Lightning Network
AuditedVerifiedOpen Bitcoin Layer-2 payment protocol enabling near-instant, low-fee off-chain Bitcoin transactions via bidirectional payment channels secured by Bitcoin smart contracts (HTLCs).
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The Problem
Bitcoin's base layer processes roughly 7 transactions per second with multi-minute confirmations and fees that spike during congestion, making it unsuitable for small, frequent, or instant payments.
The Solution
Lightning moves payments off-chain into 2-of-2 multisig channels secured by Bitcoin smart contracts, enabling near-instant settlement and sub-cent fees while only touching L1 for channel open/close.
Why it Matters
The category-defining payment channel network for Bitcoin — multiple independent implementations (LND, CLN, Eclair, LDK), no token, no admin, no governance capture vector, with 7+ years of continuous mainnet operation.
Protocol Metrics
Related Research
View allFrequently asked questions about Lightning Network
What is Lightning Network?+
Lightning Network is a Bridge protocol operating on Bitcoin. Open Bitcoin Layer-2 payment protocol enabling near-instant, low-fee off-chain Bitcoin transactions via bidirectional payment channels secured by Bitcoin smart contracts (HTLCs).
How does Lightning Network work?+
Lightning moves payments off-chain into 2-of-2 multisig channels secured by Bitcoin smart contracts, enabling near-instant settlement and sub-cent fees while only touching L1 for channel open/close.
Is Lightning Network safe?+
DeFi Sentinel rates Lightning Network AAA with a safety score of 90/100, indicating highest safety tier. The score reflects five risk dimensions: smart contract & technical risk, economic design & market risk, governance & centralization, sustainability & competitive position, and reputation & social trust. Lightning Network has 2 audits on record. DeFi Sentinel's analysis flagged 3 medium, 2 low risk alerts across Smart Contract & Technical Risk, Economic Design & Market Risk and Sustainability & Competitive Position. As with all DeFi protocols, residual risk remains and users should review the full risk breakdown before depositing.
What is the safety score of Lightning Network?+
Lightning Network has a DeFi Sentinel safety score of 90/100 (rating AAA), last updated May 21, 2026. The score is computed across smart contract & technical risk (30%), economic design & market risk (25%), governance & centralization (20%), sustainability & competitive position (15%), and reputation & social trust (10%).
Which chains does Lightning Network support?+
Lightning Network is deployed on Bitcoin.
Has Lightning Network been audited?+
Yes. Lightning Network has 2 audit reports on record from firms including NCC Group, Trail of Bits. Audit reports and dates are linked under the Resources tab on this page.