Bitcoin Forum

Hello everybody,

I'm not very familiar with bitcoin and blockchain technology. I'm a web developer.
I have a task to develop a web based bitcoin wallet with ability to top it up using bank account and/or other 3rd party payment methods.
Basically something similar to what blockchain.info wallet does (but potentially with other cryptocurrencies in a future).
Other cryptocurrencies might be added in a feature, so this has to be taken into account.

After making a research a how few things that still confuses me and I don't know what to start with.

• Should I use blockchain.info API for this project? If so, how the 'top up wallet' logic would work?
• If going blockchain.info API way - do I relate on them and have some limitations?
• Or may be hosting a bitcoin daemon would be a better approach? Considering there will be other cryptocurrencies added?

May be somebody can point out where I can find relevant information on this or give good advice.

Any answer would be much appreciated!

Definitely not. If you're going to make a web wallet, you should use your own node for the backend. Users will have to trust BOTH you and Blockchain.info to be providing them with accurate information and not steal their money. It is illegal to be operating without a license for money exchanging in many states. You have to set up your own and make sure that it complies with your local jurisdiction.
Please don't. They have proven themselves to be extremely unreliable over the years. Blockchain.info will have API rate limiting and probably won't be happy when they find out that you are running of them for your own wallet.
Hosting your own node will be a better approach. I really wouldn't advise you to try to create a web wallet unless you understand fully how Bitcoin works and the risks of operating an online wallet.

Thank you for your reply. I'll learning and researching in this direction.

As you are a web developer yourself, you must be aware that using the API of blockchain.info will not yield a standalone wallet but a subsidiary of blockchain.info site.
You should concentrate on learning how bitcoin node and bitcoin core works, which you need to implement individually for your site.

Use bitcoind node. Also be very careful with security. You don't want your private keys hacked which has happened to many big exchanges already

Technically a bitcoin wallet cannot be topped up with other currencies as it cannot hold any fiat. You need to purchase bitcoins and only store the private key in the wallet. So what your client needs is an integration with any exchange, perhaps using their api, where client can pay using fiats and the bitcoin is transferred to the wallet.

Based on your statement, its looks you planning to develop the web function as exchange, such coinbase, xapo, etc.
There offering service for users that can open wallet, topup balance and doing transaction.
this section https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=222.0 is talking about web wallet, maybe you can found where to starting.

But if you willing to develop web bitcoin wallet for payment service only, it maybe like Bitpay, how bitpay works and connect 3rd party in here
https://github.com/bitpay

I'd like to echo this.

I agree with others here. Definitely, you should go your own node. It's even better not because you'll be independant, but also from development side. I worked on numerous projects, dealing with crypto daemons and should say, that some forks (ltc, doge, etc.) have same rpc api. So your code may be easily reused. Moreover you can create rpc wrapper, or use an existing one, like 'easybitcoinphp' if you use php to deal with multiple of them. If you have any further questions, consider pm me or wright here, I may advice

Nope you shouldn't.
It doesn't support any other currencies but bitcoin.Their wallet API is limited and required authenticated access.You could use that JavaScript library on which blockchain.info is made of.

Yes,they have limitations.You can't request x in y seconds or can only access x number of withdrawals per day.

Yes and it's basic sense that bitcoin daemon won't support other cryptos.Every crypto has their own API which works in a specific way,to implement their wallet you should read their developer's API.

Definitely go for using bitcoin-core or similarly suited applications as your backend.
Just think of what happens if blockchain.info goes down or has temporary outages.
Your service reputation would drop and it would not even be your fault.

Be as standalone as possible!

Correct!
If the OP really want to use 3rd party apis make it compatible with atleast 3+ wallet providers, when one will go down your services can continue.

I am afraid you are not clear what a wallet is going by your questions.
I would advise you study about different crypto currencies, how they work, how they are stored, how they are sent and received and all factors related to crypto currency transaction before you start to create a wallet.

Since it is peoples hard earned money, you should not take a risk on experimenting your skills on others money, but be fully aware of what you are doing and them implement in practical.

Do not use anything old or used, with the ability of a developer, a programmer, you can make new things. Ideas are important, if you have ideas, do the work for you and your project.