Blink Wallet Setup Guide
A quick guide to getting started with Blink — an easy-to-use everyday bitcoin spending wallet.
- Install the Blink Wallet
Download the Blink Lightning wallet using the correct app store for your device: - Create a New Account
- Open the app.
- Select Create a New Account to launch the wallet.
- Upgrade Your Account
- Tap the ☰ menu (hamburger icon) in the top right corner.
- Select Account Level Zero.
- Tap Backup / Upgrade Account.
- Select Upgrade to Level 1.
- Verify Your Phone Number
- Choose how you want to receive your one-time PIN
- SMS
- Telegram
- Then:
- Enter your phone number.
- Copy and paste the PIN code you receive.
- Tap Next
- Choose how you want to receive your one-time PIN
- Set Up Email Login (Recommended)
- Add your email address to enable account recovery and improve security.
- This is strongly recommended in case you lose your phone.
- Create Your Custom Address
Now comes the exciting part, creating your custom Blink address, which makes it easy for people to send you Bitcoin.- You can only set this once, so choose carefully.
- It’s best to keep it short and simple so it’s easy to share.
- Tap Done when finished.
- Adjust Login Details (Recommended)
- Tap the ☰ menu again.
- Go to Login Details.
- Ensure your email address is listed, if not add it.
- After adding your email address, remove your phone number as a login method. This step is optional but recommended. Email recovery is generally more secure than phone-number recovery.
⚠️ If you do not set up a recovery method and lose your phone, you will lose access to your funds.
⚠️ Important Note- Blink is a spending wallet, designed for small everyday amounts of Bitcoin.
- Even with recovery methods enabled, do not store large savings in this wallet.
- Set Your Currency
- Go to Preferences.
- Select Currency.
- Choose ZAR (or your preferred currency).
- This only affects fiat conversion display, not the Bitcoin itself.
- Enable On-Device Wallet Security
- Go to Security & Privacy.
- Select On-Device Security.
- Enable your preferred option:
- Biometric (fingerprint/face ID)
- PIN code
🔒This protects your wallet if someone accesses your phone.
- Receiving Bitcoin
To receive Bitcoin:- Go to the Home Screen.
- Tap Receive.
- Select Paycode.
- Share your Paycode with the sender.
- Your Paycode also appears as a QR code that someone can scan to send you Bitcoin.
- You can even print this QR code and display it to receive payments without opening your phone.
- Blink also offers additional receiving methods in the Receive tab:
- Lightning
- On-chain
📌These options are slightly more advanced. For most people, sharing your Paycode is the easiest method.
- Sending Bitcoin
To send Bitcoin:- Tap Send on the Blink home screen.
- Either:
- Scan the recipient’s QR code, or
- Paste their Paycode into the Destination field.
- Use the Scan or Paste icons next to the destination field.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the payment.
- Now that you are all set, the most important part is to study bitcoin.
Note on storing larger amounts of Bitcoin:
Blink is just a fun spending wallet. It is custodial, meaning you don’t own your private keys. Don’t keep large amounts here. For larger amounts use a self custody wallet like Sparrow.
If Sparrow seems a little daunting to start with, a simpler tool for self-custody is Blue Wallet. Learn self-custody with Blue Wallet.
In addition to Blink and Sparrow, we also use the following wallets: Aqua, Fedi, Machankura, Blockstream Jade, Trezor
Stablesats in Blink:
Blink does have a synthetic dollar account, but those aren’t real dollars. It’s just a feature that locks in your bitcoin at a stable fiat price, in case you’re worried about price volatility this is a good option.
How to get more Bitcoin:
In order of priority, the best ways to get Bitcoin are
- Mine it
- Out of the question unless you really know what you’re doing and have access to very cheap electricity.
- Earn it
- The best option for most people is to accept it as payment in exchange for selling your goods and services, advertise to your customers that you accept it as payment and list your business here: https://btcmap.org
- Buy it peer-to-peer
- You have to know someone who knows someone. Start small and build trust.
- Buy it on an exchange like Cape Crypto, Luno or VALR
- Cape Crypto is the best option because it has Bitcoin Lightning enabled, and is therefore good for purchasing and transferring smaller amounts at lower transaction costs and higher transaction speed.
- Because Luno / VALR / other KYC exchanges have your identity attached to your account with them, your name is forever attached to the coins you own. Do not make the mistake of assuming that your Bitcoin is anonymous. It is not. The blockchain is transparent and ownership of coins bought on an exchange can easily be tracked.
How to spend your Bitcoin:
- Go to:
- https://www.bitrefill.com/?ref=bitcoinekasi
- Browse hundreds of gift cards.
- Pick n Pay:
- Visit any Pick n Pay store in South Africa, ask the cashier to “pay with a QR code” (It’s option 2 ‘contactless QR code’ on the credit card terminal), select ‘send’ in your Blink wallet, open the qr code scanner (like you would do to pay any other lightning invoice), scan the QR code on the credit card terminal, and pay. It’s that simple.
- Visit:
- https://btcmap.org
- Browse thousands of places that accept Bitcoin as payment world-wide.
Bitcoin Ekasi 