[2025] May Updates
Navigators,
Happy monthly close to all of you.
The testnet is running smoothly and we welcomed a new addition to the stack: ElectrumX. Shoutout to the positive Discord feedback about the improved stacking speed for large wallets.
ElectrumX is a server implementation which makes it possible for wallets and apps to interact with the Navio network without having to download the full chain. It’s basically a strong step toward usability and decentralisation, giving users the option to run their own indexing node. For anyone looking to build on the Navio chain, this will cut out a ton of friction. Full guide here.
Currently, the integration of Navio into BasicSwapDEX is being worked on, with the end of June as the foreseeable date to start opening pull requests on.
This month, we tested the Navio spirit with another poll set to sharpen those privacy instincts.
Turns out, most flagged smart assistants and social media mining as the most ignored privacy threats — which tracks. These methods are more covert and hidden compared to eyeball scanning or the like.
Most powerful privacy tool? Privacy crypto came out on top, beating both mixers and Tor. One need only look at the recent market cap increase of the privacy sector to see the strength of this narrative.
Heartwarming to see how many would entrust their mother as the keyholder for their net-worth. Turns out it’s either her, or encrypted code. The true duality in the life of the anon. As to the question about the most successfully infiltrated trojan horse: respectfully, to all those who picked incognito mode… ಠ_ಠ … sirs…
And for the age-old tension between privacy tech and regulation, when privacy technology conflicts with existing rules, the technology shouldn’t compromise. The rules need to evolve instead. To paraphrase Tim May: build the future first, and let the law figure out how to keep up.
In privacy news, the Private Finance Syndicate had a revival and is looking for like-minded members to join the mission.
Samourai Wallet’s developers asked a court to drop their case, saying their app doesn’t handle money directly and followed legal rules. This should not even have been brought to trial, as open source software should not have been criminalized in the first place.
Stories like the Paris case (where kidnappers targeted a crypto millionaire’s father for a €5–7 million ransom) show just how dangerous it can be when your crypto wealth becomes public. These incidents are wake-up calls about keeping your financial business private. At the end of the day, nobody cares about protecting you more than you do. Don’t count on others to keep your information safe. The smartest move is not to have shared it in the first place.
The feud between the IRS and Coinbase continues. The IRS previously demanded Coinbase hand over the financial history of 500k of their users, without specific suspicion. Coinbase is pushing back in court, claiming the mass summons violates Fourth Amendment rights and sets a dangerous precedent. Good on them, but the best protection remains not using services that can be forced to hand over your private data down the line.
And lastly, DarkFi announced the launch of their DarkFi Testnet Alpha v0.2, switching to a PoW system that makes mining fairer and more accessible, inspired by Monero. They focused on boosting privacy, improving apps, and strengthening the network, so as to create a blockchain where everyone has equal control and anonymity.
Until the next one. Cheers!
