Born in 2001 in Argentina, just as the country was beginning to experience a devastating economic crisis, Amanu founder Gianluca Minoprio saw firsthand how traditional banking systems can fail their users. This experience shaped their mission to create a new type of crypto wallet, which aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology.
After 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 want to apply for the EasyA Hackathon at Consensus Hong Kong 2025, go here). The startup is developing a set of features that go far beyond traditional wallet functionality: users will soon be able to send crypto payments through their keyboard through any messaging app, make contactless transfers through ultrasound technology and manage transactions without having to deal with or have to deal with gas fees. choose a blockchain.
One of the biggest hurdles in crypto wallet adoption remains the complexity of seed phrases – the string of random words that users must securely store to retrieve their funds. This fundamental challenge has led Amanu to reimagine wallet security beyond the non-custodial core. The Amanu wallet uses biometric signatures, eliminating seed phrases entirely.
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“The only way to activate the signature is through its authorization,” explains Minoprio. “The interesting thing about Amanu is that it could be closed source and you would still know how the key is managed because every time we want to activate 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, questions remain 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 change?
The expansion beyond the wallet’s core features raises questions about the future of crypto payments. Is Amanu’s experimental approach—combining messaging, contactless payments, and simplified key management—a sign that the unique properties of cryptocurrencies are forcing us to completely rethink digital wallets? Or will these features eventually converge back into more traditional wallet interfaces?
The name of the project offers a clue to its ambitions. Derived from “amanuensis,” the name of a medieval monk who preserved knowledge by copying texts, Amanu is intended to serve as a bridge between complex blockchain technology and everyday users. “Today’s modern amanuensis are the builders of blockchain because we are the few who know how to read and write within [the blockchain]”explains Minoprio.
In the crowded crypto wallet space, where established players already control 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-centric. “If you present the feature to people and they’re not excited about it, you can quickly decide what to focus on or not,” Minoprio says.
Seven months into its development, Amanu’s vision of making cryptocurrency payments “as easy as sending a text message” is about to face its first major test with the upcoming launch of its feature that allows users Send cryptocurrency via text messages. Whether this reinvention of the crypto wallet will resonate with mainstream users remains to be seen, but it represents a bold experiment in pushing the boundaries of digital payment systems.
