quite complex but also rewarding. Additionally, integrating real-time currency conversion and supporting multiple languages required paying attention to detail and rigorous testing to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I am proud of challenging my developer skills by adding advanced wallet features such as app language translation and currency conversions. Additionally, developing a 2-in-1 wallet that supports both off-chain and on-chain transactions was a significant achievement. I also managed to create a seamless user experience, making it easy for users to navigate the app and perform transactions securely and efficiently.

What we learned

Throughout this project, I learned about data formatting between types(Strings, UInt64, Ints, Doubles, Dates), currency conversions, and providing support for internationalization and localization. I gained a deeper understanding of the Lightning Network and its potential for transforming the financial landscape I learnt how to set up a node, connect a peer, open a channel and pay an invoice. Additionally, I learnt about the importance of user-centric design and the need for rigorous testing and iteration to ensure a high quality product.

What's next for Lightning Remit

The next steps include releasing version 1 of the software, as it is currently in the beta phase. i plan to migrate to BOLT 12, which will enhance the wallet's functionality and security. Further development will focus on supporting fiat currency withdrawals to banks, making it even more versatile and user-friendly. Additionally, i aim to translate Lightning Remit into over 30 languages worldwide, ensuring accessibility for a global audience. I also plan to explore integration with other financial services and platforms to provide a comprehensive financial solution for our users.

Built With

• bitcoinui
• codescanner
• coingecko-api
• combine
• keychainaccess
• ldknode
• swift
• swiftui