Running Bitcoin Wave on a Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the Bitcoin Wave reference platform. It's small, silent, cheap to run, and powerful enough to validate every Bitcoin transaction ever made. This guide takes you from an empty box to a fully sovereign Bitcoin node.
What to buy
You need three things: the Pi itself, storage, and a few accessories. Total cost: $130–200 depending on options.
Essential
| Item | Recommendation | Approx. cost |
|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 8 GB model (minimum). 16 GB if you want more headroom for Lightning. | $80–100 |
| NVMe SSD | 1 TB minimum, 2 TB recommended. Samsung 990 EVO, WD Black SN770, or Crucial P3 Plus all work well. | $60–90 |
| NVMe HAT / adapter | Pimoroni NVMe Base, Geekworm X1001, or the official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+. Connects the SSD to the Pi. | $15–25 |
| USB-C power supply | Official Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C supply. Don't use a phone charger — the Pi 5 needs stable 5V/5A. | $12 |
| MicroSD card | Any 16 GB+ card — only used for the initial OS install, then the Pi boots from NVMe. | $8 |
| Ethernet cable | Cat 5e or better. WiFi works but Ethernet is more reliable for a 24/7 node. | $5 |
Optional but recommended
| Item | Why | Approx. cost |
|---|
| Case with fan | Keeps the Pi cool during initial sync (CPU-intensive). The Argon ONE V3 or Flirc case are solid choices. | $15–30 |
| UPS / battery backup | Protects against power cuts during blockchain sync. A small USB-C UPS like the PiSugar 3 works. | $30–50 |
Step 1: Flash the operating system
- Download the Raspberry Pi Imager from
raspberrypi.com/software on your regular computer
- Insert your MicroSD card
- In the Imager, choose:
- Device: Raspberry Pi 5
- OS: Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit) — under "Raspberry Pi OS (other)". You want the "Lite" version — no desktop needed
- Storage: your MicroSD card
- Click the gear icon (or "Edit Settings") before writing:
- Set a username (e.g.,
bitcoin) and password
- Enable SSH (under Services tab) — "Use password authentication"
- Optionally set your WiFi details (but Ethernet is better)
- Click Write and wait for it to finish
Step 2: Boot the Pi
- Insert the MicroSD card into the Pi
- Connect the NVMe SSD via the HAT/adapter
- Plug in Ethernet
- Connect power — the Pi boots automatically
- Wait 60 seconds for it to start up
Step 3: Find your Pi on the network
You need the Pi's IP address. The easiest ways:
- Router admin page — log into your router (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and look for a device called "raspberrypi" in the connected devices list
- Ask your agent — if your agent has network scanning ability, it can find the Pi for you
- Try the hostname — on many networks,
raspberrypi.local works
Write down the IP address (something like 192.168.0.50).
Step 4: Tell your agent
This is where Bitcoin Wave takes over. Open your AI agent and say:
Install the btcwave skill and set up my Bitcoin node.
My license key is WAVE-FULL-XXXX-XXXX.
The target is a Raspberry Pi 5 at 192.168.0.50,
username is bitcoin, password is [your password].
Your agent will SSH into the Pi and handle everything:
- Move the boot drive to NVMe (so the MicroSD isn't a bottleneck)
- Install Bitcoin Knots with verified checksums
- Configure for optimal Pi 5 performance (dbcache, threads, Tor)
- Start the initial blockchain download
Step 5: Wait for sync
The initial blockchain download and verification takes 12–24 hours on a Pi 5 with NVMe. During this time:
- The Pi will run warm — this is normal. A case with a fan helps
- Don't unplug the power
- You can check progress anytime: ask your agent, or visit the dashboard at
http://[pi-ip]:8380
Step 6: Seed ceremony
Once synced, your agent will tell you it's time to create your wallet seed. This is the one step only you can do.
- 24 words will appear on screen
- Write them on paper — not digitally, not in a photo
- Store the paper somewhere safe and fireproof
- Tell your agent when you're done
These 24 words are your Bitcoin. If you lose them, no one — not Bitcoin Wave, not your agent, not anyone — can recover your funds. Treat them like cash in a safe.
Step 7: You're sovereign
The remaining stack installs automatically. When complete, you have:
- A full Bitcoin node validating every transaction
- Lightning Network for instant payments
- A web dashboard at
http://[pi-ip]:8380
- An MCP server so your agent can manage it all going forward
Living with your Pi node
- Power: draws about 8–12 watts. Costs roughly $1–2/month in electricity
- Noise: silent (no fans on the base model, and aftermarket fans are whisper-quiet)
- Location: tuck it behind your router, on a shelf, wherever. It just needs power and Ethernet
- Maintenance: your agent handles updates and monitoring. You don't need to touch it
Troubleshooting
Pi won't boot
Re-flash the MicroSD card. Make sure you selected "Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit)" — not the desktop version, and not 32-bit.
Can't find the Pi on the network
Connect a monitor and keyboard temporarily. The Pi will show its IP address on the login screen.
Sync is very slow
Check that the NVMe SSD is connected properly — if the Pi is using the MicroSD for storage, sync will be 10x slower. Your agent can verify this.
Pi runs very hot during sync
Normal during initial sync (CPU at 100% for hours). A case with active cooling helps. After sync completes, the Pi runs cool.