Empowering Open-Source Bitcoin Builders in Africa
Become a Btrust Builder
Build for Bitcoin. Start where you are. Go as far as the work takes you.You’re a strong fit if you fit into the criteria below
Proven Experience
Have at least one year of production software development experience.
Git Ready
Have an active GitHub or GitLab account
Deep Thinker
Want to learn and contribute to Bitcoin open source.
Open Source
Can work through difficult technical concepts.
Team player
Are comfortable learning and collaborating in public.
Strong Commitment
Can commit consistent time each week.
The Btrust Builders Journey
Every Builder starts somewhere different. The journey is simple: learn, contribute, demonstrate your impact, and take on greater opportunities. Whether you begin through a Pathway or the BOSS challenge, each stage prepares you for the next.
01
Choose Your Entry Point
Start with one of our four Pathways, available as live cohorts or self-paced programs, or take on the intensive BOSS challenge. Both routes give you the foundation to begin contributing to Bitcoin open source.
02
Build Your Proof
Put your skills into practice. Learn, collaborate, and contribute to real projects. Your work becomes your proof of readiness, showing what you can build and preparing you for greater responsibility.
03
Open Source Fellowship
Our strongest contributors are invited to the Open Source Fellowship. Over ten weeks, Fellows work full-time on real Bitcoin open-source projects with experienced mentors and a monthly stipend.
04
Grow Into Leadership
Builders who demonstrate sustained impact can progress to grants and long-term open-source work. Many also return as mentors, faculty, or BitDevs organizers, helping the next generation of contributors grow
Our Learning Pathways
8 weeks
Beginner
Mastering Bitcoin
Build the mental models needed to understand Bitcoin.
7 weeks
Intermediate
Bitcoin from CLI
Work directly with Bitcoin Core and the protocol.
6 weeks
Intermediate to Advance
Rust for Bitcoiners
Prepare to contribute to BDK, LDK, rust-bitcoin, and other Rust-first projects.
6 weeks
Intermediate to Advance
Language Clubs
Build the skills to contribute to Bitcoin Core, BTCPay Server, BlueWallet, and other projects.
2025 Numbers
Read full report
0+
Applications
Applications to our learning pathways and BOSS challenge from developers interested in building for Bitcoin.
0
Developers
Developers supported across the Btrust Builders program, from first-time learners to advanced contributors.
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GRADUATES
Developers completed our learning pathways, building the skills and experience needed to contribute to open source.
0
Develop in Open Source
Developers from 7 countries contributed 50+ pull requests to Bitcoin and Lightning projects, with 12 merged — including 3 to Bitcoin Core.
0
Builders & Faculty Funded
Builders and faculty progressed to Btrust developer grants, enabling them to contribute full-time to Bitcoin and Lightning open source. Their work included BDK-CLI, Rust-Bitcoin, Stratum V2, and LDK Server.
Live Cohorts are Running Right now!
Live cohorts for Mastering Bitcoin and Learn Bitcoin from the Command Line are running right now. The Open Source Fellowship runs August through October. Next live cohorts for Rust for Bitcoiners and Language Clubs open in October. Self-paced learning is open year-round
Join the Builders community
Learn in public and collaborate with developers across Africa.
Build with the Resource Hub
A public, community-maintained library of Bitcoin open-source guides, cheat sheets, tools, projects, and contribution resources.
