Bitcoin is ecash with no mint or trusted third parties. From discussing ecash without a mint in the '90s to the creation of ecash without mint (bitcoin) in 2009, we are back to using trusted third parties in 2024.
Discussion
yes, but:
- bitcoin solves the problem of storing value, using something like ecash combined with lightning for daily payments expose to risk just a little fraction of wealth.
- interoperable multimints hopefully create a less fragile and less centralized point of failure.
I don't use trusted third parties for my transactions. Never had any issues with privacy or security.
Point of failure is always the mint that issues ecash irrespective of how many are used in the app.
but the app could split the balance across different mints, so decentralizing the point of failure of a user. Also user can use different mints. Cashu is not a central mint protcol like the ones before bitcoin, is a network of mints based on foss protocol AND lnp/bp. These mints can do nearly instant settlement on lightning network, so become difficult to perpetuate scams for long time.
And is open to innovation, we will see new solution to minimize risks and maximize advantages.
I see great potential for the use cases not well served by non-custodial solutions, like micropayments when bitcoin blockspace is highly requested.
I'm not well informed about ecash, but i think the only risk is the shutdown of the mints or wrong management of inbound/outbound lightning channels