Today we are excited to announce River Link, giving you the ability to text Bitcoin to anyone, anywhere, any wallet.

Historically, electronic payments were tedious, requiring you to send a bank transfer or wire to a friend’s bank account if you knew their account and routing number. Eventually apps like Paypal and Venmo created more streamlined experiences and revolutionized the way we paid each other in dollars.

However, as easy as these modern fiat apps are to use, they are closed ecosystems. They require both the sender and receiver to use the same app. This is great if you’re Paypal, but not if you’re one of their users. You should have a choice in the app you use, especially when it comes to where you hold your money.

At River, we believe that Bitcoin can make the peer-to-peer payments experience as seamless as Venmo without locking users into a single, centralized app. 

With River Link, your contact list becomes your Bitcoin address book. You can now send Bitcoin to anyone via text, WhatsApp, Twitter/X, Signal, Telegram, email, or DM on social media by sending them a River Link for a specific amount. When a friend, family member, or merchant opens the link they can sweep the Bitcoin to any destination they want. No River account required. No walled gardens. Truly open.

Let’s be real, the traditional Bitcoin transaction experience is clunky. When sending Bitcoin, you need to collect somebody’s contact information and coordinate with the recipient on how they want to receive the coins: on-chain, lightning bolt11, lightning address, etc. Bitcoin is a revolutionary asset, but the payments experience isn’t the best. River Link simplifies sending Bitcoin to a single message. There’s no longer a need for back and forth between you and your friend.

In true River fashion, Bitcoin sent with a River Link can be claimed on-chain or via Lightning.

Our mission is to champion an honest and robust financial system by accelerating the adoption of Bitcoin, the world’s only incorruptible digital currency. With River Link, we are taking one more step towards a future where all humans around the world can transact freely and frictionlessly.

If you’re interested, curious, or even skeptical, I recommend learning more about River Link.