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The Best Bitcoin Lightning Network Wallets In 2024

6 mins
Fact Checked
by Ish Bautista
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Bitcoin, established in 2008 during the global economic crisis, faced initial skepticism due to its scalability challenges. To address these issues, the Bitcoin Lightning Network was developed. Here are our top picks for Bitcoin lightning wallets, offering solutions for enhanced scalability.

How does scalability affect adoption?

Bitcoin’s limited capacity of processing only seven transactions per second has been a point of criticism, especially as its popularity has increased. Initially, this wasn’t a significant issue, but as more people began using Bitcoin for everyday payments, network congestion became a major problem. This led to situations where users, for instance, might end up waiting hours at a coffee shop for their transaction to be confirmed by miners.

VISA, one of the most popular payment processors in the world, can process 24,000 transactions in a second (and 50,000 at peak capacity). PayPal, another top payment processor, runs about 17,000 transactions a second. For Bitcoin to replace the conventional financial system, it has to match its performance. So, how does it match up?

What is Bitcoin Lightning Network (LN)?

The Lightning Network (LN) was first described in a whitepaper written by Thaddeus Dryja and Joseph Poon in 2015. The goal was to create a protocol that allows Bitcoin users to send and receive instant payments.

The Network functions as a second-layer protocol on top of the blockchain, which makes transactions faster and cheaper. To function, LN requires channels to be opened between transacting parties. These channels would be used to send and receive payments instantly between the parties with zero to no fees. Once the transactions are complete, the channels are closed, and the details are recorded on the blockchain.

Bitcoin (BTC) Cover Lightning network wallets

Lightning Payments result in instant payments because transactions are not required to be approved by the nodes before being confirmed. Lightning has gained some prominence in the sector, but work must be done before it gains mass appeal. As of January 2024, the network has over 11,000 nodes and 35,915 channels with a network capacity of 884 Bitcoin (around $7.3 million).

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Best Bitcoin Lightning Network wallet

Lightning Network wallets are normal Bitcoin wallets that allow users to open payment channels on the network. Here are some of the best Bitcoin Lightning Network wallet desktop and mobile wallets available.

The best Bitcoin Lightning Network wallets in 2024

Launched
2018
Platform
Chrome, Firefrox, Opera, Brave
Custody
Non-custodial
Founded
2017
Platform
Android & desktop
Custody
Non-custodial
Bitcoin (BTC), Miner crypto web3 bullish

Strike (owned by Zap)

Launched
2017
Platform
Android & iOS
Custody
Custodial
Founded
2018
Platform
Android and iOS
Custody
Non-custodial
Founded
2023
Platform
Progressive web app (PWA)
Custody
Non-custodial
Launched
2019
Platform
Android & iOS
Custody
Custodial

Drawbacks of the Lightning Network

The Lightning Network brings significant benefits to Bitcoin, enabling it to surpass VISA and other card processors with the help of SegWit and third-layer scaling. However, it has drawbacks. One major concern is the potential increase in transaction fees, which could deter adoption. There are two primary costs in the Lightning Network: the fee for opening and closing a channel and the routing fee for payment transfers, which are currently at zero.

A rise in overall network fees might make transactions on Bitcoin’s blockchain cheaper, undermining the Lightning Network’s utility. Additionally, LN payments don’t support offline transactions, limiting accessibility for users without constant internet access, such as those with hardware wallets. Despite these challenges, the Lightning Network has grown since its 2018 implementation.

Which Bitcoin Lightning Network wallet works best for you?

Choosing the right Bitcoin Lightning Network wallet depends on your individual needs. The Wallet of Satoshi provides a user-friendly interface for simple transactions for beginners. Spark may appeal to those valuing privacy and security with its straightforward approach. Strike, developed by Zap, is ideal for seamless integration with traditional finance, facilitating easy Bitcoin-to-fiat conversions. Finally, carefully considering factors like security, usability, and transaction needs is important. Before investing, always conduct thorough due diligence to ensure the wallet aligns with your specific requirements.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Lightning network?

How does the Lightning Network work?

What are the benefits of using the Lightning Network?

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Jimmy Aki
Based in the United Kingdom, Jimmy is an economic researcher with outstanding hands-on and heads-on experience in Macroeconomic finance analysis, forecasting and planning. He has honed his skills, having worked cross-continental as a finance analyst, which gives him inter-cultural experience. He currently has a strong passion for blockchain regulation and macroeconomic trends as it allows him peek under the global bonnet to see how the world works.
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