Bitlifi is an application for Lightning payments whose terms call the wallet custodial and name 21M Custody s.r.o. as the provider. The user controls an account and submits payment instructions, while the provider holds BTC and processes transactions; it is therefore not a self-custody wallet with private keys under the user’s exclusive control.
The terms describe Bitlifi as an application operated by the provider 21M Custody s.r.o., company ID 17541549, based in Prague. The current Google Play record simultaneously names MP Developers s.r.o. as the developer; the contractual service provider in the terms and the app-store publisher must therefore be distinguished. [1]
The terms explicitly say that the provider holds BTC for the client and that the wallet is set to “custodial” mode. A user instructs an outgoing Lightning payment and may request that stored BTC be sent to another software wallet, but the terms do not assign the underlying keys or nodes to the user. [1]
The app listing describes payments to a phone number and to a Lightning Address in the form phonenumber@bitlifi.com. It says the recipient does not have to be registered in advance and will receive an SMS notification. The phone number is neither a bitcoin address nor part of the Lightning protocol; it is an identifier that the service maps to its accounting and delivery process. [2]
The security model rests on an account with the operator. Lightning can carry a payment, but it cannot verify Bitlifi’s internal balance, protect a user against service unavailability or compel a withdrawal. Self-custody removes this particular counterparty while transferring backups, keys and channel management to the user. [1]
The terms took effect on 1 April 2023. At editorial review, the Google Play listing had been updated on 19 August 2026 and showed more than 5000 downloads; the download count is a changing store metric, not proof of active users, solvency or BTC volume. [2]
The terms do not guarantee continuous availability or a minimum response time and state that service costs are agreed inside the application. The provider undertakes to process an accepted instruction but disclaims responsibility for completion and settlement of the transaction. The marketing word “secure” must not be confused with an independent reserves audit or a withdrawal guarantee. [1]
A Lightning Address is a human-readable identifier resembling email that, under LUD-16, retrieves LNURL-pay data from a domain. The address phonenumber@bitlifi.com therefore depends on DNS, web infrastructure and the Bitlifi backend; it is not an on-chain address and by itself says nothing about who controls private keys or how an internal balance is backed. [3]
When assessing Bitlifi, check the current terms, provider name, custody mode, external withdrawal option, fees shown in the app and the current data-processing policy. The terms effective from 1 April 2023 describe the service framework, but features, app publisher and regulatory obligations may change later. [4]
For the clearest picture, read this entry together with Lightning Network, Lightning Address, Wallet, Self-custody, Counterparty risk, Private Key.
01Is Bitlifi a self-custody Lightning wallet?+
Not according to its published terms. They expressly call the wallet mode custodial and say that the provider holds BTC for the client. A user can submit payments and request an external withdrawal, but should verify current limits, fees and the withdrawal procedure before use. Self-custody turns on whether the user personally controls the private keys and can restore funds without the operator.
02What exactly does sending bitcoin to a phone number mean?+
It does not put a phone number into the Bitcoin or Lightning protocol. Bitlifi uses the number as an application identifier; according to Google Play, it can send an SMS notice to a recipient who does not yet have an account and supports an address in the form phonenumber@bitlifi.com. Delivery therefore depends on the service’s rules, account system and infrastructure, and the sender must verify the recipient and redemption conditions.