Bitcoin (BTC) Lightning Network Capacity Has Surged Nearly 2x Over the Last Year

Published by
Bitcoin (BTC) Lightning Network Capacity Has Surged Nearly 2x Over the Last Year

Just as the Bitcoin utility continues to expand in the market, so does the layer 2 scaling solution of the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Just as the BTC price, the Bitcoin Lightning Network has shown strong growth over the last year.

The number of nodes in the Bitcoin Lightning Network has surged from 7.5K to 14K, as per the stats provided by LookIntoBitcoin. At the same time, the amount of BTC in circulation on the Lightning Network has also doubled.

As the mainstream adoption of Bitcoin continues among retail as well as institutional players, we believe the use of Lightning Network will also grow. U.S.-based Lightning Labs is the brainchild behind the Lightning Network.

Three years, back, Lightning Labs raised $2.5 million for further development. It has also received substantial backup from industry leaders like Jack Dorsey. Digital Asset manager CoinShares recently shared a report last month wherein it writes:

Lightning enables users to amortize the cost of a bitcoin transaction across many payments over time. We see lightning as a critical technology that could evolve bitcoin’s usefulness in payments beyond its stigma as an investment vehicle.

Lightning Better Than Visa

One of the biggest obstacles to retail Bitcoin adoption has been the lack of real-time payment settlements. There’s always been a comparison to market leaders like Visa and Mastercard. However, Lightning aims to solve some of these issues.

Speaking to Business Insider, CoinShares investment strategist James Butterfill said: “Lightning is much more secure than Visa, and could do more transactions than Visa”.

The Lightning Network can send payments as instantaneously as an email. Thus, it brings a major real-time use case for Bitcoin. However, the current Bitcoin demand for on-chain space isn’t much saturated as well.

It will be interesting to see further developments in the Bitcoin Lightning Network as the market progresses. However, widescale adoption will only be possible if it can provide solutions at par with giants like Visa and Mastercard.

As of press time, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading 1.66% up at a price of $47,478 and a market cap of $891 billion.

Advertisement

Share
Bhushan Akolkar

Bhushan is a seasoned crypto writer with over eight years of experience spanning more than 10,000 contributions across multiple platforms like CoinGape, CoinSpeaker, Bitcoinist, Crypto News Flash, and others. Being a Fintech enthusiast, he loves reporting across Crypto, Blockchain, DeFi, Global Macros with a keen understanding in financial markets. 

He is committed to continuous learning and stays motivated by sharing the knowledge he acquires. In his free time, Bhushan enjoys reading thriller fiction novels and occasionally explores his culinary skills. Bhushan has a bachelors degree in electronics engineering, however, his interest in finance and economics drives him to crypto and blockchain.

Published by
Why trust CoinGape: CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.

Recent Posts

  • News

Standard Chartered Predicts Bitcoin Could Drop Below $100K Amid U.S.–China Trade Tensions

Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick has predicted that the Bitcoin price could suffer a significant…

October 22, 2025
  • News

Rising Demand for Verifiable Crypto Ownership Drives Launch of Trezor Safe 7

Crypto ownership is a topic that has been discussed across major forums globally in the…

October 22, 2025
  • News

Robinhood Lists Binance Coin as BNB Outperforms BTC, ETH, SOL YTD By Over 30%

Crypto exchange Robinhood has listed the Binance coin for spot trading for its U.S. customers.…

October 22, 2025
  • News

Bitget Partners With Google Developer Group On Hackathon To Support AI Innovation

Bitget, a leading crypto exchange in the world, has joined forces with Google Developer Group…

October 22, 2025
  • News

Can Cardano Save Kadena? Hoskinson Reaches Out After KDA Token Plunges 60% Amid Shutdown

Kadena has announced it was shutting down operations, sending its KDA price into a freefall.…

October 22, 2025
  • News

Analyst Turn Bullish with $400 SOL Target as Hong Kong Approves First-Ever Solana ETF in Asia

Hong Kong has officially approved the region’s first-ever Solana ETF in Asia. This comes as…

October 22, 2025