MessageBox Platform
Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging and Payments with BSV SDK
Build a peer-to-peer messaging and payment platform using BSV's MessageBox network for encrypted, ephemeral message delivery and BRC-29 identity-based payments.
📦 Complete Code Repository: https://github.com/bsv-blockchain-demos/messagebox-platform
This guide references the full production implementation. Clone the repository to follow along with working code examples.
What You'll Build
A production-ready MessageBox platform featuring:
Identity certification on the BSV blockchain
Encrypted peer-to-peer messaging via MessageBox network
BRC-29 compliant identity-based payments
Transaction internalization for payment tracking
Frontend and server implementation patterns
Learning Objectives
By completing this project, you will learn:
Identity Management - Using BSV public keys as universal identities
MessageBox Protocol - Encrypted, ephemeral message delivery between identities
PeerPay Protocol - BRC-29 payment tokens with key derivation
Transaction Internalization - Adding received payments to wallet balance
WalletClient - Browser-based signing without exposing private keys
Certification - Creating blockchain proofs of identity registration
Architecture Overview
Implementation Guides
This project is split into two implementation guides:
Learn how to integrate MessageBox functionality into your browser-based applications:
Connecting to user wallets with WalletClient
Certifying identities on the blockchain
Sending BRC-29 payments with PeerPayClient
Receiving and internalizing payments
Handling encrypted messages
Learn how to implement MessageBox patterns on the server side:
Server-side wallet management
Session handling for connected wallets
Backend certification and payment endpoints
Database storage for certified users
API design for MessageBox applications
Key Concepts
Identity-Based Architecture
Unlike traditional systems that use usernames/passwords, BSV MessageBox uses public keys as identities:
Traditional Auth:
BSV Identity:
Benefits:
✅ No password management
✅ Cryptographically provable identity
✅ Works across all BSV applications
✅ No central authority can revoke
MessageBox Network
The MessageBox network provides encrypted, ephemeral message delivery:
End-to-end encrypted: Only recipient can decrypt (ECIES)
Ephemeral storage: Messages deleted when acknowledged
Identity-based: Send to public keys, not addresses
Privacy-preserving: No permanent message history
BRC-29 Payments
BRC-29 enables sending payments directly to identities (public keys):
Key Advantages:
New derived address per payment (privacy)
No address management needed
Universal identity across apps
Recipient derives spending key with payment remittance data
Overlay Integration
MessageBox can be integrated with Overlay Services for whitelabel deployments:
Run your own MessageBox infrastructure
Custom validation rules
Private messaging networks
Enterprise deployments
See the Overlay Services guide for implementing custom overlay networks with Topic Managers and Lookup Services.
Use Cases
Peer-to-Peer Applications
Direct payments between users
Encrypted messaging
Social media with built-in monetization
Content creator platforms
Decentralized Identity
Universal identity across applications
Blockchain-certified credentials
Privacy-preserving authentication
Cross-platform interoperability
Micropayments
Pay-per-message services
Content tips and donations
API access payments
Subscription services
Enterprise Communication
Secure team messaging
Encrypted document sharing
Payment reconciliation
Audit trails on blockchain
Why BSV for MessageBox?
Low Transaction Fees
Average tx fee: ~$0.000006 USD
Viable for micropayments
No need for off-chain solutions
Scalability
50,000+ transactions per second
No Layer 2 complexity
All transactions on-chain
Identity Standards
BRC-29: Identity-based payments
BRC-42: Key derivation protocol
BRC-48: PushDrop token format
Interoperable across wallets
Protocol Stability
Frozen protocol (no more hard forks)
Build once, run forever
Long-term application viability
Getting Started
Quick Start with Demo Repository
Choose Your Learning Path
Frontend Implementation - Start here if you're building a browser-based app
Server Implementation - Start here if you're building backend services
Both guides use the BSV SDK (@bsv/sdk) and MessageBox client (@bsv/message-box-client) and reference the complete working code.
Related Resources
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