Infrastructure

StartOS is fully open-source software built on Debian Linux, with all code available on GitHub for public audit. The system is designed around data sovereignty principles where Start9 has no access to user keys, passwords, or data—everything runs locally on hardware the user physically controls. Services communicate through Tor Hidden Services by default, providing encrypted, metadata-resistant connections without exposing home IP addresses.

The company has shipped hardware since 2020 and maintains an active development community with regular updates and a growing service marketplace. Their security approach includes neutralizing Intel Management Engine on supported hardware and running no trackers or telemetry. While at-rest encryption is currently basic with improvements planned, individual services like Vaultwarden add end-to-end encryption for sensitive data. All purchases include lifetime support and a two-year hardware warranty, demonstrating long-term commitment to customers.

Founded 2020. Backed by Stillmark and Block. Lightning-powered. Serves Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and more.

Cryptographic attestation of reserves. Used by exchanges and custodians.

Founded in Guatemala. Backed by Stillmark. Powers Lightning payments across Latin America. Enterprise-grade infrastructure.

Tando operates as a payment disbursement service registered in Nairobi, Kenya under Kenyan law. The company explicitly states it does not operate as a digital asset exchange, does not sell or trade digital assets, and does not convert one digital asset to another. Users send bitcoin to Tando as payment for a service, and Tando independently arranges disbursement of Kenyan Shillings to the recipient.

The service is designed with a clear operational model: Tando maintains a KES balance backend for payouts, enabling instant settlement to M-Pesa recipients. The company was founded by Bitcoiners who emphasize that Africans should build Bitcoin solutions for Africans, with a focus on practical Bitcoin adoption rather than speculation.

MoneyBadger is a South African fintech company that has deployed its payment infrastructure to over 1,600 retail outlets including Pick n Pay stores. The company has processed over 20,000 transactions and secured R7.2 million (approximately $400,000 USD) in pre-seed funding from P1 Ventures along with Bitcoin-focused angel investors.

The platform operates as a payment gateway rather than holding customer funds. Merchants receive instant conversion to South African Rand at current exchange rates, eliminating volatility risk. Settlement options include ZAR, Bitcoin, or stablecoins with next-business-day ZAR payouts.

MoneyBadger has established partnerships with major South African payment providers including Ecentric Payment Systems, Peach Payments, Zapper, and Scan to Pay, integrating with their existing infrastructure. The head of legal and compliance chairs the Crypto Asset Association of South Africa, indicating regulatory engagement in the local market.

Used by 17% of Lightning nodes. $4M seed led by Stillmark. Jesse Shrader (CEO) is a Lightning infrastructure pioneer.

SOC 2 Type II compliant. Powers Chipper Cash (50%+ BTC via Lightning).

Simple Proof uses the Bitcoin blockchain as a neutral, uncensorable timestamp authority to prove document immutability. The service is built on the OpenTimestamps open source protocol, ensuring interoperability and avoiding proprietary lock-in. Anyone can verify documents independently using open source software, providing transparency without relying solely on Simple Proof's infrastructure.

The company has demonstrated real-world credibility through high-profile government implementations. Screven County, Georgia became the first U.S. county to secure election results on Bitcoin using Simple Proof's Immutable Proof Service in 2024. The platform was also used in Guatemala's presidential election to preserve official results, and has partnerships with El Salvador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Registry for securing public records.

Simple Proof has received backing from Ego Death Capital in a pre-seed funding round announced in January 2025, signaling institutional investor confidence in the platform's approach to data integrity.

Clinch operates as a non-custodial platform where users retain control of their Bitcoin in their own Lightning wallets. Funds only move during active matches, eliminating the need to deposit money into platform-controlled accounts. THNDR acts as an oracle to verify game outcomes and facilitate peer-to-peer payments, but does not hold user balances between games.

The platform emphasizes fair play through identical game setups for both players in each match, skill-based matchmaking, and move hashing that allows server-side verification of all player actions. THNDR explicitly states no bots or fake accounts are used, with all competition occurring between real human players.

THNDR has maintained a presence on both Google Play and Apple App Store for several years, passing platform compliance requirements. There are no publicly documented security breaches or loss-of-funds incidents associated with the platform.

Alby operates on a self-custodial model where users control their own private keys. Alby Hub is explicitly designed so that Alby never has access to user funds - you run your own Lightning node either self-hosted or via Alby Cloud with encrypted keys. All products are open-source, enabling community verification of the codebase across repositories.

The platform implements OAuth 2.0 for API security, GDPR-compliant data handling, and employees are bound by confidentiality agreements. Technical and organizational measures protect against data risks, with log files retained for 60 days for security and incident resolution. The browser extension secures key storage and Nostr interactions with user-controlled backups.

Alby has maintained a positive reputation in the Bitcoin and Nostr communities, with users on BitcoinTalk and app stores affirming its legitimacy for Lightning usage. No security incidents have been reported in public sources.

Fully open-source. Used by Namecheap ($73M+ in BTC revenue). Powers Bitcoin payments for thousands of merchants worldwide. No KYC, censorship-resistant.

Built by Block. Public company. Lightning Network support for instant payments. No chargebacks on Bitcoin transactions.

Clams is a non-custodial accounting software that never holds user funds or private keys. All financial data is stored locally on your device with no cloud uploads, no tracking, no telemetry, and no account required. The software works completely offline after initial wallet synchronization, ensuring your transaction data never leaves your machine unless you explicitly choose managed hosting.

The platform has evolved based on feedback from over 2,500 users including individuals, businesses, institutions, and professionals like CFOs, miners, and accountants. For enterprises requiring managed deployments, Clams operates dedicated instances with backups and uptime guarantees while maintaining data isolation.

Castle is backed by notable investors including Boost VC, Winklevoss Capital, Park Rangers Capital, and Epoch Ventures, having raised $1 million in a pre-seed round in June 2025. The platform is operated by Orqestra and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Castle functions as a software automation layer that connects to existing payment processors and bookkeeping tools rather than holding funds directly. Businesses maintain their existing relationships with exchanges and custodians while Castle automates the treasury strategy. The platform emphasizes transparent pricing with no hidden spreads or fees beyond the stated ~1% transaction fee on the free plan.

Pouch Philippines, Inc. is licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as an Operator of Payment Systems, providing regulatory oversight for its operations. The parent company is registered in the United States as a money services business with FinCEN, adding an additional layer of regulatory compliance.

For business accounts, Pouch partners with Netbank to offer PDIC-insured PHP deposit accounts, meaning business funds held in these accounts receive government deposit insurance protection. The platform emphasizes a non-custodial philosophy for long-term Bitcoin savings, explicitly encouraging users to withdraw their Bitcoin to personal self-custody wallets rather than storing it on the platform.