KaleidoSwap Extension: Getting Started

Onboarding

When you first open the KaleidoSwap Extension, the onboarding flow guides you through initial setup.

Welcome

Choose Create New Wallet or Import Existing Wallet. When importing, pick Mainnet for a wallet that holds real bitcoin or Test networks for a test wallet (Signet, regtest and Liquid Testnet), so a test wallet does not come back on mainnet with a zero balance. New wallets start on mainnet.

Create a Password

Set a secure password to protect your wallet. This password is used to:

Unlock the extension after it auto-locks
Encrypt your stored wallet data

Choose a strong password and remember it (this cannot be recovered).

Back Up the Recovery Phrase

New wallets generate a 12-word recovery phrase. This BIP39 phrase controls the Spark, Arkade, Liquid, and RGB-L1 accounts, plus the default Nostr identity derived by the extension. Restoring the wallet later always starts from this phrase. To continue, tick I have saved my recovery phrase in a secure location.

Passkey (Optional)

Optionally register a passkey (WebAuthn) so you can unlock the wallet with your device’s biometrics or security key instead of typing the password. You can skip this and add a passkey later from Settings > Security.

Nostr Identity

New wallets get a Nostr identity derived from the recovery phrase (NIP-06). If you already have a Nostr identity, you can import your existing key (nsec1… or 64-character hex) here instead; it is stored encrypted. Skipping keeps the derived identity. This step appears for new wallets only; when importing, you can import a Nostr key later under Settings > Nostr > Nostr Identity.

RGB Setup

On the Choose your RGB wallet setup screen, pick how RGB should run, then select Continue:

Use this device (Recommended) - Self-custodial RGB assets and BTC on Bitcoin L1, running entirely on your device. No node to run.
Connect my node - Connect your own RGB Lightning Node to add Lightning channels and maker-based RGB swaps on top of RGB. Experimental and test-network only.

You can change this later in Settings > RGB. The two backings are mutually exclusive.

Restore RGB Backup (Import Only)

When importing an existing wallet with node-less RGB, the extension asks whether to restore your RGB state from a cloud (VSS) backup. Nothing is restored without your explicit consent on this step.

Done

Continue to the wallet. A one-time beta notice (“Beta — real funds at risk”) asks you to confirm with I understand. The extension starts with Spark, Arkade, Liquid, and RGB accounts, and adds RLN features when you connect a node.

When restoring a wallet, always use the BIP39 recovery phrase, not a Nostr key. An imported Nostr key only replaces the Nostr identity; it does not control funds.

Cloud backup found prompt offering to restore encrypted RGB state from the VSS backup server, with a Skip for now option

RGB Accounts

Node-less RGB (RGB-L1)

The default RGB backing runs RGB on Bitcoin L1 entirely inside the extension (WebAssembly), no node required. It connects to mainnet by default through an Esplora indexer (a default is provided; you can supply your own in Settings > RGB > Node-less (Indexer URL)), auto-creates blinded receive invoices, manages UTXOs for you, and backs up RGB state to encrypted cloud (VSS) and local file backups.

RGB Lightning Node

RLN is optional and experimental. Connect it if you want RGB Lightning channels, RGB invoices over Lightning, or maker-based RGB swaps.

RGB setup screen headed Choose your RGB wallet setup, with Use this device (Recommended) and Connect my node options and a Continue button

The extension can reach your RLN over two transports:

Direct - Enter the Node URL (the node endpoint, such as http://localhost:3001) and an optional Biscuit / JWT token when your node requires one.
Wallet Connect - Paste a nostr+walletconnect:// connection string (for example, from the KaleidoSwap Desktop App). Your node stays remote and only signed requests travel over the relay.

The Maker URL for RGB swaps is required for Direct and optional for Wallet Connect.

KaleidoSwap Extension RLN connection form

RGB Lightning is shown as an experimental test-network feature in onboarding. You can skip it and connect later from Settings > RGB. Connecting an RLN node replaces the node-less RGB-L1 backing.

Dashboard Overview

After setup, the dashboard shows account status and assets across the connected protocols.

KaleidoSwap dashboard with colour-coded network status chips, the BTC balance card with Receive, Swap, and Send, and Your Assets with the filter toggle

Account Status

The dashboard header shows colour-coded network status chips for your Spark, Arkade, Liquid, and RGB accounts; tapping a chip opens that account’s settings. If a connected account stops responding (for example, a balance call keeps timing out), its chip turns amber with a Not responding state and the dashboard shows a dismissible banner with a Retry action.

Asset Filters

The filters are collapsed behind a toggle next to Your Assets. Open it to focus on:

Network: All, On-chain, Lightning, Spark, Arkade, Liquid
Asset: All, BTC, RGB, Spark, Arkade, Liquid (L-BTC and issued assets such as USDt)

Assets with the same ticker across backings are merged into one dashboard row. To hide individual assets, use Manage asset list.

Actions

Action	Description
Receive	Pick an asset and a receive route, then share the address, invoice, or QR code. Bridging in from another chain also starts here (Bridge from another chain)
Swap	Open the in-extension swap interface (also in the bottom navigation)
Send	Paste any destination; the wallet detects its type and suggests a compatible account

Lock and Unlock

Auto-Lock

The KaleidoSwap Extension automatically locks after a period of inactivity. When locked, the extension requires your password (or passkey, if registered) before it decrypts the mnemonic in memory again.

Welcome Back lock screen with Unlock with Passkey as the primary action and an Unlock with password fallback

Unlocking

When the extension is locked, you’ll see the Welcome Back screen shown above.

With passkey - if you registered one, tap Unlock with Passkey and confirm with your device’s biometrics or security key
With password - enter your password and select Unlock

If you forget your password, KaleidoSwap cannot recover it - see Troubleshooting for recovery steps.

Manual Lock

Use Settings > Lock Wallet to lock immediately.

Changing Lock Timeout

Go to Settings > Security to adjust the auto-lock timeout (from 1 minute to 1 hour, or never). The Bitcoin unit display is an inline picker on the main Settings page.

Access the Beta

Request access to the KaleidoSwap Extension closed beta.

Introduction

Features

Reference

Onboarding