Phoenix Wallet: keys, security, fees and reviews
In short
- Key control
- Self-custodial: only the user holds the key controlling the funds.
- Fees
- Wallet: Sending via Lightning 0.4% + 4 sat; receiving via Lightning free; 1% + mining fees when inbound liquidity is insufficient or requested; channel creation 1,000 sat.
- Risks and caveats
- Losing the 12-word seed means losing the funds; ACINQ support never asks for it.
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
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Key facts
- Official site
- phoenix.acinq.co
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.
What is Phoenix Wallet
Phoenix is a self-custodial Bitcoin wallet for iOS and Android that runs a Lightning node on the phone, made by the French company ACINQ (developer of the eclair Lightning implementation). It was released on 12 December 2019 and manages a single Lightning channel with ACINQ automatically.
Who holds the keys
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Key control | Self-custodial: only the user holds the key controlling the funds. |
| Seed phrase | A 12-word seed is generated in the app; if it is lost, ACINQ cannot help. |
| Account model | A real Lightning node runs on the phone; its channel counterparty and liquidity provider (LSP) is ACINQ. |
| Custodian | No custodian, but trust-minimised rather than trustless: channel changes triggered by incoming Lightning payments need trust until the funding transaction confirms. |
Features and supported networks
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS 16.0 or later and Android 8.0 or later; Android APKs are also published on GitHub. |
| Supported networks | Bitcoin only, over Lightning and on-chain. |
| Lightning | Since July 2023 Phoenix uses splicing to keep one dynamic channel per user, with trustless swaps. |
| Connectivity | Users can point Phoenix to their own Electrum server to monitor the blockchain and channels. |
Security and audits
- Open source on GitHub (ACINQ/phoenix) under the Apache 2.0 licence; Lightning logic comes from ACINQ's lightning-kmp library.
- No third-party audit of the app is published by ACINQ.
- ACINQ says it secures its own Lightning node with AWS Nitro Enclaves and Ledger Nano signing devices.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Wallet | Sending via Lightning 0.4% + 4 sat; receiving via Lightning free; 1% + mining fees when inbound liquidity is insufficient or requested; channel creation 1,000 sat. |
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2017 | ACINQ announced Eclair Mobile, its first wallet with opt-in Lightning support. |
| 12 December 2019 | Phoenix released as a second-generation mobile Lightning wallet. |
| 17 December 2020 | ACINQ blog post "When iOS?" on bringing Phoenix to iOS. |
| 11 July 2023 | Third-generation Phoenix with splicing and a single dynamic channel. |
| 23 February 2024 | Swaproot: a Taproot and MuSig2 based swap-in protocol for on-chain deposits. |
Risks and caveats
- Losing the 12-word seed means losing the funds; ACINQ support never asks for it.
- ACINQ sees the destination and amount of payments, so Phoenix offers no privacy advantage over custodial wallets.
- If ACINQ disappears, funds stay safe but payments stop; force-closing channels is a last resort with high fees and a delay of about 5 days.
- Not available to residents of countries under UN, US, EU or UK sanctions.
About the developer
- Developer
- ACINQ SAS, a French company registered in Paris (RCS 804 203 792).
- Licence / registration
- Registered at the Paris Trade and Companies Register; terms governed by French law.
Official links
- Website: phoenix.acinq.co
- Download: phoenix.acinq.co/download
- Docs: phoenix.acinq.co/faq
- Source code: github.com/ACINQ/phoenix
- Support: phoenix.acinq.co/support
- Blog: acinq.co/blog
Questions and answers
Is Phoenix self-custodial?
Yes. Only the user holds the 12-word seed; Phoenix runs a Lightning node on the phone with ACINQ as channel peer. It is trust-minimised rather than fully trustless.
Is Phoenix open source?
Yes. The iOS and Android code is on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 licence.
What fees does Phoenix charge?
As of 31 October 2026: 0.4% + 4 sat to send over Lightning, free Lightning receiving with enough liquidity, 1% + mining fees for extra liquidity, and 1,000 sat for channel creation.
Who makes Phoenix?
ACINQ SAS, a French company registered in Paris, which also develops the eclair Lightning implementation.
Sources
- Phoenix — Home
- Phoenix — FAQ
- Phoenix — Terms of usage
- GitHub — ACINQ/phoenix
- ACINQ blog — Introducing Phoenix (12 December 2019)
- ACINQ blog — Introducing the new Phoenix (11 July 2023)
- ACINQ blog — index
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