Armory: keys, security, fees and reviews
In short
- Key control
- Self-custodial desktop client: private keys stay in the user's wallet files; no central service is needed to spend.
- Fees
- Wallet: Free, open-source software; only Bitcoin network fees apply.
- Risks and caveats
- The last stable release is from December 2018; 0.97 is a release candidate, and the maintainer warns the Windows build is rough.
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
Visitor ratings: do you like Armory?
Key facts
- Official site
- btcarmory.com
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.
Status
Open-source project maintained by goatpig since Armory Technologies Inc. stopped development in 2016; the last stable release is 0.96.5 (December 2018) and 0.97 RC1 was published as a pre-release in May 2026.
What is Armory
Armory is a free, open-source desktop Bitcoin wallet written in Python and C++, created by Alan Reiner in 2011. It is self-custodial, supports offline (air-gapped) signing, paper backups and watching-only wallets, and relies on a local Bitcoin Core node for networking and validation.
Who holds the keys
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Key control | Self-custodial desktop client: private keys stay in the user's wallet files; no central service is needed to spend. |
| Recovery | Paper backups of deterministic wallets; private keys can be imported or swept. |
| Account model | Supports cold storage on a computer that never connects to the internet, with a watching-only copy online. |
Features and supported networks
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Supported networks | Bitcoin only; requires Bitcoin Core (or a Core-based full node) for networking and consensus. |
| Platforms | Desktop software; 0.97 RC1 ships a Windows build and needs Qt5/6 for Python 3. |
| Multisig | Multi-signature transactions are partly implemented under the hood. |
| Supported networks | 0.96.5 added sending to bech32 (native SegWit) addresses. |
Security and audits
- Open source: code up to 0.93.3 is under the GNU AGPL v3 (Armory Technologies Inc.); later code is under the MIT License.
- On 22 September 2017 the maintainer disclosed a flaw in the Shamir's Secret Sharing used for fragmented backups, fixed in 0.96.3; users of fragmented backups were told to move funds to a new wallet.
- Release binaries can be checked against published hashes and signatures (Verify Binaries page).
Security incidents
No security incident is recorded in the sources checked on 31 October 2026 (the company’s own channels and incident databases): defillama.com/hacks, hacked.slowmist.io, rekt.news/leaderboard, btcarmory.com/feed.xml, github.com/goatpig/BitcoinArmory/releases
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Wallet | Free, open-source software; only Bitcoin network fees apply. |
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 13 July 2011 | Alan Reiner creates Armory. |
| 4 February 2016 | Armory Technologies Inc. stops developing Armory; maintenance passes to goatpig and the community. |
| 22 September 2017 | Armory 0.96.3 fixes the fragmented-backup (Shamir's Secret Sharing) vulnerability. |
| 23 December 2018 | Armory 0.96.5, the latest stable release, is published. |
| 20 May 2026 | Armory 0.97 RC1 is published on GitHub as a pre-release. |
Risks and caveats
- The last stable release is from December 2018; 0.97 is a release candidate, and the maintainer warns the Windows build is rough.
- Wallets made with fragmented backups before 0.96.3 should be treated as compromised, per the maintainer.
- Needs a fully synced Bitcoin Core node, so setup is heavier than light wallets.
- Self-custody: losing the wallet files and paper backup means losing access to the funds.
About the developer
- Developer
- Open-source project led by Farhod Fathpour (goatpig).
- Founders
- Alan Reiner (etotheipi), project creator.
- Parent company
- Formerly Armory Technologies Inc. (ATI), which no longer takes part.
Official links
- Website: btcarmory.com
- Download: btcarmory.com/releases
- Docs: btcarmory.com/docs/faq
- Source code: github.com/goatpig/BitcoinArmory
- Security: btcarmory.com/fragmented-backup-vuln
Questions and answers
Is Armory self-custodial?
Yes. Armory is a desktop wallet; the keys stay in your wallet files and no central service is needed to spend.
Is Armory still maintained?
Yes, by goatpig as an open-source project. The last stable release is 0.96.5 (December 2018); 0.97 RC1 came out as a pre-release on 20 May 2026.
Is Armory open source?
Yes: code up to 0.93.3 is under the AGPL v3 and later code under the MIT License.
Does Armory need Bitcoin Core?
Yes. Armory has no networking of its own and relies on Bitcoin Core (or a Core-based node).
Has Armory had security problems?
In September 2017 the maintainer disclosed a flaw in fragmented backups, fixed in 0.96.3, and told affected users to move their funds.
Sources
- Bitcoin Armory — homepage
- Bitcoin Armory — About
- Bitcoin Armory — FAQ
- Bitcoin Armory — Armory's future and the end of ATI involvement
- Bitcoin Armory — Fragmented Backups Vulnerability
- Bitcoin Armory — 0.96.5 release
- Bitcoin Armory — news feed
- GitHub — goatpig/BitcoinArmory
- GitHub — 0.97 RC1 release
More in this section
Related
How voting works
Votes are anonymous and carry no text. Each device has one vote per item; press the same button again to remove it. Cloudflare Turnstile checks that a person is voting. We keep a random device ID in a cookie and a salted hash of the IP address to limit abuse — no names, no accounts. Votes are visitors’ opinions, not investment advice.
Page updated: