Founded in 2021 with a generous 500 BTC donation from Jack Dorsey and Jay-Z, we believe that decentralization of the people building for and on Bitcoin enhances its resilience, reach, and relevance as a global currency.
Btrust Builders is our program designed to educate existing software developers from Africa about Bitcoin and Lightning development to start them on their journey as open-source Bitcoin contributors. The application is open all year round for mid-to-senior level engineers who are ready for the transition.
We have two grant schemes for developers who want to start or continue their contribution efforts to open-source Bitcoin projects.
This grant supports software developers new to Bitcoin open-source contributions. It provides full-time funding for six months to help you focus on key projects and prepare a strong proposal for long-term support.
Working in open source can feel isolating, especially for developers in the Global South facing pay and career uncertainties.
Our Open Source Cohort offers support, allowing you to contribute to Bitcoin projects independently within a supportive team framework.
Our builders run BitDev meetups across thirteen African cities—Abuja, Accra, Cotonou, Douala, Gitega, Goma, Johannesburg, Kaduna, Kampala, Kano, Lagos, Nairobi, Uyo,and Zambia, —with support from Btrust in administration, communication, and funding. The goal is to expand these meetups to more African cities, growing the pipeline.
These monthly meetups follow the established BitDevs format and are highly localized. They offer a high-signal environment to deepen understanding of Bitcoin development and communicate opportunities within the technical community.
This article is a written version of my talk “Why Rust Is Becoming Essential in Bitcoin,” which I gave during the 2025 Btrust Developer Day. Rust has been voted the most loved programming language for nine years in a row, according to the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
The Btrust Builders program was designed to move developers from curiosity, to capability, to contribution. This blog shares the story of the 2025 program, what we achieved, what we learned, and why it matters for the future of Bitcoin development in Africa and the wider Global South.
A practical guide for building and sustaining Bitcoin-only technical communities across the Global South.
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