Roland / Roland is on Nostr

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2026-05-20 15:18:40 UTC

I built a small PWA for instantly topping up a debit card with bitcoin and make payments with Apple Pay, which helps me live on bitcoin.
https://blossom.primal.net/35dabc1f8f702050ab3c7215e29ed8c052a807f7fdc736ef8e4448a6244e184e.mp4
Before I start: I do pay directly in bitcoin where possible. This is one of my fallback approaches that in my opinion is sustainable.
This is also not a post about KYC or no-KYC, or Apple Pay, or Google Pay, really.
This post is also not about crypto, it's about living on bitcoin in a way that actually has a good user experience.
I have been doing this for a long time with 2fiat card connected to Apple Pay (I have a small PWA for instant 2fiat lightning topups), but after some repeated problems I needed a fallback, and realized Satora enables a nice flow that works with many different debit card providers.
The problem:
- I keep funds in a self-custodial bitcoin wallet
- Most merchants still accept only card or fiat payments
- Most debit cards are not bitcoin-native and do not support the lightning network
Satora fixes this with near-instant atomic lightning<->stablecoin swaps.
I can keep using bitcoin, and topup my debit card just before I pay.
NWC @nprofile…gs3w enables a super-simple interface on my phone that I can open and press one button to top up my debit card from my bitcoin lightning wallet. The swap takes less than 10 seconds, and my debit card balance tops up within a minute.
How It Works
- Setup once: Input your card’s deposit address, network, and currency, then connect your wallet via Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC). This is the only time you are exposed to "crypto". From a UX perspective after that, it's only bitcoin and a USD debit card balance.
- Swap via Satora.io: Tap “Top Up” to trigger a Lightning-funded swap. BTC is converted and sent to your card's deposit address.
- Seamless payment: NWC pays the Lightning invoice automatically through a budgeted connection to your lightning wallet.
Questions for people trying to live on bitcoin
- Do you use a bitcoin/crypto/prepaid card today? Which one?
- How do you top it up now? What is the annoying part?
- Do you keep a balance on it, or top up only when needed?
- What would stop you from testing this with a small amount?
Early Access to the App
- Want to be one of the first to try the app? send an email to hello@getalby.com
Your bitcoin stays in your wallet until you need it. Works best with @nprofile…x6g9 Alby Hub: https://getalby.com/alby-hub?ref=bitcoin-debit-card