Support · optional
If it's useful,
keep it going.
Timechain Grid is free for everyone — viewer, API, all data resolution tiers. No paywall, no sign-up. The project runs on donations and OpenSats grants. Lightning is preferred because it keeps support KYC-free; cards are not accepted to keep the privacy posture clean.
Lightning
Bitcoin over Lightning Network — instant settlement, sub-cent fees, no KYC. Send to the operator-hosted Lightning address from any LN-compatible wallet (Wallet of Satoshi, Phoenix, Strike, Alby, …).
→ [email protected](coming v0.1)
Why: Recommended path. Aligns with the project's privacy posture — KYC-free for both donor and recipient. Smallest fees and fastest settlement of any rail.
GitHub Sponsors
Recurring or one-off, settled in fiat by GitHub. Public sponsor profile shows your support next to the repo (opt-out available).
Why: Best for recurring monthly support. GitHub handles fiat conversion + tax forms; the project never touches the dollars.
BTCPay Server
Self-hosted "donate any amount" widget. The operator runs a private BTCPay instance, generating a fresh on-chain or Lightning invoice per donation — no third-party processor in the path.
Why: Privacy-first alternative for donors who want a hosted-page experience without trusting a payment processor.
OpenSats
Independent 501(c)(3) non-profit funding free and open-source Bitcoin software. The project will apply for a long-term-support grant once v0.2 ships with real-data ingest.
→ opensats.org/apply(coming v0.1)
Why: OpenSats grants cover developer time at sustainable rates. Donors who give to OpenSats directly can earmark for Timechain Grid once the grant lands.
On-chain BTC
Direct BTC transfer to a published mainnet address. Higher fees than Lightning, but works offline and from any cold wallet. New address per donation request to preserve donor privacy.
Why: For larger donations where on-chain confirmation is preferred, or for cold-storage donors. Address rotates per request — email to receive a fresh one.
What donations cover
- ▸Operator infra — Hetzner dedicated box for bitcoind + electrs (~€80/mo), Cloudflare R2 storage for parquet snapshots, Cloudflare Pages bandwidth.
- ▸Domain & SSL — annual renewals for the timechaingrid.com domain.
- ▸Developer time — building toward v0.2 (real-data ingest), v0.3 (subgrid fractional ownership), v0.4 (developer API).
- ▸Audits & polish — Lighthouse perf passes, accessibility audits, browser compatibility testing, bug bounties as the surface grows.
Verification & transparency
Once channels go live, donation totals will be published at /status alongside infra costs — on-chain Lightning addresses are publicly auditable. Donors who'd like a public acknowledgement can opt in to a leaderboard at the same URL; opt-out is the default to preserve donor privacy.