delvingbitcoin

Stable Channels - peer-to-peer dollar balances on Lightning

Stable Channels - peer-to-peer dollar balances on Lightning

Original Postby 40000bytes

Posted on: May 16, 2024 22:29 UTC

The integration of the Chaumian eCash system, Cashu, presents an innovative approach to creating a stable dollar token.

This effort, led by Developer Star Builder and others, utilizes a Stable Channel to secure the token's value. A user interface for this system can be explored on Boardwalk Cash, while the eCash minting process, along with data from the Stable Channel, is available on the Umint mint website. Despite the advancements, there are significant concerns regarding the custodial nature of eCash systems, which contrasts with the misleading self-custodial claims present on the Boardwalk Cash website.

The eCash system offers several benefits over traditional Lightning approaches, including not requiring users to run a node or remain constantly online, thus addressing scalability and user experience issues effectively. Furthermore, it promises quick deployment. However, these systems inherently carry risks due to their custodial structure, making them vulnerable to regulatory actions or the potential for a rug pull scenario. In addition, despite the provision of proofs of liabilities and reserves through on-chain transaction identification and signed attestations, users must still place trust in the mint and the publicly shared statistics, which poses privacy concerns.

To mitigate some of these custodial risks, Fedimints could offer a solution. Nevertheless, the acceptance of eCash tokens and Stable Channels in the market remains a critical challenge that needs to be addressed. The highlighted drawbacks, particularly around custody and privacy, significantly overshadow the benefits these technologies might bring, necessitating a cautious approach towards their adoption and further development.