Key Takeaways
- Proton has launched a new Bitcoin wallet integrated with ProtonMail.
- Bitcoin donations helped Proton survive early financial challenges.
- Proton Wallet ensures privacy by rotating Bitcoin addresses for transactions.
Proton, the Swiss technology company behind ProtonMail, has introduced Proton Wallet, a non-custodial Bitcoin wallet designed to simplify Bitcoin transactions.
Seamless Bitcoin Transactions
Proton Wallet, integrated with ProtonMail, allows users to send Bitcoin as easily as sending an email. Andy Yen, CEO of Proton, stated:
Proton Wallet’s ability to support Bitcoin via email now makes Bitcoin transactions as easy to use as PayPal, while preserving the decentralized and non-custodial nature of Bitcoin.
Proton’s Bitcoin history
Bitcoin has played a crucial role in Proton’s history. When PayPal froze Proton’s funds during its 2014 crowdfunding campaign, Bitcoin donations helped save the company. This connection deepened in 2023 when holding Bitcoin safeguarded Proton during the Credit Suisse collapse.
Key Features
Proton Wallet enables Bitcoin transactions using email addresses, rotating Bitcoin addresses to maintain user privacy. It offers robust recovery methods, including a seed phrase and Proton account recovery. Although Lightning integration is not yet available, Proton plans future support as technology evolves.
Currently, Proton Wallet is accessible to Proton Visionary users and select community members, with broader access planned via a waitlist.
