The GNU project has introduced the release of the free electronic payment system GNU Taler 0.11, which provides anonymity for buyers while maintaining the ability to identify sellers to ensure transparency in tax reporting. The system does not track information about where users spend their money but provides means to monitor the receipt of funds (the sender remains anonymous), addressing the tax audit issues 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.
The development is funded by grants from the European Commission, the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Research and Innovation (SERI). As part of the project
NGI TALER is working on creating a product based on GNU Taler ready for use in the European Union.
Key Changes:
- Support for the protocol dialect
EBICS (Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard), developed by the Central Credit Committee of Germany (ZKA) for secure information exchange about payments in German banks, has been added to the libeufin-nexus utility used to send requests to banks. - Support for the SEPA Instant (Single Euro Payments Area) standard used in the European Union has been added to libeufin-nexus.
- The API has proposed an initial implementation of a handler based on the HTTP GET method for point-of-sale (POS) systems.
- Wallets now display additional contextual information when using payments via QR codes or URIs.
Source: opennet.ru
