Onome Amuge
Spacecoin, a start-up pioneering decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) through low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, has completed what it describes as a landmark achievement in the convergence of blockchain and space technology. At the TOKEN2049 conference, the company announced the successful relay of a blockchain transaction through its CTC-0 satellite, the first time such a transaction has left Earth and returned intact.
The transaction, executed on the Creditcoin test chain, validated that signed blockchain messages can be transmitted via space while maintaining cryptographic integrity. For analysts, this development is more than just a technical breakthrough, as it signals the potential dawn of a new global financial architecture untethered from traditional ground infrastructure.
Unlike terrestrial networks, satellite-based decentralized systems are immune to many of the weaknesses plaguing internet connectivity today. For regions such as Africa, where internet penetration remains uneven and financial exclusion still affects millions, Spacecoin’s experiment offers a glimpse of how decentralized infrastructure could rewrite the rules of participation in the global digital economy.
The proof-of-concept involved transmitting blockchain messages from Punta Arenas, Chile, to the CTC-0 satellite using S-band radio waves, before relaying them to a ground station in the Azores, Portugal. The 7,000-kilometre journey preserved both the validity of the blockchain transaction and the resilience of Spacecoin’s protocol. The company partnered with EnduroSat, a European nanosatellite developer that recently raised €43 million to scale modular satellite services, underscoring the growing investment appetite for space-based digital infrastructure.
Adam Wexler, Spacecoin’s director of systems architecture, described the test as a fundamental first step towards trustless, satellite-powered connectivity. “We’ve demonstrated that blockchain transactions can retain their cryptographic integrity when routed through space. This milestone paves the way for decentralized satellite internet capable of powering financial sovereignty,”he said.
By bypassing ground-based internet entirely, Spacecoin envisions enabling peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions even in jurisdictions with strict capital controls or weak digital infrastructure. For businesses in Africa and other emerging markets, the ability to transact globally without reliance on centralized banks or payment processors could unlock new frontiers in cross-border trade, remittances, and access to digital assets.
With CTC-0 validated, Spacecoin is preparing to deploy three additional satellites in Q4 2025, collectively dubbed CTC-1. The network will enable inter-satellite handoffs and broaden trials with partners across continents.
