After a year of development, the GNU project has released the free electronic payment system GNU Taler 0.9, which provides anonymity for buyers while allowing the identification of sellers to ensure transparency in tax reporting. The system does not track information on where the user spends money but provides means to monitor incoming funds (the sender remains anonymous), solving the issues with tax auditing that are inherent in BitCoin. The code is written in Python and is distributed under the AGPLv3 and LGPLv3 licenses.
GNU Taler does not create its own cryptocurrency but works with existing currencies, including dollars, euros, and bitcoins. Support for new currencies can be ensured by creating a bank that acts as a financial guarantor. The business model of GNU Taler is based on performing exchange transactions—money from traditional payment systems like Bitcoin, Mastercard, SEPA, Visa, ACH, and SWIFT is converted into anonymous electronic money in the same currency. Users can transfer electronic money to sellers, who can then exchange it back into real money at the exchange point, represented by traditional payment systems.
All transactions in GNU Taler are secured using modern cryptographic algorithms that ensure integrity even in the event of leakage of private keys belonging to clients, sellers, and exchange points. The database format allows for the verification of all transactions made and confirms their consistency. The confirmation of payment for sellers is a cryptographic proof of transfer within the contract concluded with the client, along with a cryptographically signed confirmation of available funds at the exchange point. GNU Taler comprises a set of basic components that provide functionality for operating the bank, exchange point, marketplace, wallet, and auditor.
Key Changes:
- Support for confidential mobile payments conducted in P2P (peer-to-peer) mode through direct linking of the buyer's application and the point-of-sale (POS) application has been added.
- Support for age-restricted payments has been added (the seller can set a minimum age requirement, and the buyer is given the option to verify compliance with this requirement without disclosing personal information).
- The database schema for the exchange point has been improved, optimized for higher performance and scalability.
- The Python bank has been replaced by the LibEuFin Sandbox toolkit, which implements server components that support banking protocols and emulates a simple banking system for account and balance management.
- A wallet version based on WebExtension technology, intended for use in browsers, has been adapted to support the third version of the Chrome manifest.
Source: opennet.ru
