Phoenix
ACINQ
Phoenix is a Bitcoin wallet for iOS and Android built by ACINQ, one of the pioneers of the Lightning Network in Europe. It is a self-custodial Lightning wallet: the keys stay on the device, protected by a 12-word recovery phrase, and no company can access the funds. Phoenix hides the complexity of Lightning channels behind a simple interface, relying on ACINQ's infrastructure as a liquidity provider: opening and managing channels involves service and liquidity fees (plus on-chain mining fees when needed), not always at a fixed rate because they depend on the liquidity requested. Under the hood it is built on the open-source lightning-kmp library, ACINQ's own Lightning implementation. It is released under the Apache 2.0 licence.
Data & conditions
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
|---|---|
| Type | Software (hot wallet) |
| Source code | Open-source |
| Recovery | Frase di recupero 12 parole (BIP-39) |
| Bitcoin-only | Yes |
| Supported chains | Bitcoin, Lightning Network |
| Built-in swap | No |
| Built-in staking | No |
| dApp browser | No |
| WalletConnect | No |
| Segment | B2C |
| MiCA / License status | Nessuna (wallet self-custody non-custodial) |
Strengths
- Self-custodial Lightning wallet with a simple user experience; 12-word recovery phrase; open-source (Apache 2.0) and built on lightning-kmp, ACINQ's reference Lightning implementation.
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
- No KYC: usable without identity verification.
- Open-source, verifiable code.
Weaknesses
- Relies on ACINQ's infrastructure as a liquidity provider (not self-hostable); channel service and liquidity fees are not always at a fixed published rate; Bitcoin/Lightning only, no desktop version.
- No notable sovereignty drawback documented.
Verdict
Score 4.4/5, very strong profile. In its favour: self-custodial Lightning wallet with a simple user experience; 12-word recovery phrase; open-source (Apache 2.0) and built on lightning-kmp, ACINQ's reference Lightning implementation. The trade-off to weigh: relies on ACINQ's infrastructure as a liquidity provider (not self-hostable); channel service and liquidity fees are not always at a fixed published rate; Bitcoin/Lightning only, no desktop version.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 4.6/5 (outstanding): the strength is fund control (5.0/5), while censorship resistance (4.0/5) is the weak link.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
Is Phoenix custodial?
No. Phoenix is a self-custodial Lightning wallet: the private keys stay on your device, protected by a 12-word recovery phrase. ACINQ has no access to your funds. It is your responsibility to keep the recovery phrase: if you lose it, the funds are lost.
How do Phoenix's fees work?
Phoenix runs on Lightning relying on ACINQ as a liquidity provider. Opening and managing channels involves service and liquidity fees, plus on-chain mining fees when the transaction touches the blockchain. The amounts depend on the liquidity requested and are not always at a fixed published rate: check the conditions in the app at the time of the operation (source: ACINQ's official repository, August 2026).
Which platforms is Phoenix available on?
Phoenix is available for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play, or the APK from the official releases). There is no desktop version.
Sources
- Official service page Url ufficiale Data verified on Aug 3, 2026
- github.com Azienda · Piattaforme · Self custody · Seed 12 · +2 Data verified on Aug 3, 2026