Backups in ZEUS v13 have taken a **huge** leap forward. This release brings more reliability, portability, and simplicity to restoring your node.
Previously (before v13) ZEUS came with several limitations:
- On-chain funds restored fine, but the seed wasn't standard BIP-39, so you had to convert it.
- Lightning funds were only recoverable after force-closing all channels.
- Ecash funds could be recovered from your seed, but you had to remember which mints you had used.
ZEUS v13 introduces a major UX upgrades including:
- Lightning Channels Transfer Across Devices
Instead of requiring forced closures during recovery, ZEUS v13 lets you transfer your existing channels to a new device. Your channels come with you — no downtime, no fees.
- Ecash Backups Stored Over Nostr
Your ecash mints and balances are encrypted and stored over Nostr. When you restore, your ecash just appears, without needing to remember which mints you used.
- Standard BIP-39 Seed Phrase
If using the new 'node in the phone', LDK Node, you can restore your seed directly in ZEUS or import into wallets like Sparrow without any conversion.
Bonus Improvements:
- Embedded LND now defaults to a lightweight SQLite database, improving performance.
- You can back up the LND database to ZEUS servers or locally.
- You can upgrade from a "node in the phone" to a full external LND node without starting from scratch — your channels migrate with you. Eject to your own Lightning infrastructure!
TL;DR:
ZEUS v13 brings BIP-39 seeds, channel migration, automatic ecash restoration over Nostr, better embedded LND performance, and smooth upgrades between devices.
Test the latest alpha release here: https://github.com/ZeusLN/zeus/releases
We are hoping to reach open beta next week and release to app stores before the end of the month. The more testers we have onboard the sooner we get there!
Previously (before v13) ZEUS came with several limitations:
- On-chain funds restored fine, but the seed wasn't standard BIP-39, so you had to convert it.
- Lightning funds were only recoverable after force-closing all channels.
- Ecash funds could be recovered from your seed, but you had to remember which mints you had used.
ZEUS v13 introduces a major UX upgrades including:
- Lightning Channels Transfer Across Devices
Instead of requiring forced closures during recovery, ZEUS v13 lets you transfer your existing channels to a new device. Your channels come with you — no downtime, no fees.
- Ecash Backups Stored Over Nostr
Your ecash mints and balances are encrypted and stored over Nostr. When you restore, your ecash just appears, without needing to remember which mints you used.
- Standard BIP-39 Seed Phrase
If using the new 'node in the phone', LDK Node, you can restore your seed directly in ZEUS or import into wallets like Sparrow without any conversion.
Bonus Improvements:
- Embedded LND now defaults to a lightweight SQLite database, improving performance.
- You can back up the LND database to ZEUS servers or locally.
- You can upgrade from a "node in the phone" to a full external LND node without starting from scratch — your channels migrate with you. Eject to your own Lightning infrastructure!
TL;DR:
ZEUS v13 brings BIP-39 seeds, channel migration, automatic ecash restoration over Nostr, better embedded LND performance, and smooth upgrades between devices.
Test the latest alpha release here: https://github.com/ZeusLN/zeus/releases
We are hoping to reach open beta next week and release to app stores before the end of the month. The more testers we have onboard the sooner we get there!
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