Bitcoin Lightning Bet: Roger Ver’s Victory Horns Muted, Who Will Accept Defeat?

Published by
Bitcoin Lightning Bet: Roger Ver’s Victory Horns Muted, Who Will Accept Defeat?

It all began 18 months ago on the Blockchain Cruise summit in October 2018.

A friendly bet between the two schools of thoughts: Bitcoin ‘maximalists‘, who uphold Bitcoin as the gold standards for cryptocurrency, and ‘separatists’ who argue that the market has deviated from Satoshi Nakamoto (alias of Bitcoin creator) real vision – of being cash. The debate or elaboration of the two is for another time.

Nevertheless, the leading figures from the opposite schools – Roger Ver, the leading proponent of Bitcoin Cash [BCH] and owner of bitcoin.com vs. Charlie Lee, the creator of Litecoin [LTC] and a BTC maximalist made a bet on the Lightning Network’s adoption.

The condition for the bet was whether or not Bitcoin Lightning Network (LN) would have a 1000 merchants accepting by end of 2019.

Ver Claims Victory

In a recent video, Roger Ver, claims that he has ‘clearly won the bet‘ and Chalie Lee must wear a Bcash T-shirt and accept that he was wrong. His claims were based on data from two websites lightningnetworkstores.com and acceptlightning.com which shows less than 350 merchants on the LN.

Snippet of Video from Roger Ver in which he claims win over Charlie Lee

But Wait…

Before Charlie Lee could respond to the issue, CoinGate, a payment processor confirms that they alone have had more than 9000 stores. The official page of CoinGate tweeted,

Now, we can expect a series of proofs and trolls from the supporters of both sides. Did or did he not confirm the authenticity of the source is the question here. And will Roger Ver wear a Lightning Network T-shirt and accept that he was wrong?

According to other analytics websites, LN currently has a network capacity of around $4.7 million (around 900 BTC) with over 28,000 channels. Hence, it is likely that there are considerable number of participants on the network.

Nevertheless, overall LN has failed to gather a lot of attention, while Bitcoin continues to grow as a Store of Value. A lot of it has to do with the fact that crypto is still largely an investment vehicle. However, the recent push by exchanges is enabling Lightning Network transactions is attempting to bring LN to mainstream crypto.

How do you think Roger Ver would respond to the issue now? Please share your views with us. 

Advertisement
Share
Nivesh Rustgi

Nivesh from Engineering Background is a full-time Crypto Analyst at Coingape. He is an atheist who believes in love and cultural diversity. He believes that Cryptocurrency is a necessity to deter corruption. He holds small amounts of cryptocurrencies. Faith and fear are two sides of the same coin. Follow him on X at @nivishoes or mail him at nivesh(at)coingape.com

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

Analyst Slams S&P’s ‘B-’ Rating for Strategy Inc, Says Bitcoin Treasury Model Is “Misunderstood”

Crypto market analyst Adam Livingston has sharply criticized S&P Global Ratings after the agency assigned…

October 28, 2025
  • News

Metamask Airdrop Countdown Begins as Wallet Team Registers Token Claim Domain

In a fresh development, a newly registered claim domain has led to speculations that the…

October 27, 2025
  • News

$2.5T Citigroup Partners With Coinbase to Enable Stablecoin Payments

Citigroup, a top U.S. bank with $2.5 trillion asset under management has partnered with Coinbase.…

October 27, 2025
  • News

Who Will Be the Next Fed Chair? Scott Bessent Confirms Final Five Candidates

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has confirmed the final shortlist of contenders to replace Jerome…

October 27, 2025
  • News

Mt. Gox Delays Repayments to 2026 as Trump-Backed American Bitcoin Adds 1,414 BTC

Mt. Gox has once again pushed back its long-awaited Bitcoin (BTC) creditor repayments by a…

October 27, 2025
  • News

Crypto ETFs Attract $1B in Fresh Capital Ahead of Expected Fed Rate Cut This Week

Crypto ETFs record nearly $1 billion in weekly inflows. This marks one of the strongest…

October 27, 2025