Elements is a free, open-source node and sidechain framework for developers, operators and researchers who want to run Liquid-compatible infrastructure on their own computer. It is released under the MIT license and ships as a Windows build or installer, with versions for macOS and Linux as well. The project is written in C and C++ and centers on the elementsd daemon, which can join the Liquid network or run private test chains.
This page explains what the program does, how to install the ready-made release, and how it compares with other node software in our catalog. The latest version is elements-29.4.1rc1, and the most recent code update is dated October 21, 2026, so the project is actively maintained. Because a node connected to a live network can interact with real value, the safety section below is worth reading before you start.
What Liquid Is and Why Sidechains Matter
A sidechain is a separate blockchain linked to a main chain, so that assets can move between the two. Liquid is the best-known example of this model in the Bitcoin ecosystem, and Elements is the framework it is built on. Sidechains let a network experiment with features such as asset issuance or privacy rules without changing the base layer it depends on.
For node operators, the practical benefit is independent verification. Instead of trusting a web explorer or a company's API to report balances and transaction status, you run the software that checks each block yourself. That matters for exchanges, custodians and businesses that need a clear audit trail for what happened on the network.
Who Elements Is For
Elements is built for technical audiences. Developers who want to launch a sidechain or a private network with its own rules are the most obvious users. Infrastructure teams that run nodes for exchanges, payment processors or internal systems also benefit from a dedicated daemon they can configure and monitor.
Researchers and educators form a second group. The Confidential Assets whitepaper and demo give students a concrete way to study how privacy and asset issuance can coexist on a ledger. A university course or a small lab can set up a local chain, run transactions through it and compare the results with what the documentation describes.
If your goal is simply to hold or send coins through a friendly app, Elements is not designed for that. It is infrastructure, and it rewards users who are comfortable working with configuration files and a command line.
How Confidential Assets Differ From Ordinary Tokens
On most public blockchains, every transfer is visible: the sender, receiver, amount and asset type are recorded in plain sight. Confidential Assets change that model by letting a chain carry several asset types while hiding the details of each transfer from outside observers. Validators can still check that no value is created out of thin air.
This is different from issuing a token on a general-purpose smart contract platform. Here the privacy and asset rules are part of the chain's base design rather than a layer added on top. That approach can reduce the risk of errors in application code, but it also means the rules are fixed by the chain's design and governance, so you should understand them before you build on top.
For a developer, the most useful next step is the Confidential Assets tutorial and demo. Reading the whitepaper gives the theory, while the demo shows how issuance and transfers look in practice on a test chain.
Running a Private Test Chain for Development
A private test chain is one of the most practical uses of Elements. With regtest, you control block production and can create the exact conditions you need to test a payment flow, an integration or a failure scenario. Nothing you do there touches a public network, which makes it a safe place to make mistakes.
Custom chains take this further. By choosing your own chain name and adjusting startup options, you can model a network that behaves the way your product requires. A team building a loyalty system, a settlement layer or a research prototype can keep the test environment close to its target design from the start.
Keep a written record of the startup options you use for each chain. When a test fails weeks later, that record makes it much easier to reproduce the setup and find the cause.
Key features
Liquid network mode
Bitcoin-style test modes
Custom chains
Confidential Assets
Confidential Transactions
Learning materials
Supported coins
Elements documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC) and Liquid as the networks most relevant to the project. The node supports Bitcoin-style modes for mainnet, testnet3 and regtest, plus Liquid through the liquidv1 chain setting, and it can be configured for custom chains. Support for any particular asset depends on the network you connect to, so check that network's own documentation before you rely on a specific asset.
How to install Elements / Liquid on Windows
- 1
Download the official build
Go to the official website or the GitHub Releases page for the ElementsProject/elements repository. Choose the Windows build or installer for the latest release, currently elements-29.4.1rc1. Download only from the official website or the GitHub repository, and avoid third-party mirrors found through search ads.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published on the release page. If a signature is also provided, verify it as well. Do not run a file whose hash does not match the published value.
- 3
Run the installer or unpack the build
Launch the Windows installer and follow the prompts, or extract the archive to a folder you control. Choose a location with a short, clear path so you can find the elementsd executable later and keep track of updates.
-
Check that the node starts
Open a command prompt in the folder that contains elementsd and run it with the regtest chain option. A short local run confirms that the binary works before you connect to any live network, and it gives you a safe starting point for the steps in the next section.
How to use Elements / Liquid
Elements is driven from the command line, so this workflow assumes you are comfortable opening a terminal. Start with a private chain, then move to public networks once your setup is stable and you understand the basics.
- Open a command prompt in the folder that contains elementsd.
- Start a local test chain with elementsd -chain=regtest. This runs entirely on your own machine.
- Use the node's command interface to generate blocks and inspect the chain state while you learn how the data is organized.
- When you are comfortable, start a separate test with elementsd -chain=testnet3 to see how the node behaves on a public test network.
- To follow the live Liquid network, run elementsd -chain=liquidv1 and allow the node time to sync. The first sync can take a long time because the node has to download and check the full history.
- Read the Elements Code Tutorial and the Confidential Assets demo before you experiment with issuing assets, so you understand the rules before changing them.
Pros & cons
- Free to use and released under the MIT license, so the code can be inspected and reused under permissive terms
- One daemon covers Liquid network sync, Bitcoin-style test modes and custom chains
- Confidential Assets and Confidential Transactions are documented with a tutorial and a demo
- Available for Windows, macOS and Linux
- Aimed at developers and operators, so casual users will find the setup demanding
- The mainnet mode is documented as not intended for commercial use, which limits its role in production payment systems
- Written in C and C++, so compiling from source requires build knowledge
- Learning materials are mostly developer-oriented tutorials rather than a beginner's guide
Is Elements / Liquid safe?
Download the Windows build or installer only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page for ElementsProject/elements. Compare the SHA-256 checksum with the value published on the release page, and verify a signature if one is offered. A mismatch means the file should not be run. The project shows a recent code update, but check the latest version on the official website before installing. Release candidates such as elements-29.4.1rc1 are pre-release builds and may not suit production use. Never enter a seed phrase or private key on a third-party website, including sites that claim to offer Liquid support, recovery or accelerated sync. Keep backups of any keys you control in a secure, offline location.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/ElementsProject/elements. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Elements occupies a different niche from most entries in this catalog. Electrum Personal Server and Frigate act as companion servers for Electrum wallets, so they focus on wallet lookups rather than running a sidechain. Fulcrum is an indexing server for BTC, BCH and LTC that speeds up queries against a node. Stacks Node and Stratis Full Node serve their own blockchain networks, and Gocoin is a full Bitcoin implementation written in Go. Parity Zcash is listed as archived, and Electron Cash SLP is a lightweight client for Bitcoin Cash. Choose Elements when your goal is the Liquid network or a custom chain with confidential assets. Choose the others when you need a specific network or a companion service for an existing wallet.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- elements-29.4.1rc1
- Last update
- 21 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/ElementsProject/elements
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Elements is free and released under the MIT license, which allows you to use, modify and redistribute the code under its terms. The Windows build is available alongside versions for macOS and Linux, so there is no software licensing fee to run a node. Hardware, bandwidth and hosting costs remain your own responsibility.
It can be, when you take standard precautions. Obtain the file from the project's official channels, check the SHA-256 checksum against the published value, and never enter seed phrases or private keys into third-party sites. The safety section on this page explains each step in more detail.
Elements is the software framework for building sidechains, while Liquid is a sidechain network built on that kind of technology. When elementsd runs with the liquidv1 chain setting, the node connects to Liquid. Elements can also run private or custom chains, so it is useful well beyond the Liquid network itself.
Yes. Regtest mode runs a private chain on your own computer, so you can practice creating blocks and transactions without connecting to any public network. Testnet3 is another option for public test activity. Start with these modes before you consider any network that carries real value.
Elements includes Bitcoin-style chain modes for mainnet, testnet3 and regtest, and its documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC) and Liquid. The mainnet mode is documented as not intended for commercial use, so treat it with care and use the test modes for experiments.
Not necessarily, but programming knowledge helps a lot. The program is operated through the elementsd daemon and its startup options, and the learning materials include a code tutorial and a demo. Users who only want to look up transactions may find a block explorer more practical. Elements suits people who are comfortable with a command line and basic blockchain concepts.
Typical projects include a private test chain for development, a sidechain-style network with its own asset rules, and a research environment for confidential asset experiments. The Confidential Assets tutorial and demo show how issuance and transfers work before you design your own system around them.
Verdict
Elements is a good fit if you are a developer, node operator or researcher who needs a node for the Liquid network or wants to build a custom chain with confidential assets. It is free, MIT-licensed and actively maintained, and it runs on Windows. It is a poor choice for someone who wants a simple wallet app or a plug-and-play tool, because most of its value appears only when you configure it with care. Read the safety notes before connecting it to any network that carries real value.