The open-source project makes it possible to send bitcoin even in censored or disconnected areas through a radio mesh network.
In an interview with Decrypt, the developer known by the pseudonym “cyber” revealed the details of Darkwire, an open-source project that could enable new use cases for Bitcoin transactions without internet access.
The project, presented at the Bitcoin 2025 Official Hackathon, leverages Long Range Radio (LoRa) technology to create a decentralized mesh network that allows Bitcoin transactions to be sent even in the total absence of traditional connectivity.
Darkwire was specifically designed for situations where conventional communication infrastructure is inaccessible or controlled. According to cyber, the system is ideal for politically sensitive regions like the Rafah Crossing or the Indo-Tibetan border, where internet access can be limited or heavily monitored.
“Darkwire is for individuals seeking privacy or wishing to bypass surveillance of their communications and transactions. Imagine it to be akin to Tor but for this specific use case,” the creator explained.
LoRa technology
Darkwire operates through a combination of technologies. The system uses long-range LoRa radios along with microcontrollers such as the Arduino UNO to form a decentralized mesh network.
When a user wants to send a Bitcoin transaction without internet access, they specify the recipient’s address and the amount via a local graphical interface managed by bitcoinlib. The system then generates a signed Bitcoin transaction in hexadecimal format, which is split into smaller packets and transmitted via radio.
Mesh Network
Darkwire’s mesh network allows the data to “hop” from node to node until it reaches an internet-connected exit point. In ideal conditions, each Darkwire node has a range of up to 10 kilometers with a direct line of sight, reduced to 3-5 kilometers in densely populated areas.
“At least one node in the network needs to be connected to the internet, so that the transaction can be pushed to the blockchain for miners to verify it,” cyber said.
Once the transaction data reaches a node with internet access, it acts as an exit point, broadcasting the verified Bitcoin transaction to the global network, where it can be included in a block.
Limitations and future developments
Currently, Darkwire faces several technical limitations that the team is actively working to address. The relatively low bandwidth of LoRa radios and their sensitivity to terrain obstacles represent challenges. Moreover, the system’s dependence on internet-connected exit nodes could create potential points of failure.
According to reports, the project is still in its hackathon phase, but cyber has plans to further develop it, turning it into a full open-source platform and making it “the industry standard” for LoRa-based communications.
“I do hope people living in any kind of authoritarian regimes and states do get to use darkwire and put the truth out there,” the developer added.
