Unlocking the Future of Bitcoin: Transforming Simple Phones into Powerful Hardware Wallets
Experts in the cryptocurrency industry are finding new and creative ways to bring Bitcoin (BTC) to users all around the world, and South African entrepreneur Kgothatso Ngako is leading the way. Ngako’s startup, Machankura, provides a way for people without internet connections or smartphones to transact with Bitcoin using the Lightning Network.
Machankura, which translates to “money” in South African slang, is a software tool that allows feature phone users to access the speed and low fees of the second-layer Lightning Network without an internet connection. The service has garnered significant interest since its launch in 2022, with its user base growing from 3,500 to 13,600 in just one year.
With Machankura’s success, Ngako has set his sights on a new goal: provide Africans with full financial sovereignty by allowing them to hold their own Bitcoin private keys. In January of this year, at the Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town conference, Ngako announced the Bitcoin Java Card project, which will enable users to self-custody their Bitcoin on feature phones through the use of Java Cards.
Ngako spoke with CoinDesk about the Bitcoin Java Card project and his vision to make Bitcoin accessible and secure for all Africans.
Introducing Kgothatso Ngako’s Machankura project, which is proving that Bitcoin can be accessible to people without fancy phones or internet connections. The software tool allows for transactions over the Lightning Network on pre-smartphone mobile devices, and it is in use in seven African countries. The service has gained momentum since its launch in 2022, with user numbers jumping from 3,500 to 13,600 in just a year. With plans to enable users to hold their own private keys, Ngako’s latest innovation is the Bitcoin Java Card project, announced in January this year. This will allow for self-custody of Bitcoin using feature phones through the use of Java Cards. Ngako believes that a bitcoin ban could actually lead to more decentralized, censorship-resistant technology in Africa – where Machankura is currently being used before being banned, forcing more innovative ways to use Bitcoin.
