libsecp256k1 C library for Bitcoin signatures
- Regulatory status
- Not a financial service
- Custody
- Not applicable
- Open source
- Yes
- Status
- Active
Swiss angle
libsecp256k1 is a global project. It is developed in the bitcoin-core GitHub organisation, as the repository address shows, by its maintainers rather than by a company. It is a cryptography library that holds no coins and offers no service, so it is not a financial service.
We found no Swiss maintainer or office named on the project's pages, so this listing claims none. If you want to understand what the library does before you read its code, the technical deep dive chapter covers keys, signatures and the curve they live on.
Who it is for
Developers who need Bitcoin signatures done right. The README, read on 4 October 2026, calls it a "high-performance high-assurance C library for digital signatures and other cryptographic primitives on the secp256k1 elliptic curve", and says the primary focus of its development has been for usage in the Bitcoin system.
Teams that worry about side channels. The same README lists "constant time, constant memory access signing and public key generation", which means the time a signature takes does not leak the secret key to someone measuring it.
Builders of newer Bitcoin features. The README lists optional modules for Schnorr signatures under BIP-340, MuSig2 multi-signatures under BIP-327, ElligatorSwift key exchange under BIP-324 and Silent Payments under BIP-352.
People who verify what they compile. The README says the git tag for each release is GPG-signed by one of the maintainers and walks through checking that signature. The latest release on GitHub is v0.8.0, published on 3 August 2026.
Who it is not for
Anyone who wants a wallet. This is a C library with no interface for end users. Start with the wallet listings instead.
Developers who want a Bitcoin toolkit in a higher-level language. libsecp256k1 handles the curve maths and nothing else. For transactions, scripts and addresses in Rust, the rust-bitcoin listing is the next layer up.
Projects that use the curve for something other than Bitcoin without testing their case. The README warns that usage unlike Bitcoin's may be less well tested or verified, and that correct usage requires care.
Verified facts
| Source | Checked on |
|---|---|
| libsecp256k1 on GitHub |
This directory carries no paid placements and no referral codes. No provider paid to be listed or to be described in a certain way. Each fact was checked against the primary source on the date shown next to it, and facts change after that date. This page is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.