How to send bitcoin in a chat app
Sending money should be as easy as sending a message. With the Lightning Network and Nostr Wallet Connect, it is — and you stay in control of your own wallet.
The two pieces
- Lightning Network — a payment layer on top of bitcoin. Payments arrive in seconds and usually cost a fraction of a cent, which makes it practical for everyday amounts.
- Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC, NIP-47) — a standard way for an app to ask your Lightning wallet to send or receive a payment. You connect once with a connection string; the app never holds your money.
Step by step in Reventioned
- Get a Lightning wallet that supports Nostr Wallet Connect — for example Alby Hub or Coinos.
- In that wallet, create a new app connection and copy the
nostr+walletconnect://…string. Set a spending budget for it if your wallet offers one. - Open Reventioned → Wallet → Connect a wallet, and paste the string. It’s stored only on your device.
- Send and receive Lightning payments from inside the app.
Keeping it safe
- Treat the NWC string like a password: anyone who has it can spend up to the budget you set.
- Use a budget limit, and disconnect the app in your wallet if you lose your device.
- Keep only spending money in a connected wallet, not your savings.
Why not just use a payments app?
Apps like WeChat Pay or WhatsApp Pay tie payments to your identity, your bank and one company — and only work in some countries. Lightning works worldwide, settles in seconds, and nobody can freeze a payment between two people. The trade-off is that you’re responsible for your own wallet.
See how Reventioned compares with other all-in-one apps on the comparison page.