GM, Nostriches!

The Nostr Review is a biweekly newsletter focused on protocol updates, exciting programs, the long-form content ecosystem, and key events happening in the Nostr-verse. If you’re interested, join me in covering updates from the Nostr ecosystem!

Quick review:

In the past two weeks, daily active pubkeys reached 224,846. New user growth increased, and profiles with bios and pubkeys writing events increased over 50%. Note events totaled 6 million, while zap volume increased over 17% to 13.1 million sats.

Additionally, 9 pull requests were submitted to the Nostr protocol, with 1 merged. A total of 81 Nostr projects were tracked, with 16 releasing product updates, and over 243 long-form articles were published, 73% focusing on Bitcoin and Nostr. During this period, 4 notable events took place, and 3 significant events are upcoming.

Nostr Statistics

Based on user activity, the total daily active pubkeys reached 224,846, reflecting a modest increase of 3.8% compared to the previous period. The highest daily activity was recorded on June 27, with 18,783 active users.

The number of new users increased. The total number of profiles with bio and profiles with pubkeys writing events reached 72,934 and 158,196 respectively — both down by more than 50% compared to the previous period.

In terms of content publishing, approximately 6 million note events were published during this period, representing a stable trend compared to the previous cycle. Among them: Reposts reached 454,165, showing an increase of about 12%, Reactions reached 551, 544, up 26%.

For zap activity, the total zap amount is about 13.1 million, showing an increase of over 17% compared to the previous period.

Data source: https://stats.nostr.band/

NIPs

add “mute” OK=false status for no-op ephemeral events #1965

@80cv…h6w6 is proposing a request that will probably make RPC and real-time communication use cases like NIP-46, NIP-47 etc much better, as the client sending the message will be able to learn instantly that their message wasn’t read by anyone, instead of having to wait for some arbitrary amount of time and cancel the request because the other side is taking too long to answer.

NIP-34: add PR and PR update events #1966

@DanConwayDev is proposing a PR that with the advent of Grasp, we can now do PRs without relying on a single contributor-selected Git server, which they would have to provision and could be rugged at any time. Note how the commit ID is included in the event and any updates, be it force pushes or additional commits, are added by supplementary PR update events. This ensures history is maintained and Nostr events remain the authority, rather than Git servers.Grasp servers with proactive sync enabled will copy the commits to ensure that they are available if the contributor-selected Git server is unreliable or removed. This also provides an alternative for large patches, which are too large to be included within a single nostr event.

Relay HELLO #1969

@arthurfranca is proposing a NIP that introduces a HELLO relay-to-client message that must be the first message the relay sends after connection.Hopefully with time, broad support will be reached and clients may rely on it.The message lists the optional features the relay supports. It tries to be short by not listing the unsupported features.

Notable Projects

Damus TestFlight @damus

New Damus TestFlight is live

• Added send feature to the wallet view
• Added popover tips to DMs and Notifications toolbars on Trusted Network button
• Added tip in threads to inform users what trusted network means
• Added web of trust reply sorting in threads to mitigate spam
• Added follow list kind 39089
• Added follow pack preview
• Added follow pack timeline to Universe View
• Added NIP-05 favicon to profile names and NIP-05 web of trust feed
• Display loading indicator in post view
• Removed media from regular link previews if media is already being shown
• Renamed Friends of Friends to Trusted Network
• Added privacy-based redaction to nsec in key settings view
• Added privacy-based redaction to wallet view
• Renamed Bitcoin Beach wallet to Blink
• Fixed note rendering to include regular link previews with media removed when media previews are disabled
• Improve error handling on wallet send feature
• Fixed issue where the text “??” would appear on the balance while loading
• Hide end previewables when hashtags are present
• Fixed wallet transactions to always show profile display name unless there is no pubkey
• Fixed quotes view header alignment
• Removed hashtags in Universe View

Primal @6c0n…6nvr

Primal mobile apps have just been updated.

Primal for iOS, build 2.3.10:

• Explore: follow packs
• Nostr Wallet Connect
• Share Note as Image
• YouTube player enhancements
• Feed enhancements
• Primal Pro tier

Primal for android, build 2.3.3:

• Explore: follow packs
• Share Note as Image
• Primal Pro tier

Nostur @n0st…k6h0

New in this version:

• Emoji Picker: Tap and hold the Like button to react with any emoji
• Include New Post Notifications in Home/Lock screen
• Restore feed state faster when reopening app
• Improved support for dynamic font size
• Show reposter profile picture
• Show blocked spam statistic
• Always start video fullscreen, close on swipe down
• Live chat layout improvements
• Support blossom uploads using bunker/remote signer
• Signer: show which relays event was published to
• Added Follow All button on follow pack feed preview
• Added Follow button on each post on feed preview
• Fixed opening too many tabs on iPad/macOS detail pane
• Imposter checker improvements
• Improved reconnecting after waking from sleep (desktop)
• Removed profile card
• Many bug fixes and performance improvements

Formstr @Form*

Formstr now supports local AI form generation by connecting directly to your own Ollama instance through a browser extension.

Plebeian Market @PlebeianMarket

NIP-99 conversion in progress—checkout and dashboard done! The dev team is stacking code like sats. More to come soon!

degmods.com @DEG Mods

• Deletion Request: You can now request to delete your mod/blog/comment/social posts
• Removed the support of an old comment type system (kind 1) under mod and blog posts
• Added Web of Trust system in the comments section
• Added a checkbox for users to tick if their comment is nsfw, along with nsfw filtering in the comments section
• Added a source filter of where comments are coming from in comments of mods/blog posts, similar to what’s found in /mods (old comments, before this change, would appear under ‘all’ as a consequence).
• Disabled media rendering in comments of mod/blog posts
• Clicking on mods should open quicker now (it sometimes hung for a long time before)

Amber @Amber

Added loading indicator when running migrations

• Add a icon when using a proxy and check if the proxy is working
• Add more event translations
• Add a screen to send feedback on nostr
• Start separating Bunker and native implementations
• Fix service start error in slow devices when the user moves the app to the background faster than the app can start
• Fix scrollbar position
• Fix requests not disappearing when accepting/rejecting
• Fix QR code scanner when using multiwindow mode
• Use datasource to fetch profile data
• Remove check for paid and auth in relays
• Remove listening for new connections option
• Make secret mandatory for bunker requests
• Update notification less often
• Updated dependencies
• Separated Bunker and Intent logic
• Fixed bunker relay validation when adding a new relay
• Option to reuse an existing connection
• New activities screen

ZEUS v0.11.1 @xnf0…lpr5

ZEUS v0.11.2-beta1 is now available for testing.ZEUS Pay+ subscriber exclusive web store.

• feat: Extended message signing with on-chain addresses
• feat: Cashu: lock tokens to pubkey (w/ optional timeout)
• feat: Cashu token animated QRs
• feat: POS: set tax rate for individual items
• feat: LND: set close address on channel open
• feat: QR: Share: add ability to select share QR or share text
• feat: Currency: 🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
• feat: Locale: Taiwanese Mandarin (zh-tw)
• feat: Payment Request: add MMP + AMP explainers
• enhancement: POS: reuse existing invoices when applicable
• enhancement: show swap button only if request is within min/max range
• enhancement: Payment Request: add MMP + AMP explainers
• fix: Swaps refund edge case
• fix: Incorrect totalSats calculation after adding tip %
• refactor: fix listeners on Receive Ecash view types.

shosho @Shosho – Live Stream on Nostr

Shosho v 0.6.3 is now live

• Users who previously experienced any poor stream quality (e.g. blocking or freezing or disconnection) should try this release!
• New RTMP streaming library with new streaming settings require only half their bandwidth for a stable connection
• Spam reduced with WOT relays for new users
• UI improvements
• Bugs squashed

Pocket Vibe @lemon

Pushed a small update to Pocket Vibe

• Updated AI model from GPT-4.1 to Claude Sonnet 4
• Added ability to edit name/icon for previously generated apps
• Minor formatting updates

Keychat @Keychat

• Add members to MLS group by inputting a pubkey.
• Paste image and file from the clipboard.
• Check if the websocket is online by sending a message.
• Add vconsole to webview in debug mode.
• Update the grid style for the favorite section.
• Show a blank line for chat messages.

Voca @voca

Voca v0.2.0 drops HUGE updates!

• PDFs load blazing-fast – even 500+ page docs play instantly.
• Share any website with Voca, and it’ll start reading aloud right away.
• New bookmark system tracks active reading positions across files (no more losing your spot!).

pokey @KoalaSat

Pokey v0.2.2-beta is now out! We decided to drop (for now) the “Mute Thread” functionality and relay on generalistic clients to manage the mute list. Pokey will listen and update this list from relays.

• Private mute list now is taken into consideration
• Auth to relays now works even when the app is in background

Flappy Nostrich @Ryan

• Nostr extension login (nip-07)
• ATH syncing through Nostr
• Leaderboards
• 200% more music
• 20% more Scott Stapp

Igloo Desktop @bitcoinplebdev

• Real-time peer list w/ pings & status
• Event log filters
• Decoded pubkeys now shown in ShareList & Signer
• Cleaner validation + memory leak protection
• Expanded test suites

RoboSats @Robosats

RoboSats v0.7.9 is now out!

For Users

• Orders can be created now with a password (Advance settings). These orders won’t appear in the public orders view and can be taken only if the robot inputs the same password.
• Orders can be fetch now by URL in the Book view
• New coordinator: FreedomSats #2004
• peachbitcoin orders now available in Global orders book
• Chat fix for Start9/Umbrel

For Coordinators

• Traditional non-docker environment files updated

Long-Form Content Eco

In the past two weeks, more than 243 long-form articles have been published, including over 164 articles on Bitcoin and more than 14 related to Nostr, accounting for 73% of the total content.

These articles about Nostr mainly explore its unique value in protecting privacy, enabling digital freedom, and supporting decentralized identity. They emphasize Nostr as a fundamental alternative to centralized platforms, giving users control over their data and voice. From building Arabic-speaking communities to reflecting on low adoption in Brazil, the content highlights Nostr’s diverse global development. On the technical side, topics include Bluetooth clients, relay setup guides, NIP support, and practical tools like RUNSTR, demonstrating the protocol’s broad usability. Some articles also delve into the socio-technical structure of Nostr, emphasizing its philosophical significance.

The Bitcoin articles discuss a wide range of developments spanning economics, technology, regulation, and cultural impact. Many pieces explore self-custody, privacy, and open-source values, emphasizing Bitcoin’s potential to counter fiat instability and financial surveillance. On the tech front, innovations in Lightning Network, Layer 2 protocols, hardware wallets, and multisig setups are expanding Bitcoin’s usability. Meanwhile, institutional flows, ETFs, and political narratives reveal both enthusiasm and tension around mainstream adoption. Other articles reflect on Bitcoin’s philosophical roots, its impact on personal sovereignty, and how it challenges the logic of inflation, debt, and centralized control.

Thank you,
@Angor, @Bitcoin Magazine (News Bot), @NoorNode, @k8wm…uced, @MartyBent, @Sooly⚡️سولي 🇱🇧🇧🇪🇦🇪🇦🇴, @Cryptape, @BTC Your Mind, @3wke…82pk, @threedolar, @avq4…vm2r, @Constant, @rare, @Sinautoshi, and others, for your work. Enriching Nostr’s long-form content ecosystem is crucial.

Nostriches Global Meet Ups

Recently, several Nostr events have been hosted in different countries.

Recently, YakiHonne collaborated with the BitcoinCampusZambia and UniversityofLagos to successfully host two Nostr Workshop, attracting about 60 enthusiastic participants. The event not only provided an in-depth walkthrough of Nostr project building and Bitcoin payments, but also offered interactive learning through YakiHonne’s platform, empowering participants to explore decentralized development while earning SATs.

The 3rd Privacy Summit took place on June 27, 2024, in Switzerland, bringing together leading figures and innovative projects from the global cryptography and privacy tech space. This edition focused on on-chain privacy and cutting-edge cryptographic applications, featuring keynote talks, panel discussions, and in-depth community exchanges. The speaker lineup included core developers, researchers, and founders from various projects.

The Bitcoin Paradigm Program 2025 was held from July 4 to July 5, 2025 (Friday to Saturday), under the theme “Bitcoin: Sovereignty, Energy, and Networks.” This two-day event explored Bitcoin’s relevance in modern society, with a focus on its role in financial sovereignty, energy transformation, and decentralized network security. Speakers included: @nono2357, @ncantu, @Stach, @Alexis Roussel, and more.

Here is the upcoming Nostr event that you might want to check out.

Nostrbama 2025 is the most vibrant Nostr-themed conference in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, taking place from July 15 to 17, 2025, in Mobile, Alabama. The first day’s Nostr Talks will feature a retrospective on the Nostr protocol by @Derek Ross, a presentation on the audio space app CornyChat by @vicariousdrama, an introduction to the merchant payment protocol ConduitBTC by @EricFJ and AceaSpades, and a session by @manl…n9tn on Nostr as a social layer.Other activities include a VR avatar experience, live music, a BBQ and bar crawl, a beach day, and skydiving—offering attendees an immersive blend of technology and fun.

The Africa Bitcoin Conference Diaspora (ABCD) 2025 will take place on August 15 in Boston, USA, and will continue on August 16 in collaboration with the Boston African Festival. As the first edition of the Africa Bitcoin Conference held outside the continent, the event will feature Bitcoin education, hands-on workshops, business innovation showcases, investor networking, human rights roundtables, community dialogues, and cultural celebrations. The speaker lineup includes @21mmforthe21st, @, @InfraNaut, @dread, and others.

The Bitcoin Indonesia Conference 2025 will take place on September 5 at Bitcoin House Bali in Canggu, and will be part of the larger “Bitcoin Week Bali” running from September 1 to 8. As one of the most impactful Bitcoin gatherings in Asia, the conference focuses on education, community building, and local adoption, with sessions held in both English and Bahasa Indonesia. It will feature invited speakers such as @s05p…eyhe, @win, @ldsm…zsk3, @dusan, @efenigson, @jacklee, @Kostro, @Dea Rezkitha, @90tr…yqdx, and others.

Thanks for reading! If there’s anything I missed, feel free to reach out and help improve the completeness and accuracy of my coverage.