HTC introduces 5G router able to run a Bitcoin node

The Taiwanese manufacturer’s passion for blockchain is no longer a secret but they still managed to surprise everybody with their latest release, a privacy-focused 5G blockchain router, which allows running a full Bitcoin node.

HTC Exodus 5G hub, expected to be available after the second quarter of the year, follows on from the success of the company’s Exodus 1 phones, released back in 2018, also able to run nodes.

Much more than a router

Simply put, besides providing 5G connectivity to all your Internet-enabled devices, HTC’s hub also uses the Zion Vault software, thus allowing Bitcoin storage, as well as Ethereum, Binance Coin, Litecoin or Stellar. And it’s completely safe, as it offers features like social recovery for private keys, meaning that you can share, but also break up and encrypt the recovery phrase with your friends.

Sure, this doesn’t mean that everybody will hurry up to run their very own Bitcoin node using the router, but it’s worth noting that Zion Vault can be a great solution to secure the Bitcoin network, as it’s recording and verifying transactions.

At a first look, the router looks like one of Amazon’s smart assistance, packing a 5” display, but also many privacy-focused apps. We’re talking about ProtonMail, Brave Browser or the decentralized VPN service, Incognito.

Privacy first

HTC revealed that their device is way more private than the ones made by Amazon or Google, calling it “the ultimate safeguard against the collection of data by big tech companies in your home”.

As for the specs, the Exodus 5G Hub resembles a smartphone, being powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, alongside 4GB of RAM, microSD card slot, nano-SIM slow, a 7660 mAh battery and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

The price wasn’t revealed yet, but it’s expected to cost something around $600.