diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 64b019c..0deece5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,7 +64,26 @@ git clone https://github.com/LORDBABUINO/stealth.git
 cd stealth
 ```
 
-### 2. Bootstrap Bitcoin Core (regtest)
+### 2. Configure the blockchain connection
+
+Edit `backend/script/config.ini` to match your node:
+
+```ini
+[bitcoin]
+# Network: regtest | testnet | signet | mainnet
+network = regtest
+
+# Path to bitcoin-cli (full path if not on PATH)
+cli = bitcoin-cli
+
+# Optional RPC overrides (leave blank to use ~/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf defaults)
+rpchost =
+rpcport =
+rpcuser =
+rpcpassword =
+```
+
+### 3. Bootstrap Bitcoin Core (regtest)
 
 ```bash
 cd backend/script
@@ -73,7 +92,7 @@ cd backend/script
 
 Pass `--fresh` to wipe the chain and start from genesis.
 
-### 3. Generate vulnerable transactions (required before using the app)
+### 4. Generate vulnerable transactions (required before using the app)
 
 ```bash
 python3 reproduce.py
@@ -90,7 +109,7 @@ bitcoin-cli -regtest -rpcwallet=alice listdescriptors | python3 -c \
 
 Copy the output and use it as the descriptor in the application.
 
-### 4. Start the backend
+### 5. Start the backend
 
 ```bash
 cd backend/src/StealthBackend
@@ -99,7 +118,7 @@ cd backend/src/StealthBackend
 
 The API will be available at `http://localhost:8080`.
 
-### 5. Start the frontend
+### 6. Start the frontend
 
 ```bash
 cd frontend
@@ -123,7 +142,7 @@ Open `http://localhost:5173` in your browser.
 stealth/
 ├── frontend/          # React + Vite UI
 ├── backend/
-│   ├── script/        # detect.py, reproduce.py, setup.sh, bitcoin_rpc.py
+│   ├── script/        # detect.py, reproduce.py, setup.sh, bitcoin_rpc.py, config.ini
 │   └── src/           # Quarkus Java REST API
 └── slides/            # Slidev pitch presentation
 ```
diff --git a/backend/script/bitcoin_rpc.py b/backend/script/bitcoin_rpc.py
index cada361..b35d345 100644
--- a/backend/script/bitcoin_rpc.py
+++ b/backend/script/bitcoin_rpc.py
@@ -1,19 +1,54 @@
 """
 bitcoin_rpc.py — Thin wrapper around bitcoin-cli for Python tests.
-Uses subprocess calls to bitcoin-cli -regtest.
+Connection settings are read from config.ini in the same directory.
 """
 
 import json
 import subprocess
 import time
 import os
+import configparser
 
-CLI = "bitcoin-cli"
-SIGNET_ARGS = [CLI, "-regtest"]
+# ── Load config ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def _load_config():
+    cfg = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    config_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "config.ini")
+    cfg.read(config_path)
+    return cfg["bitcoin"] if "bitcoin" in cfg else {}
+
+def _build_base_args(section):
+    cli_bin = section.get("cli", "bitcoin-cli")
+    network = section.get("network", "regtest").strip().lower()
+
+    args = [cli_bin]
+
+    network_flags = {
+        "regtest": "-regtest",
+        "testnet": "-testnet",
+        "signet":  "-signet",
+    }
+    if network in network_flags:
+        args.append(network_flags[network])
+
+    for key, flag in [("rpchost", "-rpcconnect"), ("rpcport", "-rpcport"),
+                      ("rpcuser", "-rpcuser"), ("rpcpassword", "-rpcpassword")]:
+        value = section.get(key, "").strip()
+        if value:
+            args.append(f"{flag}={value}")
+
+    return args
+
+_cfg = _load_config()
+_BASE_ARGS = _build_base_args(_cfg)
+
+# Keep these for any scripts that might reference them directly
+CLI = _cfg.get("cli", "bitcoin-cli")
+SIGNET_ARGS = _BASE_ARGS
 
 def cli(*args, wallet=None):
-    """Call bitcoin-cli -regtest [wallet] <args> and return parsed JSON or string."""
-    cmd = list(SIGNET_ARGS)
+    """Call bitcoin-cli [network] [wallet] <args> and return parsed JSON or string."""
+    cmd = list(_BASE_ARGS)
     if wallet:
         cmd.append(f"-rpcwallet={wallet}")
     cmd.extend(str(a) for a in args)
diff --git a/backend/script/config.ini b/backend/script/config.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bb6162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/script/config.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[bitcoin]
+# Network to connect to: regtest | testnet | signet | mainnet
+network = regtest
+
+# Path to the bitcoin-cli binary (use full path if not on PATH)
+cli = bitcoin-cli
+
+# Optional: override RPC connection details.
+# Leave these blank to use the defaults from ~/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf.
+rpchost =
+rpcport =
+rpcuser =
+rpcpassword =