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Matthew Vuk notes Arc payments only work within the same Arc server instance; cross-Arc payments or payments to non-Arc wallets default to Lightning, similar to Cashu mints using Lightning.
Matthew Vuk details how Bark enables Cashu mints to hold VTXOs as reserves, enhancing privacy and allowing verifiable proof of reserves through self-spending to a Noster pubkey.
Amethyst version 1.12.0 merged 170 PRs, integrating Cashu wallets (NIP 60) and zaps (NIP 61) alongside Lightning, on-chain, and Nostr Wallet Connect in a unified payment UI.
NIP61 NutZaps deliver Cashu eCash tokens directly inside Nostr events, allowing offline recipients to redeem later without Lightning infrastructure.
The main job of a Cashu mint is preventing double spending by tracking spent e-cash tokens, which Calle calls the 'state of the mint'.
Running a Cashu mint inside a Trusted Execution Environment (TE) prevents operators from accessing private keys, eliminating fast rug pull risk and offering plausible deniability.
Cashu is switching cryptographic schemes from David Wagner's 1996 SecP256k1-based blind MAC to BLS signatures, which allow public verification and simplify third-party operations.
Cala announced a trust-minimized Cashu mint using a trusted execution environment, where mint keys are generated within a secure enclave, preventing operator inflation or access to Bitcoin reserves.
Numo Pay launched as a free, open-source Android tap-to-pay app for merchants, compatible with Lightning and Cashu e-cash. It works offline via NFC file transfers, though merchants must be online to prevent double-spend risks.
Vlad recounts his initial excitement for Lightning Network, citing failed scalability promises, centralization trends, and the ultimate reliance on custodial systems like Cashu that reintroduce trust.