Litecoin Creator Charlie Lee to Advise HTC Crypto-Friendly Smartphone Development Team

Charlie Lee announced HTC’s new blockchain-compatible smartphone will have native support for Litecoin and Lightning Network, adding that he was joining the HTC Exodus development team as an advisor.

Initially Lee tweeted the news on July 29 with HTC confirming the announcement Monday, saying the team was “honored” to get Litecoin creator onboard.

Met the HTC Exodus team last week and was really excited to hear the phone will support LTC and Lightning Network on Litecoin natively! I will be an advisor as I see having a secure crypto phone that makes LN simple is needed for mass adoption.

P.S. No, they will not remove BTC. https://t.co/WQcygPVst0

— Charlie Lee [LTC⚡] (@SatoshiLite) 30 July 2018

One small step for @SatoshiLite. One giant leap for blockchain.

Team @HTCExodus, @philchen913 @htc are honored to have Charlie Lee to join as our advisor.

cc @litecoin @LTCFoundation @LitecoinProject #LetMyDataGo https://t.co/JWGI4b8yH0

— HTC Exodus (@htcexodus) 30 July 2018

HTC announced their plans to enter the crypto space with a “first native blockchain phone” in May, later clarifying Exodus will have a cryptocurrency wallet supporting Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), as well as the micropayments protocol Lightning Network and the popular gaming DApp CryptoKitties.

The Taiwanese electronics maker said Exodus would serve as both a mobile connecting point to the world of decentralized networks and a storage device for those who want to carry their crypto in their pocket.

The device will be developed under the leadership of Phil Chen, who helped create HTC’s virtual reality headset Vive. Chen, who now holds the title of “chief decentralized officer,” will head all of the firm’s cryptocurrency and blockchain-related initiatives.

“Through the Exodus, we are also excited to be supporting underlying protocols such as Bitcoin, Lightning Networks, Ethereum, Dfinity, and more,” Chen said in May. “We would like to support the entire blockchain ecosystem, and in the next few months we’ll be announcing many more exciting partnerships together. Together, we want to craft the best blockchain & decentralized application experiences to end consumers.”

Principles of the HTC Exodus:

1. Hold your own keys
2. Own your identity & data
3. Phone is the hub

Live at Consensus 2018: https://t.co/4s62UCutzu pic.twitter.com/Cku3U6hJw0

— HTC Exodus (@htcexodus) 15 May 2018

HTC Exodus could be available to the general public by the end of the year, and while a price tag for the Exodus has not yet been released, the company hinted that it is considering accepting cryptocurrency payments once it becomes available for purchase.

Sirin Labs, a cryptocurrency startup that plans to release a blockchain-powered smartphone called Finney in October, is charging $1,000 for its device.

Chinese tech giant Huawei also reportedly has taken an interest in developing a smartphone that will support DApps running on blockchain technology, as a Bloomberg March report noted the firm was seeking a license for the open-source operating system SIRIN OS.

Earlier this month, Charlie Lee provided details about recent acquisition of Litecoin Foundation, stating he expects to receive a board position at the German WEG Bank AG, which will positively influence the further adoption of cryptocurrencies in the bank’s operations.

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