Alby Hub

Alby Hub is a self-custodial Lightning wallet that sits between your node and the apps you want to pay from. Instead of trusting a custodian with your balance, you run the wallet yourself and hand out scoped connections to the applications that need one.

Nostr Wallet Connect is what makes that practical. NWC is an open protocol for granting an app permission to request payments from your wallet, and Alby Hub issues a separate connection per app, each with its own spending budget. Connect a Nostr client like Damus or Amethyst to zap posts, wire up any of the growing list of NWC-compatible apps, and revoke any single one later without disturbing the others.

By default it runs an embedded LDK Lightning node, so it can work as a standalone wallet with channels of its own. It can also be pointed at an existing node instead — LND, Core Lightning, Phoenixd, or a Cashu mint — which is the usual choice on a MyNode where LND is already running and funded.

Running it on a node that stays online is the real advantage. Alby Hub can be attached to a Lightning address and receive payments while you are asleep or away, which simply does not work on a laptop that gets closed. Channel setup, balances, and per-app budgets are all managed from its web interface.

It suits anyone who wants one wallet that many apps can draw on, with clear limits on each and no custodian in the middle.