As shown in the screenshot, Simplex is issuing a token primarily to address two issues:

1. Simplex servers currently have no revenue, which makes them unsustainable and gives no incentive for more people to operate more servers.

2. Providing short, memorable names (which would then require global consensus?).

For the first issue, an ecash sat “stamp” mechanism is simple and straightforward.

If users worry that an ecash mint might run off with funds, consider having the same operator run both the Nostr relay and the Cashu mint. Each time, users buy 32 stamps with 32 sats—just like purchasing stamps at a post office.

For the second issue, we still don’t understand why this would be a problem for a secure, privacy-preserving chat app.