In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrencies, wallet security and ease-of-use remain two of the biggest barriers to mainstream adoption. Amanu, a startup founded by Argentinian entrepreneur Gianluca Minoprio, aims to solve both problems by reimagining the crypto wallet from the ground up.
The Quest for Simplicity
Growing up during Argentina’s devastating economic crisis in the early 2000s, Minoprio witnessed firsthand how traditional banking systems can fail the people who need them most. This experience ignited his passion to bridge the gap between the complex world of blockchain technology and everyday users.
Amanu’s mission is to make crypto wallets as intuitive and user-friendly as popular consumer tech products like the iPhone. “We want to bring an Apple-like simplicity to the crypto space,” explains Minoprio. “Sending and receiving digital assets should be as easy as sending a text message.”
Eliminating the Seed Phrase Hurdle
One of the most daunting aspects of using a crypto wallet for newcomers is the need to safely store a seed phrase – the string of random words that acts as a backup key. Lose the seed phrase, and you could permanently lose access to your digital assets.
Amanu’s solution? Eliminate seed phrases entirely by using biometric signatures. “The only way to trigger the signature is through your authorization,” notes Minoprio. “The exciting part is that even if our wallet software was closed source, you’d still know your key is secure because it requires your explicit acceptance to execute any transaction.”
Seamless Payments and Simplified Transactions
Beyond rethinking wallet security, Amanu is developing a range of features to make using cryptocurrencies feel more like using apps like Venmo or Cash App:
- Send crypto via any messaging app using your phone’s keyboard
- Make contactless payments using ultrasound data transfer technology
- Manage transactions without dealing with gas fees or choosing a blockchain
These are radical departures from how crypto wallets traditionally work. By abstracting away the technical complexities and allowing users to send digital currencies as easily as sending an emoji, Amanu is betting that a fundamentally new wallet paradigm is needed to onboard the next billion crypto users.
The Medieval Monks of the Blockchain Age
Amanu’s name itself points to the scale of the startup’s ambition. Derived from “amanuensis” – the term for medieval monks who meticulously copied and preserved manuscripts – Minoprio sees his company’s role as building bridges between the esoteric world of blockchains and the everyday needs of users.
“Today’s modern amanuenses are the blockchain builders because we are the few who know how to read and write inside this new system,” he explains. “Our job is to be the interpreters and guardians who make this technology accessible to all.”
The Road Ahead
Of course, the proof will be in the pudding. Amanu is entering a fiercely competitive crypto wallet space where established players like MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet already command huge user bases. The startup’s success will hinge on whether its innovative blend of features genuinely solves real user pain points or simply introduces unnecessary complexity.
To that end, Amanu’s development process is laser-focused on user feedback. “If you pitch a feature to people and they don’t get excited, you know very quickly what to prioritize,” says Minoprio. With the upcoming launch of its SMS crypto payment feature, the rubber is about to meet the road.
In a sector where so many projects are still focused on speculators and early adopters, Amanu’s quixotic goal of making crypto wallets grandma-friendly faces major headwinds. But if this medieval monk of the blockchain age can deliver on even a fraction of his vision, the dream of cryptocurrencies as an accessible, global payment system may get a big step closer to reality.
