Fedi will release its full software stack as open source on January 3rd, fulfilling a promise made at launch in 2024.
The company said all Fedi software has now transitioned to the Affero General Public License (AGPL), after an interim period under a business source license.
The change makes Fedi’s codebase publicly available under a copyleft license that requires derivative works to remain open, according to a Fedi spokesperson.
The date holds weight in Bitcoin’s history. January 3 marks the anniversary of the Bitcoin genesis block, mined in 2009. Fedi said the timing reflects its focus on community ownership and grassroots financial infrastructure.
When Fedi launched, it said it aimed to become a “technology of freedom” by giving control back to users and communities. The move to open source fulfills that commitment, the company said, and removes the risk of vendor lock-in for groups that rely on the software.
Fedi is used by local communities to build local economic and social systems. Its app combines encrypted messaging, bitcoin payments and additional services through Mini App extensions. Wallet infrastructure is powered by the Fedimint protocol, which allows groups to operate shared bitcoin custody using federated trust models.
The AGPL license is designed to ensure that improvements remain public even when the software is used in hosted or networked services. Supporters say this aligns development incentives with user interests.
Fedi executives have highlighted the license switch in recent public appearances, including a BitcoinMENA pre-show segment with CEO Obi Nwosu.
With the transition complete, Fedi joins a growing group of Bitcoin-native projects returning to fully open development as adoption spreads beyond early adopters and into community-scale use cases.
Fedi: From Chaumian e-cash to federated bitcoin mints
Fedimint is built on ideas first proposed by cryptographer David Chaum in the early 1980s. Chaumian e-cash allows users to transact without revealing the identity or transaction history of the issuer. Previous versions of digital cash were not adopted due to centralization, as a single coin controlled issuance and redemption. That structure created trust and risks of censorship.
Bitcoin solved the double-spending problem by decentralizing transaction validation across a global network of nodes. It removed the need for a reliable coin, but introduced trade-offs. Transactions are public and throughput remains limited.
Fedimint tries to bridge these models. It uses Bitcoin as a reserve asset while distributing custody across a consortium of independent operators known as guardians. No single party controls money or transaction data. This structure reduces the risk of censorship while preserving users’ privacy.
Fedi’s goal is to allow communities to implement shared financial infrastructure without dependence on banks or centralized platforms.