Keycard – the secure hardware wallet and open source API – launches first major integration with the Status Mobile App and prepares for enterprise collaborations.

Keycard is an open-source hardware wallet for managing private keys and signing transactions. It takes the form-factor of a credit-card and uses NFC technology for a contactless experience. It provides added security to crypto transactions, whether it's playing games, earning with DeFi, collecting NFTs or sending funds to friends.

Keycard is also an open source API designed for integration with dapps, crypto wallets, and other hardware devices such as point of sale systems. The Keycard API opens a world of possibilities for collaborations with other crypto projects and enterprises.

With the latest integration with Status Mobile App (currently Android only), there are now 3 core utilities for Keycard:

Keycard Security for Status users: Keycard extends the security of the Status app significantly. It upgrades Status from a mobile wallet to a hardware wallet without sacrificing the UI/UX of a smartphone. It also enables two-factor authentication for greater account security.
Keycard API for developers: Keycard API is entirely open source and allows any developer to integrate smartcards with mobile apps, desktop wallets, and even hardware such as point of sale terminals.
White-label smartcards for businesses: Keycard hardware can be leveraged by businesses that want to design and distribute their own smartcards for crypto applications.

Integration with Status

The latest integration with Status showcases the powerful security features of Keycard. When used as a hardware wallet, private keys are generated and stored on the card. This introduces 2 hardware-enforced security features to the Status mobile app (currently only compatible on Android):

Cold Storage and hardware enforced authorization of transactions - With private keys stored offline on the Keycard and full isolation between keys and the smartphone, users can add a layer of security for authorizations on all transactions. Crypto transactions generated on the Status app are then authorized by tapping the Keycard and entering the associated Passcode, adding a layer of security to funds and transactions.

Two-factor authentication for account login - Keycard can be used as a two-factor authentication method to log into a Status Account. Users can require a physical tap of the card to their smartphone plus personal Passcode entry for greater account security. The risk of weak and reused passwords is mitigated by requiring the physical possession of the Keycard and the knowledge of the 6-digit Passcode. Two-factor authentication thus becomes the default going forward with Keycard.

Keycard is compatible with Status App v1.4 on Android on launch and iOS support will be coming soon.

Open Source API & Developer SDKs

With the Keycard Open API, Android, iOS and Go SDKs are available. These SDKs allow developers to build mobile apps or desktop apps that can interact with the Keycard. The SDK handles complex tasks such as setting up secure channels and supporting various commands for authentication, wallet generation, managing keys etc. It also supports the various aspects of Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) functionalities for enabling communications between the smartcard and the app.

White-label Options

With white-labeling, businesses can buy the Keycard smartcards and implement their own applications on them using the publicly available SDKs. This tremendously reduces their burden to source, design and manufacture such cards.

They can also print branded cards for their own distribution, for e.g. preloaded with tokens and NFT’s. Branded cards can also initiate opening of websites or apps upon tapping on a mobile phone.

The b2b services offered here include supporting the manufacture of custom smartcards, custom printing of cards, bespoke software personalization of cards e.g. dedicated applets. To request more info, fill out this form here

Forward Thinking and an Open Payment Network

This is just the start for the Keycard team. The team is working on further integration with the Status App including iOS compatibility. Keycard also opens up the potential of an entire payment network across multiple cryptocurrencies where crypto payments can be made with the tap of a card. Moreover merchants will be able to turn their phone running Status into a customizable point-of-sales terminal and easily accept Keycard payments at their physical locations.

To purchase a Keycard for €29, visit get.keycard.tech/. Developers looking to integrate Keycard with their projects or even produce branded keycards, visit keycard.tech/docs. To download the Status App for free, visit the Google Play or the App Store.

About The Status Network

The Status Network is a globally distributed collective working to build products, tools and infrastructure for resilient, sustainable and inclusive communities:

At the product layer, the Network includes Status App for communication, Keycard for an open payment network, and decentralized financial tools including Assemble.
At the developer tools layer, the Network supports Embark and Subspace to help developers build decentralized applications.
At the infrastructure layer, The Status Network supports Vac, an R&D initiative creating a modular, peer-to-peer messaging stack for private, secure, censorship-resistant communication. It also includes Nimbus, which focuses on lightweight Ethereum 2.0 clients for mobile phones and resource-restricted devices.

The Status Network team is working to combat financial and political oppression using blockchain and other emerging technologies.

About Keycard

Keycard is a new type of smartcard and an open API for simple integration with crypto wallets and hardware.

The smartcard is a secure, contactless, hardware wallet built with NFC technology for a simple, contactless experience. It is designed to add the security of a hardware wallet with the convenience of a credit card. The open source API and SDK’s enable web3 developers to integrate Keycard with their crypto wallets, decentralized applications, and even hardware devices. Integration with Keycard allows users to safely send, store, and receive all major cryptocurrencies including ETH, ERC-20 tokens, BTC, Litecoin and more.

The introduction of cryptocurrencies and the removal of centralized third parties, places financial ownership and responsibility back into the hands of the individual. Keycard provides a layer of security to our assets in a world without bank insurances. The vision of Keycard is to create open payment networks that return financial sovereignty to the individual.

Jonathan Zerah