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Timeline

The history of MultiBit: 2011 – 2017

From a lightweight idea in 2011 to one of the most-used wallets of the early Bitcoin era — and its quiet shutdown in 2017.

The short answer

MultiBit was a lightweight desktop Bitcoin wallet by Jim Burton, launched September 2011, recommended on bitcoin.org, peaking around 1.5 million addresses, acquired by KeepKey (2016), and discontinued July 2017.

Why MultiBit's story matters

MultiBit's timeline maps almost perfectly onto the formative years of Bitcoin itself. It was born when the blockchain was small enough to be a niche curiosity, hit its peak as Bitcoin entered the mainstream conversation, and was retired just as hardware wallets and phone wallets took over. Understanding that arc explains why so many people still hold bitcoin in MultiBit wallets today — and why those funds remain accessible.

2011
MultiBit is released
Developer Jim Burton launches MultiBit in September 2011 as a lightweight, open-source desktop wallet built on Java and bitcoinj. It uses SPV, so syncing takes minutes instead of days.
2012 – 2013
Recommended on bitcoin.org — and a peak
MultiBit is listed among the recommended desktop wallets on bitcoin.org, alongside Bitcoin Core, Electrum and Armory. By 2013 the wallet manages roughly 1.5 million Bitcoin addresses, making it one of the era's most popular wallets.
2014
MultiBit HD is introduced
The team ships MultiBit HD, a hierarchical deterministic wallet. All addresses derive from a single 12-, 18- or 24-word seed phrase, stored encrypted in an mbhd.wallet.aes file. It helps normalize seed-based backups for non-technical users.
2016
KeepKey acquires MultiBit
Hardware wallet maker KeepKey acquires the MultiBit project from its founders. Focus shifts to hardware integration, but the ageing Java codebase accumulates technical debt and SPV synchronization becomes harder to maintain.
2017
July: MultiBit is discontinued
KeepKey announces the discontinuation of both MultiBit Classic and MultiBit HD. Security updates and support stop permanently. The multibit.org domain has since been repurposed and is not the original project archive.
2017 – today
The legacy era
MultiBit's software fades, but the keys and seed phrases it created remain valid Bitcoin keys. Its seed design aligned with lasting standards, which is why MultiBit HD seeds can still be restored in modern wallets like Electrum.

What happened to MultiBit after 2017?

After discontinuation, MultiBit stopped receiving updates entirely. Today it has a mixed legacy: the software is obsolete and should not be used to store new bitcoin, but the private keys and seed phrases it produced are still valid. In fact, MultiBit HD's decision to build on a standard seed-based design is exactly why those wallets can still be restored in modern software like Electrum today.

The original multibit.org domain has since been repurposed and should not be treated as the original project archive. The original software survives only in preserved release records — archived snapshots of the original releases and the archived repositories.

Where to go next

Identify your wallet version

History FAQ

Who invented the MultiBit wallet?

MultiBit was created by developer Jim Burton and released in September 2011, with early contributions from Gary Rowe. It was one of the first beginner-friendly desktop wallets for Bitcoin.

Why was MultiBit discontinued?

After the KeepKey acquisition in 2016, the discontinuation of Classic and HD was announced in July 2017. Development stopped permanently. The multibit.org domain has since been repurposed and is not the original project archive.

Are MultiBit funds from before 2017 still accessible?

Yes. The private keys and seed phrases from that era are still valid Bitcoin keys. As long as you have them, you can move the funds into a modern wallet like Electrum.

Does MultiBit still work in 2026?

The software still installs, but syncing with today's Bitcoin network is unreliable and there are no security updates. It should only be used to access existing funds. Your keys and seed remain valid, so your bitcoin is still reachable through a modern wallet.

Are my MultiBit coins lost if the wallet is discontinued?

No. Discontinuation only stopped the software, not the bitcoin. The coins sit on the blockchain, controlled by your private keys or seed phrase — both still work today. See the wallet recovery hub for the step-by-step path to your funds.