You need a Lightning wallet to use Carbonation. Pick one, set it up, and you're ready to start exploring the districts.
Get the Phoenix app on iOS or Android. Free, 30 seconds.
Buy sats in the app, or have someone send you some.
Go to any Carbonation district, scan the QR code, done.
Click any wallet to see details. Recommended wallets work best with Carbonation.
Best self-custody Lightning wallet. Your keys, your coins. Built by the team behind the Lightning spec.
Browser extension for Lightning. Perfect for web payments. Has a built-in Lightning address.
The simplest Lightning wallet. Download, open, scan QR, done. No setup required.
Self-custodial wallet that runs in the browser. Open source and privacy-focused.
Full-featured Lightning node on your phone. Connect to your own node or use the embedded one.
Buy Bitcoin with your bank account and send Lightning payments. Best fiat-to-Lightning onramp.
You hold the keys. Nobody can freeze or seize your funds. If you lose your backup, you lose your sats.
Best for: Larger amounts, long-term holding, privacy
The wallet provider holds your keys. Easy setup, but they could restrict access. Good for small amounts.
Best for: Beginners, small amounts, convenience
For Carbonation, either works fine. Start custodial if you're new, move to self-custody when comfortable.
Turn dollars, euros, or any currency into sats
Link your bank account, buy Bitcoin, send via Lightning instantly.
Buy Bitcoin in Cash App, send to any Lightning address or invoice.
Bitcoin-only exchange with Lightning withdrawals. Auto-DCA available.
Peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange over Lightning. No KYC. Trade directly with other users.
A satoshi (sat) is the smallest unit of Bitcoin. 1 Bitcoin = 100,000,000 sats. At current prices, 1,000 sats is roughly $1 USD.
Lightning payments are Bitcoin transactions. They're irreversible, but also instant and secure. Start with small amounts while you learn.
Carbonation uses the Lightning Network (layer 2 on Bitcoin) for instant payments. Most modern Bitcoin wallets support Lightning.
Self-custody wallets give you a backup seed phrase. Write it down and keep it safe. Custodial wallets can usually recover your account via email.
No! You can buy any amount. Most Carbonation services cost between 10-100 sats (fractions of a penny). Start with a few thousand sats.