Electrum timestamp plugin

Electrum plugin to create timestamp proofs with your transactions. Proofs are made using OpenTimestamps.

Note: creating a timestamp in this way has a cost. You can timestamp for free using the public calendars, more details at OpenTimestamps.org

Getting started

Adapted from Electrum README, assume running on Linux. (On Mac OS X use brew install instead of sudo apt-get install)

Electrum is a pure python application. If you want to use the Qt interface, install the Qt dependencies:

sudo apt-get install python3-pyqt5

Install plugin requirements:

pip3 install opentimestamps
pip3 install pyqt5

Clone the Electrum source code, then include the plugin files:

git clone https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum.git
git clone https://github.com/LeoComandini/electrum-timestamp-plugin.git
cp -r electrum-timestamp-plugin/timestamp electrum/plugins
cd electrum
pip3 install .[fast]

Compile the icons file for Qt:

sudo apt-get install pyqt5-dev-tools
pyrcc5 icons.qrc -o gui/qt/icons_rc.py

Compile the protobuf description file:

sudo apt-get install protobuf-compiler
protoc --proto_path=lib/ --python_out=lib/ lib/paymentrequest.proto

To run on mainnet

./electrum

To run on testnet

./electrum --testnet

Create timestamps with your transactions

1. Enable the plugin:
   • Tools -> Plugins -> Timestamp, tick the checkbox
   • close and restart Electrum to abilitate the plugin
2. Visualize your timestamp history list:
   • Tools -> Timestamps
3. Start tracking the file(s) to timestamp:
   • click on Add New File and select the file
4. Create and broadcast a bitcoin transaction including the timestamp:
   • on the Send Tab select outputs, amount, fee (select a fee > 1 sat/byte)
   • click on Preview
   • click on Timestamp, this write a commitment to your file(s) in the transaction
   • confirm the changes in the transaction (if fee is too low th transaction won't be relayed or mined)
   • sign and broadcast the transaction (Sign, Broadcast)
5. Check the timestamp history:
   • Tools -> Timestamps, the file now is an pending state.
6. Wait until the transaction is confirmed (6 blocks), you can now create the timestamp proof (file_name.ots):
   • Tools -> Timestamps, click on Upgrade, the timestamp now is complete

You can find the timestamp proof next to the file(s):

/path/file_name.txt
/path/file_name.txt.ots