Decentralized servers, encrypted, cached blockchain for improved speeds.
Official website electrum.org
Our take
A veteran lightweight Bitcoin wallet, fast because it doesn’t download the whole chain, and flexible with hardware-wallet support and its own decentralized servers. The flip side of that lightweight model is that, by default, you connect to public servers that can see which addresses you query, so privacy-conscious users should point it at their own node. Pick Electrum when you want a mature, no-frills wallet that runs everywhere and you’re willing to configure your server. Beginners who want hand-holding may prefer something more guided.
GitHub at a glance
spesmilo/electrum
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Last commit
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License
MIT
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Electrum license, in plain English
MIT Permissive
Do almost anything: use, change, and ship it, even inside closed-source products. The only condition is keeping the copyright notice.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
Requires
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Permissive licensing lets anyone reuse this, including inside closed products. That is freedom to build on, but no guarantee that downstream copies stay open.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.