Tuesday, Breeze announced its newest partner, upaca Mexican neobank. Yopaki has been integrated with the free and open source Breez software SDKwhich enables its users to have a non-custodial Lightning wallet without having to run their own Lightning node. (More on how this works here.)
Before continuing, I have to say that I get a little jealous when Breez makes announcements like this, because it makes me wish Breez could partner with neobanks or Bitcoin apps that New York State residents, like me, can access.
However, we can’t get the nice things from lightning here in the Empire State because regulation in New York — a state that seems to almost pride itself on soul-crushing levels of red tape and bureaucracy — prevents companies from offering lightning services.
But anyway, where were you?
⚡️Welcome Yopaki to (Nodeless) Lightning ⚡️
We are happy to announce @yopaki_ As our newest SDK partner. Bitcoin neobank is reimagining banking while sharing culture 🇲🇽 with the world.
Powered by Breez SDK – Nodeless (@Liquid_BTC🚀
– Breez ⚡ (@Breez_Tech) November 12, 2024
In the Bitcoin space, we hear a lot about the challenges Bitcoin faces in scaling and how Lightning is not a sufficient solution. Oddly enough, we never hear this complaint Roy Shenfieldco-founder and CEO of Breez, because he’s too busy building stuff that proves Lightning naysayers wrong.
Sheinfeld and the team at Breez, who are on a mission to bring Lightning to every application, have been on the hot streak when it comes to helping Lightning users around the world access non-custodial Lightning services. Earlier this year, they announced partnerships with… It was in Nigeria and Diamond hands In Japan.
We’re excited to announce the beta release of Diamond Wallet, a self-custodial Lightning wallet that enables users to earn money by viewing ads.
It is also the first self-custodial wallet from Japan, built using the Breez SDK and its Greenlight app.
Demo video ↓ pic.twitter.com/kpsgfh3RGZ
– Diamond Hands💎🙌 (@DiamondHandsLN) October 1, 2024
Sometimes, when I’m alone, I look up at the sky and say to myself: “Why, God, why do Nigerians, Japanese, and Mexicans have access to such wonderful monetary technology when my once great state — home to a city that refers to itself as “the capital” — Finance of the world”, but ironically does not allow its residents to use sophisticated telegraph services – fade into obscurity?
Although I never got an answer, I take comfort in the fact that the likes of Sheinfeld and the Breez team are there to ensure the proliferation of non-custodial Lightning wallets, enabling people to more easily use Bitcoin as it was intended to be used – peer-to-peer.
I look forward to seeing Breez partner with more new apps and banks in 2025.
This article is a takes. The opinions expressed are entirely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.