I'm Aaron Voisine, founder of breadwallet, first iPhone wallet that connects directly to the bitcoin network, AMA! Dec 1

[voisine]

Hello, I'm Aaron Voisine, founder and CEO of breadwallet.

breadwallet is the first iPhone wallet that connects directly to the bitcoin network, which also makes it the first real bitcoin wallet running on a secure-by-default platform. (malware hardened and hardware encrypted) It's designed to be as simple and clean as possible, and for the bitcoin nerds out there, it's open source, SPV, and deterministic. Our goal is to make bitcoin safe and easy, and bring the advantages of a truly decentralized digital currency to the billions of people who use money, but have yet to start using bitcoin.

Ask me anything, starting December 1.

[Skin_in_the_game]

Hello Aaron

I was re-reading Antifragile by iconoclast thinker Nassim Taleb recently. He writes

"Never ask anyone for their opinion [...] Just ask them what they have -or don't have- in their portfolio"

Having met or read about a few people in the bitcoin community, I have come to think it's a very relevant question and you can better weight their opinions having an idea of how many Bitcoins they hold (or do not hold.)

I'm now asking every participants the same question:

- Do you mind to tell us which percentage of your net worth and/or liquid assets you hold in Bitcoins ?

[nyeko_12]

Hi Aaron!

What are your opinions regarding the Blocksize-issue? are you for BIP100(increase of up to 17%)/BIP101(8 MB and up to GBs)/BIP103(2-4-8-32MB)?
Do you hold bitcoins yourself(in the trezor,web Wallet,mobile wallet or desktop wallet)?
What do you think about bitcoins future(block halvening,openbaazar etc)?

[BitcoinNewsMagazine]

Hi Aaron,

Is there any plan to make Breadwallet compatible with Ledger Nano or Ledger Unplugged for cold storage?

[NewForOlly]

Hi Aaron,

My father wants to know if you can explain why Breadwallet is more secure than other wallets (such as Blockchain.info) in a way that could be understood by a 50 year old with minimal technical knowledge.

[Windowly]

Are there any plans to give more ability for user customization with pockets and being able to change the transaction fee?

Also, are there any plans to add coinmixing or stealth addresses?

[rogerver]

How and why did you choose the name bread wallet?

Thanks for making such a great wallet!

[voisine]

Hi Aaron!

What are your opinions regarding the Blocksize-issue? are you for BIP100(increase of up to 17%)/BIP101(8 MB and up to GBs)/BIP103(2-4-8-32MB)?
Do you hold bitcoins yourself(in the trezor,web Wallet,mobile wallet or desktop wallet)?
What do you think about bitcoins future(block halvening,openbaazar etc)?

I think the blocksize needs to increase sooner than later, and BIP101 looks like the best tested solution and also the easiest of all the alternatives to build consensus around (easiest is a relative term though). I advocate creating "fee pressure" to control blocksize rather than limiting blocksize to create fee pressure. Fees were being paid before blocks filled up, so there is a mechanism to do this that works. It was done through default relay rules, and miner tx selection policy. We should use these tools to encourage users to pay fees which will in tern make them voluntarily economize of blockchain usage .

I only hold bitcoins on devices that are secure (no web or desktop wallets). Before breadwallet I used BIP38 paper wallets, and now I use breadwallet.

I think bitcoin is the most important thing that will happen in my lifetime, which is why I've dedicated the rest of my career to helping make it a success.

[voisine]

How and why did you choose the name bread wallet?

Thanks for making such a great wallet!

here's the answer I gave to realvirtualcurrency.com:

"I wanted something short and clean sounding, one syllable, like some of the other next-gen, user experience focused fintech companies. I wanted something that started with "b" to work bitcoin into the logo, and "bread" is a slang term for money, as in "bread winner". I quite like the imagery around the concept of bread winning as a symbol for money. People work hard for their money, and real wealth can only come from people's hard work and effort to produce the things we all value. Bitcoin is a form of money that truly respects the hard work of those who earn it, since it's value can't be inflated away, and I wanted a name that reflected those values. Also the domain name was available which is always a plus."

[voisine]

Are there any plans to give more ability for user customization with pockets and being able to change the transaction fee?

Also, are there any plans to add coinmixing or stealth addresses?

We do plan to eventually add support for multiple "accounts", mainly to help users better manage their funds.

We will do our damnedest to have a single fee schedule that works well for the widest possible number of use cases. Requiring users to understand how bitcoin fees and confirmations work we think will exclude a lot more people than if we have a single fee schedule that works for almost everyone.

We take financial privacy very seriously. It's one of breadwallet's core goals. We were the first to do both BIP32 HD and BIP37 SPV, and we are working now on a "merge avoidance" engine that we believe will give breadwallet best-in-the-industry financial privacy in addition to already best-in-the-industry security and user experience.

[voisine]

Hi Aaron,

My father wants to know if you can explain why Breadwallet is more secure than other wallets (such as Blockchain.info) in a way that could be understood by a 50 year old with minimal technical knowledge.

Web and desktop wallets are vulnerable to desktop malware. And web wallets are additionally vulnerable to "phishing" (tricking users into entering their password into a fake version of the site) and man-in-the-middle attacks (a way to break secure web connections)

iOS is widely regarded among information security researchers and professionals as the most secure mass market consumer computing device, and breadwallet takes full advantage of it's security features. Even the US DOJ complains it is too secure. It's hardware encrypted meaning your funds are safe even if the phone is physically stolen, and the device is hardened against malware using techniques called "app sandboxing" (so apps can't access each other's information) and enforced "code signatures" (so an attacker can't replace the wallet app with a fake one)

[voisine]

Hi Aaron,

Is there any plan to make Breadwallet compatible with Ledger Nano or Ledger Unplugged for cold storage?

We love Ledger. However iPhone apps don't yet have access to NFC, and we feel the secure enclave gives users a comparable level of security.

[voisine]

Hello Aaron

I was re-reading Antifragile by iconoclast thinker Nassim Taleb recently. He writes

"Never ask anyone for their opinion [...] Just ask them what they have -or don't have- in their portfolio"

Having met or read about a few people in the bitcoin community, I have come to think it's a very relevant question and you can better weight their opinions having an idea of how many Bitcoins they hold (or do not hold.)

I'm now asking every participants the same question:

- Do you mind to tell us which percentage of your net worth and/or liquid assets you hold in Bitcoins ?

I don't feel comfortable answering questions about my personal finances, but I will say that I am convinced bitcoin will eventually become the new global monetary standard, probably a lot sooner than even most bitcoin enthusiasts imagine. New monetary technologies have only come along a few times in human history, like when metal working was developed and people started using precious metals as money instead of strings of seashells (wampum). The impact of this kind of event is difficult to overstate. I recommend this essay on monetary restandardization by Curtis Yarvin: http://unqualified-reservations.blogspo ... ation.html

[EricRSammons]

Aaron,

First, I want to thank you for developing a great wallet. It is my primary hot wallet, and I recommend it to anyone I can. I also appreciate your desire to make Bitcoin more accessible to the "average" user, which means simplicity and ease-of-use.

Now a few questions:

1) What are the main features you are thinking about adding in the future to Breadwallet?
2) What do you think about the recent RBF addition to Bitcoin Core? Do you see Breadwallet supporting that feature in the future?
3) A silly question, but nonetheless: What is the best way to get support for Breadwallet? If "average" people are going to use it, they will need support, and I didn't see anything on your website. I actually had an error occur a while back (BW gave a message that the transaction didn't occur [BW hadn't synced yet] and told me to do it again, but after I did, both transactions went through), and I wasn't sure who to contact. It wasn't a big deal, so I ended up dropping it, but I know people who would not use a wallet that didn't have some type of support mechanism.

Also, a feature request: I would love to have some type of notes field associated with each transaction in Breadwallet. I was recently going through some old transactions and I couldn't remember on a few of them what they were for. It would be great if I could put in a field something like "For a Gyft card at Amazon". Just a thought.

Again, thanks for developing a great wallet!

[voisine]

Aaron,

First, I want to thank you for developing a great wallet. It is my primary hot wallet, and I recommend it to anyone I can. I also appreciate your desire to make Bitcoin more accessible to the "average" user, which means simplicity and ease-of-use.

Now a few questions:

1) What are the main features you are thinking about adding in the future to Breadwallet?
2) What do you think about the recent RBF addition to Bitcoin Core? Do you see Breadwallet supporting that feature in the future?
3) A silly question, but nonetheless: What is the best way to get support for Breadwallet? If "average" people are going to use it, they will need support, and I didn't see anything on your website. I actually had an error occur a while back (BW gave a message that the transaction didn't occur [BW hadn't synced yet] and told me to do it again, but after I did, both transactions went through), and I wasn't sure who to contact. It wasn't a big deal, so I ended up dropping it, but I know people who would not use a wallet that didn't have some type of support mechanism.

Also, a feature request: I would love to have some type of notes field associated with each transaction in Breadwallet. I was recently going through some old transactions and I couldn't remember on a few of them what they were for. It would be great if I could put in a field something like "For a Gyft card at Amazon". Just a thought.

Again, thanks for developing a great wallet!

1) The biggest issue for new users is writing down their recovery phrase. We plan to add an optional key escrow service to make this easier while still not allowing us any access to or even information about user's funds. We will also add bitcoin buying for the patchwork of legacy payment methods, using various exchange partners around the world, and also core wallet financial privacy enhancements.

2) I'm glad RBF is opt-in, so that 0-conf usability isn't reduced. We now detect it and mark RBF tx as "unverified" until they confirm. We will do our best to select fees correctly so our users don't need to use RBF for their own tx. We do however support CPFP today when spending unconfirmed inputs.

3) We offer support through support@breadwallet.com, and will have it mentioned on the website and in the app soon. It's currently shown in the iPhone app store app info.

4) We will be adding transaction metadata for memos, digitally signed payment requests and receipts, and other non-blockchain data. We haven't done so yet because it wouldn't get restored when recovering from your recovery phrase.

[mkswords]

Hi Aaron! Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA. I know Breadwallet has a good reputation for security. What are your thoughts on lightning networks/payment channels and the requirement to store signed transactions as part of the protocol? And BIP-47 payment codes, specifically securing the metadata (which is unrecoverable from a master seed) that must be stored by the wallet if using BIP-47?

[voisine]

Hi Aaron! Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA. I know Breadwallet has a good reputation for security. What are your thoughts on lightning networks/payment channels and the requirement to store signed transactions as part of the protocol? And BIP-47 payment codes, specifically securing the metadata (which is unrecoverable from a master seed) that must be stored by the wallet if using BIP-47?

We haven't chosen to implement these experimental payment networks yet due in part to the drawbacks you mentioned. My own feeling is that something like side-chain elements will become a better option to solve those same problems while maintaining decentralization, financial privacy and security, but will continue to watch the space closely as various projects progress.

Sending non-bitcoin data over the blockchain is my main issue with bip-47. We're working on an alternative option with Netki that we think will provide a better user experience, be simpler to implement, while providing strong security, privacy and decentralization.

[ninjag]

I recently downloaded Bread Wallet and I love it.

This may be a total noob kind of question (I am one) but when you say my bitcoins are not stored on any server like some online wallets, and thus more secure, I wonder:

Where exactly are they backed up?

If I lose my wallet, I know I can recover it, but from where?

Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[freework]

How do you plan to handle the situation when someone pulls off a Sybil attack against the network, rendering SPV useless? Will you switch Bread Wallet to use multiple redundant blockchain APIs?

[Dig4play]

I wanted to start another topic but new here and seems to only let me reply to current posts I dont want to hi jack thread but have questions....

In trying to find the best secure trading platform to use i have noticed They all seem to be kinda rip offs or "Rape hounds" In that ....
1) there can be as much as 100.00 spreads in buy and sell prices on most of the major crypto's....not only on same sites but also from site to site so these exchanges "All" seem to be not only taking thier fees but gouging on the buy and sells? so How can you buy and sell without the gouging? ... and simply lining the exchnges pockets! and thus Q. .... 2) It seems one site you can buy at much better price yet that site dosent let you sell or cash out so in order to do so you have to tranfer to one of the alternate Rape hounds where of course when you want to sell they offer even less than what you paid yet if you were to buy on their site the price is again way higher !... there seems to be no fair or level trading platforms ....thier all bandits and I think if that were not so Cyrpto would be doing far better than it already is?

I wish i was a coder with the skills to set up a > fair > real time > secure >> simplified trading platform with >>> live support because that person will be the real next bit coin billion air in my opinion PS I'm in Canada maybe outside Canada such platforms exist but its scewie for us here

[Transacoin1]

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[seekmap]

Hello, I'm Aaron Voisine, founder and CEO of breadwallet.

breadwallet is the first iPhone wallet that connects directly to the bitcoin network, which also makes it the first real bitcoin wallet running on a secure-by-default platform. (malware hardened and hardware encrypted) It's designed to be as simple and clean as possible, and for the bitcoin nerds out there, it's open source, SPV, and deterministic. Our goal is to make bitcoin safe and easy, and bring the advantages of a truly decentralized digital currency to the billions of people who use money, but have yet to start using bitcoin.

Ask me anything, starting December 1.

Can i purchase Bitcoin with my Itunes Balance ? Just Curios i have enough balance on there i can invest it...