The Lightning Network, Bitcoin’s Layer 2 payment protocol, has achieved a new landmark, reaching an all-time high in Bitcoin capacity, a pivotal move underscoring the network’s continued growth and increased adoption.
The network, which works by locking Bitcoin in payment channels, witnessed a substantial boost, pushing its Bitcoin capacity to a record-high of more than 5,500 BTC for the first time since April, according to data from The Block.
This monumental achievement signifies not just the robust growth of the network, but also the increasing confidence in the Lightning Network as a viable payment protocol.
Surge In Bitcoin Network Capacity
According to The Block, this past Saturday, the Lightning Network attained an apex in capacity, hitting 5,630 BTC. This figure surpasses the prior peak of 5,620 BTC recorded on April 18. Concurrently, the network’s US Dollar capacity also reached an all-time high, topping $172 million.
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The Block noted, as these numbers reveal, Lightning Network’s capacity has grown significantly, increasing 42% in Bitcoin and 105% in US Dollar terms over the last 12 months. This considerable advancement is a testament to the ongoing acceptance and utilization of the Lightning Network in the crypto world.
The Future Of Lightning Network
David Marcus, CEO of enterprise-grade Lightning Network firm Lightspark, emphasized the importance of expanding the network’s infrastructure and capacity.
Marcus said the reason for this was “Particularly because we can actually guarantee that even larger payments succeed on Lightning, which in the past has been pretty hard to achieve.”
Envisioning the future, Marcus explained that this development could “enable any enterprise out there to access a real-time, super low-cost settlement network for the internet that’s interoperable, that’s open, that any developer can build on.”
Notably, Marcus underscored the need for the greater exchange involved in the network, arguing that this would not only bolster Bitcoin mobility but also enhance the Lightning Network on and off-ramps. Moreover, the Lightning Network’s success in Bitcoin and US Dollar capacity signifies a significant step forward in the ongoing evolution of Bitcoin as both a digital asset and a transaction protocol.
It affirms the increasing demand for fast, cost-effective, and scalable Bitcoin transactions, a demand that is only likely to grow as more enterprises and developers tap into the potential of the network.
Meanwhile, over the past week, Bitcoin has seen a rebound from its previous loss amid the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit on the world’s largest crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase that brought the largest asset by market cap to trade below $25,000.
However, over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin has plummeted by 1.1% with a trading price still above the recently reclaimed $30,000 mark. In the past 7 days, more than $70 billion has been added to the BTC market cap with the asset market capitalization moving from a low of $514 billion last Monday to above $580 billion as of today.
Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView