Lightning Network
The Lightning Network is Bitcoin's state-channel network for instant, near-free payments: open a channel once on-chain, then send unlimited sats off-chain,
The Lightning Network is Bitcoin’s state-channel network for instant, near-free payments: open a channel once on-chain, then send unlimited sats off-chain, settling only when you close. Payments route across the network like packets.
Why it matters
Lightning is how Bitcoin scales to coffee money without touching base-layer throughput — millions of instant payments, fees of a fraction of a cent. The honest caveats: channel liquidity management, needing to be online (or use watchtowers), and routing failures on large amounts. It’s improving fast and already settles real volume.
Related terms
bitcoin · state channel ·
satoshi