SatoshiLabs

Announcement

Vexl Foundation Launched by SatoshiLabs

June 8, 2023

3 min read

SatoshiLabs, the pioneering innovator behind the world’s first hardware wallet, Trezor, today introduced the Vexl Foundation at the BTC Prague conference. Backed by SatoshiLabs’ co-founders, Marek Palatinus and Pavol Rusnák, and with Lea Petrášová, CEO of Vexl.it, appointed as president. The foundation champions personal and financial freedoms, asserting that without the freedom to transact, all other rights lose their meaning, reflecting bitcoin’s original purpose as a decentralized peer-to-peer currency.

The Vexl Foundation is committed to restoring financial power to the people, breaking free from institutional constraints and excessive regulations. It firmly believes that technology should serve as a tool for empowerment, not control, with everyone having the right to free choice, self-determination, and privacy. This stance is a critical response to KYC (Know Your Customer) practices that have introduced unwanted complexity and risk for users, occasionally leading to security breaches and unwanted exposure of precious private data.

Alongside its launch, the Vexl Foundation has released the Financial Tyranny Index (FTI). The FTI is a comprehensive tool that measures the extent of statist interventions in the financial space. These include parameters such as the growth of the money supply, the imposition of cash limits, the advent of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), and the overall tax burden. Interestingly, the initial findings of the FTI reveal that many of the world’s Western democracies, including France, Belgium, Canada, and the Netherlands, are among the top 20 countries with the highest levels of financial state control. This innovative index is designed to challenge and highlight these escalating impositions on our financial freedom.

At the core of the Vexl Foundation’s mission is Vexl, their mobile app. Vexl provides a simple, private, and secure platform for peer-to-peer Bitcoin transactions, operating without KYC or institutional interference.

“Vexl isn’t just an application, it’s the embodiment of our vision for financial autonomy. We’re dedicated to a future where technology empowers, and financial freedom equates to choice, privacy, and control,”

states Lea Petrášová.

The board of the Vexl Foundation includes Lea Petrášová, Marek Palatinus, Pavol Rusnák, Josef Tětek, and Grafton Clark. This team brings together a diverse range of experiences and perspectives, underpinning the foundation’s mission and vision.

“As we journey further through the digital age, we’re witnessing a concerning centralization of control,”

Marek Slush Palatinus acknowledges.

“We need to revisit the principles bitcoin was founded upon to direct power back to individuals. The Vexl Foundation is our step towards that change.”

Open to collaboration with other organizations and individuals who share the vision of a free and open financial world, the Vexl Foundation launches today. Backed by donations and guided by the strategic wisdom of the SatoshiLabs team, the foundation is poised to inspire a significant shift in our perception and interaction with digital finance, inviting everyone to step into the realm of financial autonomy.

“Join us on this journey towards a more open financial world,”

Rusnák invites.

For more details on this groundbreaking initiative, visit the Vexl Foundation’s website: https://www.vexl.foundation/

Grafton Clark

Spokesperson

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Trezor Launches Limited Freedom Edition Wallet as Part of Its Financial Sovereignty Campaign

Trezor

2 min read

The 2,100 unique limited devices feature a special engraving that embodies an empowering statement: "Independence isn’t given – it’s taken."

This Limited Edition is part of a broader awareness-raising campaign highlighting the critical importance of reclaiming personal independence, with a particular focus on financial sovereignty.

Trezor, the original Bitcoin hardware wallet company, announces the launch of a limited Trezor Safe 5 Freedom Edition. With this release, the company reignites one of the core principles of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies: financial sovereignty. This exclusive Freedom Edition version features a distinctive bronze-colored backplate engraved with the empowering statement: “Independence isn’t given – it’s taken.” Each device is individually numbered, with only 2,100 units available worldwide.

Trezor Safe 5 Freedom Edition

Priced at $169—the same as the standard Trezor Safe 5—this limited edition also supports a meaningful cause. For every device sold, $10 will be donated to Trezor Academy, a global educational initiative that helps individuals in underserved regions access Bitcoin education and achieve financial independence. 

Bitcoin Advocates Re-declare Their Independence with Trezor

The Trezor Freedom Edition is a cornerstone of Trezor’s broader awareness-raising campaign, emphasizing the critical importance of reclaiming personal independence, particularly financial sovereignty. To highlight this message, Trezor collaborated with notable Bitcoin advocates who are making a global impact through education and empowerment. Together with these advocates and Trezor employees, the company created a compelling video that reaffirms the individual’s right to independence. The video concludes with Trezor’s CEO, Matěj Žák, gliding through the air with a parachute—a striking symbol of ultimate freedom and self-determination. 

Campaign video: https://youtu.be/Xrhe9J06mvE?si=VSH0iCOaS9dVhnfJ

Bitcoin advocates appearing in the video:

  • Lina Seiche, the creator of The Little HODLer, uses art and humor to explain Bitcoin concepts, making them accessible to people worldwide. 
  • Isabela Santos, co-founder of Get Based and founder of Mexican bitcoin community BTC isla, educates the public about Bitcoin’s potential to transform financial systems.
  • Nikolai Tjongarero, founder of EasySats in Namibia and Trezor Academy organizer, champions Bitcoin adoption across Africa. 

Trezor points out the unique nature of cryptocurrencies and the decentralised financial system, which gives people the freedom to truly own and freely transact without restrictions. With full control over their private keys, an assurance only self-custody can provide, individuals are free from reliance on any third party, bank, or exchange and have the power to fully manage and secure their digital assets.

Anusha Schindler, Head of Brand at Trezor, comments: “The Trezor Safe 5 Freedom Edition isn’t just a hardware wallet—it’s a statement. It perfectly reflects our brand campaign, embodying our mission to empower individuals to take control of their financial future through self-custody. Limited to only 2100 serialized units, the Trezor Safe 5 Freedom Edition is designed for those who believe in self-reliance and the freedom to truly own and freely transact without restrictions.”

Sales start soon

Sales of this exclusive edition will begin on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 15:00 UTC. For more details about the device and the upcoming sale, visit: https://content.trezor.io/trezor-safe-5-freedom-edition 

Photos: https://satoshilabs.visualbook.pro/en/trezor/product-showcase 

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About Trezor 

Trezor is the original bitcoin hardware wallet company, founded in 2013. It pioneered the development of the self-custody of crypto assets, empowering individuals with an open-source device that enables anyone to easily and securely hold cryptocurrencies.

Trezor has expanded to offer a whole ecosystem of easy-to-use both hardware and software products that help protect users - from crypto novices to crypto experts. In 2023, the company launched its Trezor Academy initiative which educates grassroots communities across the African continent on safe participation in the bitcoin ecosystem. Trezor is part of SatoshiLabs, a technology holding company with various interests in crypto and bitcoin companies.

SatoshiLabs Welcomes Ladislav Veselý as New COO

SatoshiLabs

2 min read

Defining the strategy for the holding group, building the best HR team in the Czech Republic, and supporting the founders and CEOs of individual companies are all ambitious goals Ladislav Veselý is bringing to SatoshiLabs as its new COO. Veselý enters this new chapter with years of leadership experience, having served as the CEO of Slevomat Group and Product Division Director at Seznam.cz.

"I was motivated by the opportunity to step into a completely different environment. After five years with one company, I was looking for a new industry, a different stage the company is currently in, and a new sense of purpose. I’m also inspired by the founders’ values and their focus on people and product quality. At SatoshiLabs, money isn’t the goal; it’s the energy that drives everything. This alignment made the decision easy for me, and I’m excited about this new chapter," says Veselý.

From Operations to Leading Three Companies

Veselý spent nearly five and a half years in leadership roles at Slevomat. After just one year as COO, he was promoted to CEO, eventually overseeing all three companies in the group. He considers Slevomat’s post-pandemic business performance his greatest professional achievement.

"I’m proud that Slevomat emerged from the pandemic as the strongest Czech travel brand, achieving record profits and profitability. At that time, the company was generating the vast majority of the European group’s profits," Veselý reflects.

He also credits his time at Seznam.cz as one of the most formative periods in his career, where he gained valuable experience in product development, agile methods, and team learning and development. Veselý also served as Chief Product Officer (CPO) at the publishing house Economia.

Building a Strong HR Team and Supporting Leadership
"What drew me to SatoshiLabs was a combination of factors: the team’s strong internal motivation, the truly global reach of the company, and the emphasis on personal freedom that comes with responsibility. Honestly, I feel like I’d work here even if they were making rubber ducks. The fact that we have four bootstrapped companies with global products is just the icing on the cake—and a huge source of motivation. The quality, passion, and trust I’ve sensed in just a few days are unlike anything I’ve experienced before," Veselý adds.

In addition to supporting the CEOs of the companies within the group, Veselý plans to define the group’s strategy and build the strongest HR and operations team in the Czech Republic.

"We wanted the new member of our leadership team to not only have extensive experience in operational management and a strong understanding of the holding environment and business-building processes, but also exceptional people leadership and development skills. Ladislav offers a unique combination of these qualities. His experience leading Slevomat and his approach to managing teams and companies will undoubtedly help us grow further," said Marek Palatinus, co-founder of SatoshiLabs.

About SatoshiLabs

SatoshiLabs is a global technology group focused on cryptocurrency and open-source innovation. Its founders, Marek Palatinus and Pavol Rusnák, created Trezor—the world’s first cryptocurrency hardware wallet—and turned it into a billion-dollar business. The group also includes Vexl, a P2P Bitcoin trading app without KYC requirements; Invity, a mobile app for buying, selling, and saving Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies; and Tropic Square, which designs and develops unique transparent security chips.

Trezor Achieves Milestone with 100k ETH Staked Through Recently-launched Staking Feature

Trezor

2 min read

Staking was launched only a few months ago in May in Trezor Suite.

Service is in collaboration with reputable Everstake.

Only 0.1 ETH required to start staking.

Trezor, the world’s leading open-source cryptocurrency hardware wallet producer, proudly announces that its users have staked a remarkable 100,000 ETH since the company introduced secure staking in its Trezor Suite in May 2024. Through this new feature, Trezor enables users to earn rewards by participating in Ethereum’s network security directly from their Trezor wallets.

Trezor’s staking service, launched in collaboration with Everstake, a well-regarded staking-as-a-service platform, requires a minimum stake of just 0.1 ETH, making it accessible for a wide range of Ethereum holders. With auto-compounding rewards and a user-friendly setup within Trezor Suite, Trezor has simplified the staking process while maintaining top-tier security standards.

“We are thrilled to see such strong adoption of our staking feature,” said Matěj Žák, CEO of Trezor. “Trezor users believe in self-custody, but also want to see their holdings grow. In fact, staking is a great embodiment of that philosophy - holding rather than selling, but earning interest while allowing the community to benefit from the staked coins, all while keeping them maximally secure. We sensed that there was serious interest for such a service, but even we didn’t expect that we’d blast through this milestone within this year. This impressive level of engagement underscores our community’s commitment to both security and network participation.”

For more information on how to stake ETH using Trezor Suite, visit www.trezor.io

-ENDS-

Note to editors

Product images and Trezor logos are available for download at the following link: https://trezor.visualbook.pro/en/imagery 

About Trezor 

Trezor is the original bitcoin hardware wallet company, founded in 2013. It pioneered the development of the self-custody of crypto assets, empowering individuals with an open-source device that enables anyone to easily and securely hold cryptocurrencies.

Trezor has expanded to offer a whole ecosystem of easy-to-use both hardware and software products that help protect users - from crypto novices to crypto experts. In 2023, the company launched its Trezor Academy initiative which educates grassroots communities across the African continent on safe participation in the bitcoin ecosystem. Trezor is part of SatoshiLabs, a technology holding company with various interests in crypto and bitcoin companies.

Tropic Square joins IoT Security Foundation to Drive Transparent IoT Solutions

Tropic Square

2 min read

Tropic Square, innovators in transparent and auditable secure semiconductors joins the IoT Security Foundation (IoTSF), the global association committed to ensuring the security and reliability of Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Tropic Square's IoTSF member badge

IoTSF unites companies worldwide to enhance cybersecurity defenses by collaborating with its members to offer guidelines, best practices, and resources for secure IoT deployments. As IoT devices become more integral in both personal and professional environments, IoTSF tackles the challenge of mobilizing robust security measures.

Tropic Square develops open secure chips that protect IoT devices from advanced attacks. These chips serve as a hardware Root of Trust (RoT), with the security based on transparency. Technical details on the security design and logic are made accessible to the open source community. The openness serves to equip design engineers with components that empower secure product development, as well as cross communication for resolving vulnerabilities.

Tropic Square’s approach aligns with IoTSF's mission to inform the public and ensure the ongoing safety of IoT systems. The joint efforts aim to strengthen security defenses to evolve alongside emerging challenges in IoT devices, while aligning IoT product lifecycle to upcoming legislation like the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act and Cybersecurity Act.

Learn more about the IoT Security Foundation by visiting https://iotsecurityfoundation.org/

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About Tropic Square

Tropic Square is a fabless semiconductor and IP company founded in 2020 as a response to the need for secure open hardware co-processors. We stand for TRuly Open Integrated Circuits by developing and producing secure cryptographic coprocessors and IPs.  Our designs are tested by experts in the open source community and made available for community use.

For more information, visit tropicsquare.com