pledgeBest fit
Users who want a self-custodial mobile Lightning wallet without manually managing channels.
The review starts with the job this wallet is most naturally built to solve.
P
Wallet review
Phoenix
ACINQ · Mobile · Last reviewed 2026-04-30
Users who want a self-custodial mobile Lightning wallet without manually managing channels.
Key modelSingle-sig
HardwareSupported
Asset surfaceBitcoin-only
EvidenceHigh
Evidence
Why trust this view
Phoenix evidence summary
Slow down if
You want cold storage, multisig, or hardware-wallet signing.
This is the first tradeoff to read before treating the wallet as a fit.
Main risk
Lightning liquidity, channel fees, and mobile-key backup are still operational risks even when the wallet simplifies channel management.
Operational and recovery risk matter more than feature checklists for self-custody.
Source quality
2 public sources
High evidence quality. Official materials are linked below.
Control model
What you control, and what can still fail.
- Key model
- Single-sig
- Recovery / backup path
- Seed-based self-custody with Lightning channel management handled by the app
- Hardware support
- No hardware-wallet workflow; designed as a mobile Lightning wallet
- Open-source posture
- Open source
Pledge take
Who should shortlist it?
Shortlist if
Users who want a self-custodial mobile Lightning wallet without manually managing channels.
Pause if
You want cold storage, multisig, or hardware-wallet signing.
Primary risk
Lightning liquidity, channel fees, and mobile-key backup are still operational risks even when the wallet simplifies channel management.
Methodology
How this wallet is evaluated.
Recovery safety
Can a user recover under stress without handing unilateral control to a provider?
Key control
Who signs, how many keys exist, and whether multisig or hardware separation is available.
Ease of use
Whether the setup burden matches the likely user and balance size.
Hardware support
Whether long-term savings can use dedicated signing devices and coordinator flows.
Privacy tooling
Whether the wallet supports power-user controls such as PSBTs, descriptors, Tor, or coin control.
Evidence trail
Phoenix source receipt
No live quote. Wallet reviews use public materials for platform support, backup model, hardware support, open-source posture, and recovery risk.
OfficialPhoenix GitHub (ACINQ)
'Phoenix is a self-custodial Bitcoin wallet using Lightning'; licensed Apache 2.0 (open source); runs a node on the user's phone.
Verified against source · checked 2026-04-30OfficialPhoenix official siteMobile-only self-custodial Lightning wallet; 12-word recovery phrase; automatic channel management (splicing); ACINQ does not hold keys/coins.
Verified against source · checked 2026-04-30Support docsBitcoinProducts Phoenix Review (2026)Independent confirmation: self-custodial with 12-word BIP39 seed, user-only key control, no hardware-wallet support, mobile-only (phoenixd exists as a headless server variant for merchants).
Verified against source · checked 2026-04-30Sources
Open the official materials before trusting any recovery model with meaningful funds.
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Not investment advice. Pledge provides comparison data for educational purposes only; it is not financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Listed rates, terms, and scores can change and Pledge does not guarantee future availability, pricing, approval, or outcomes. Verify current terms with official sources before acting.
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