Phoenix Lightning wallet for phones
- Regulatory status
- Not a financial service
- Custody
- Self-custody: you hold the keys
- Open source
- Yes
- Website
- https://phoenix.acinq.co
- Status
- Active
Swiss angle
Phoenix is built by ACINQ, which its company site describes as a Bitcoin technology company working on the Lightning Network; the site prints no legal form or seat. The Phoenix GitHub repository, read on 4 October 2026, says the wallet is self-custodial, so you hold the keys and ACINQ holds no coins for you. That makes Phoenix software, not a financial service.
Francs are built in. The currency list in the Phoenix source includes CHF with the Swiss flag, so you can see what a payment is worth in francs before you send it. The Android resources ship German, French and Italian translations, which cover three national languages.
You get Lightning without the setup work. The Phoenix home page says the wallet runs natively on Lightning and takes care of everything under the hood. You do not open channels or run a node yourself, which is what the home Lightning setup guide asks of you if you want full control.
You hold the keys, so no bank sends you a year-end statement. You enter the ESTV year-end value of your coins in the wealth tax section of your return; the Swiss Bitcoin tax guide explains how. Coins in a phone wallet count the same as coins in cold storage.
Who it is for
People in Switzerland who want to pay and receive small amounts over Lightning from a phone. You see francs on screen and keep your own recovery phrase. The Lightning chapter explains what happens behind a Lightning payment.
Users who want a self-custody Lightning wallet without running a node at home. The GitHub repository says Phoenix is available for Android and iOS, and the code is open under the Apache 2.0 licence.
People who want a spending wallet next to a hardware wallet. You keep savings on a device such as the BitBox02 and a smaller amount in Phoenix for daily use.
Who it is not for
Desktop users. The GitHub repository lists Android and iOS only.
Anyone who wants fees in writing before they start. Phoenix charges for the channel liquidity it provides, and the numbers are on the Phoenix FAQ. That page refused our request on 4 October 2026, so this page quotes no fee; read the FAQ yourself before you fund the wallet.
Savers with large amounts. A phone that is online is a hot wallet. The self-custody guide explains why savings you plan to keep for years belong in cold storage.
People who want a Swiss company to call. ACINQ's company site gives an email address and no Swiss presence.
Verified facts
| Source | Checked on |
|---|---|
| Phoenix Wallet home (native Lightning, non custodial) | |
| Phoenix on GitHub (Apache-2.0, Android and iOS) |
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.