Design-a-Note: Bringing ecash to life

As part of the 2025 Bitcoin Designathon, we hosted a challenge called Design-a-Note. The goal was to design printable Cashu ecash notes that look good, feel fun, and helps people get started with bitcoin in a more tangible way.

The challenge was built around Brrr, an open-source tool that lets anyone create printable ecash notes. We invited designers to create templates that could be used by anyone to print physical ecash, ready to hand out to friends, tape to a wall, or leave at a local café.

Each submission had to be reusable, print-friendly, and designed for plug and play into the Brr tool. Checkout some of the winners below.

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The winners

We chose three winners who each designed a special ecash note. Their designs will be featured on brrr.gandlaf.com so anyone can print and use them.

1. deSign_r – Just another Ecash Nutsnote

This one made everyone smile. It features a smiling portrait of David Chaum, the father of ecash, drawn in the style of an old-school banknote. But instead of looking too official or serious, it leans into the more playful side of Cashu culture. The title reads “The United Nutters of the World”, and little details like “Maybe it has been redeemed already!” give it just the right amount of charm.

2. Veronika Dorson – Sovereign Note

This set instantly stood out for its bold colors, playful style, and great sense of humor. We really appreciated the inclusion of Bitty, the unofficial bitcoin mascot. They’re meant to make someone smile and maybe spark their first bitcoin experience. And they do that really well. These were a hit at BTC Prague when handed out to attendees.

3. Mr Meadow Note – Mr Meadow Note

This design takes a more minimal approach and nails it. Strong phrases like “Global Citizens, Global Currency” and “Backed and Secured by the Energy of the Sun.” It feels modern, hopeful, and serious about the potential of bitcoin as peer to peer electronic cash.

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Ecash notes in the wild

We brought the printed notes to BTC Prague and handed them out at Dev/Hack/Day. Each one included ₿21 and a design on the back with instructions on how to redeem it. We recommended three wallets:

• Minibits for Android
• https://macadamia.cash for iOS
• Cashu.me for anyone who prefers a web app

The idea was to make the onboarding as smooth as possible. Just pick a wallet, scan and redeem your ecash. The response was great. People loved the physical format and the simplicity of receiving ecash on the spot.

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What’s next

We’re now working on adding these winning designs to brrr.gandlaf.com so anyone can pick a template and print their own notes. If you run a meetup or want to introduce someone to ecash, these templates will make it easy and fun.

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Thank Yous

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our participants, judges, sponsors, and the Bitcoin Design Community members who helped bring the Designathon to life.

A big thank you to OpenCash for sponsoring this challenge. Their commitment to advancing the Cashu protocol made this possible, and we’re grateful they saw the value in supporting it.

We also want to thank Gandlaf for building Brr, providing additional sponsorship and for providing the inspiration and tools that made this project a reality.

A special thank you to Tom Badley, author of Art & Money, a deep dive into the history and design of banknotes. Tom has created physical notes for several bitcoin and crypto projects, and his eye for detail and design made him the perfect guest judge for this challenge. We couldn’t have asked for a better fit. Check out his work at tombadley.net, it's well worth a look!

And lastly, a massive thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and submitted a design. Every entry had its own style and story, and we loved going through them.