Cash App Integrates Lightning Network for Bitcoin Payments

Lightning Network is a decentralized protocol that uses smart contracts on top of blockchain-based cryptocurrencies like bitcoin

by Jacquelyn Melinek /

January 11, 2022 12:32 pm

Source: Shutterstock

key takeaways

Cash App is a mobile money transfer service that allows people to send and receive money as well as bitcoin
Block (formerly Square) developed Cash App; Block’s CEO is Jack Dorsey

Mobile payment service Cash App has added a layer-2 payment protocol Lightning Network to help users transact with bitcoin, according to reports by users.

The feature was rolled out to a handful of users and the Lightning Network feature can be used as “the fastest, free way to pay anyone in bitcoin,” according to screenshots.

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At the time of publication, it was not clear how users were selected and how many users have received the new feature.

Cash App was not available for immediate comment requested by Blockworks. But Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of Block, which developed Cash App, has been acknowledging and liking tweets on Twitter by Cash App users posting screenshots of their Lightning Network transactions on Cash App.

Dorsey is the former co-founder and CEO of Twitter. Block, formerly known as Square, owns Cash App, TIDAL and TBD54566975, a platform for decentralized bitcoin exchanges being developed by Dorsey.

The Lightning Network

Lightning Network is a decentralized protocol that uses smart contracts on top of blockchain-based cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Through the network, participants can instantly send, receive or transact payments without creating an on-blockchain transaction for individual payments, according to its website.

In February 2019, Dorsey said during an interview that rolling out the Lightning Network on Cash App, is “not an if, it’s more of a when.” Nearly three years later, his plans have come to fruition.

Dorsey has recently been an outspoken advocate for crypto and said that bitcoin will replac e the US dollar. He has also that bitcoin will “unite a deeply divided country (and eventually world).”

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