Born in 2001 in Argentina, just as the country began to experience a devastating economic crisis, Amanu founder Gianluca Minoprio saw firsthand how traditional banking systems can fail their users. This experience shaped his mission to create a new type of crypto wallet, one that aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology.

Fresh from multiple wins at the Consensus 2024 hackathon in Texas last May, Amanu is now challenging conventional notions of what a crypto wallet should be (if you’d like to apply for the EasyA Hackathon at Consensus Hong Kong 2025, go here). The startup is developing a number of features that go far beyond traditional wallet functionality: users will soon be able to send crypto payments via their keyboard via any messaging app, make contactless transfers via ultrasound technology, and manage transactions without having to deal with gas fees or should choose a blockchain.

One of the biggest obstacles to crypto wallet adoption remains the complexity of seed phrases – the series of random words that users must store securely in order to get their money back. This fundamental challenge has led Amanu to reinvent wallet security beyond the non-deprived core. Amanu’s wallet uses biometric signatures, which completely eliminates seeding.

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“The only way to trigger the signature is through your authorization,” Minoprio explains. “The exciting thing about Amanu is that it could be closed source and you would still know how the key is controlled, because every time we want to trigger the key, you have to accept it.”

This represents a significant departure from traditional wallets like MetaMask, where private keys are stored at the software level. However, there are still questions about crucial features such as wallet recovery if a device is lost or damaged – an essential consideration for any hardware-based biometric system.

A fundamental shift?

The expansion beyond the core wallet functions raises questions about the future of crypto payments. Is Amanu’s experimental approach – combining messaging, contactless payments and simplified key management – ​​a sign that crypto’s unique properties require us to completely rethink digital wallets? Or will these features eventually converge back to more traditional wallet interfaces?

The project’s name gives a clue to its ambitions. Derived from “amanuensis”, the name of a medieval monk who preserved knowledge by copying texts, Amanu is meant to act as a bridge between complex blockchain technology and everyday users. “Today’s modern amanuenses are blockchain builders because we are the few who know how to read and write inside [the blockchain],” explains Minoprio.

In the crowded crypto wallet space, where established players already command significant user bases, Amanu’s success will depend on whether its innovative features truly solve user pain points or simply add unnecessary complexity. As a result, the company’s development approach is ruthlessly user-focused. “If you present the feature to people and they don’t get excited about it, you can quickly decide what to focus on or not,” notes Minoprio.

Seven months into development, Amanu’s vision to make crypto payments “as easy as sending a text” is facing its first major test with the upcoming launch of its feature that allows users to send crypto via SMS. Whether this crypto-wallet revamp will resonate with mainstream users remains to be seen, but it represents a bold experiment in pushing the boundaries of digital payment systems.