Share this article
Pundi X's New Phone Can Switch Between Blockchain and Android
Pundi X unveiled new specifications for its blockchain phone, which will feature dual operating systems to support both Android apps and dapps.
By Nikhilesh De
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:56 a.m. Published Feb 28, 2019, 4:05 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Blockchain device manufacturer startup Pundi X unveiled new specifications for its blockchain phone, which it plans to release to the public later this year.
Revealed at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona this week, the XPhone will let users switch between a traditional mode that supports Android apps and a "blockchain mode," which will grant users access to decentralized apps (dapps) loaded on the device.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Customers will be able to make the switch with the push of a button, a blog post by Pundi X explained, adding that this feature is made possible by loading both an Android 9.0 operating system (OS) as well as Pundi's Android-based Function X OS.
"Blockchain-based calling and messaging can be toggled on and off on the phone operating system, which builds upon Android 9.0," Pundi X said Monday.
First announced last year, the XPhone also claims to support carrier-free calling through its peer-to-peer network. The startup demonstrated that feature at the time.
Though a working prototype was demonstrated in October, Pundi X's most recent blog post explained that the specifications have been upgraded, aiming to launch with a mid-range processor, 6 gigabytes of RAM and a number of other features. (A note on the specifications list states that its design is still subject to change).
At launch, the phone will retail for $599, meaning it is cheaper than other blockchain phones like the HTC EXODUS 1, the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Sirin Labs Finney. However, according to the device's website, only 5,000 XPhones will be built. The company is currently targeting "late 2019" for release, though a specific date has not been announced.
Pundi X's demonstration is only the latest blockchain-related announcement at Mobile World Congress this week, following HTC, Samsung and Electroneum, which unveiled a crypto-mining smartphone this week – though that was a low-cost device targeting developing countries.
XPhone images via Pundi X YouTube; Pundi X blog
Más para ti
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
Lo que debes saber:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
Más para ti
Solana’s new phase is ‘much more about finance,’ says Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante
The Solana ecosystem has spent the past year doubling down on a financial infrastructure, Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante told CoinDesk.
Lo que debes saber:
- Solana’s latest phase looks a lot less flashy than its memecoin-fueled highs, and that may be the goal.
- Armani Ferrante, CEO of crypto exchange Backpack, told CoinDesk in an interview the Solana ecosystem has spent the past year doubling down on a more sober focus: financial infrastructure. A
- fter years of experimentation as the wider crypto industry focused on NFTs, games and social tokens, attention is now shifting back toward decentralized finance, trading and payments.
Top Stories
