Bitcoin Lightning Network is now supported by Binance

Adoption of Bitcoin’s leading scaling solution, Lightning Network, has steadily grown since 2020, with Binance now on board

article-image

Mia Stendal/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

Crypto exchange Binance enabled deposits and withdrawals on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network on Monday.

Lightning is now alongside other options including Bitcoin mainnet, BNB Smart Chain and Ethereum.

Lightning serves as a layer-2 scaling solution for Bitcoin. The network is intended to speed up transactions and reduce fees, reminiscent of Ethereum layer-2 protocols like Optimism.

It supports direct payment channels between users, allowing bitcoin (BTC) to be sent off-chain while settling on-chain in batches. This design has presented its own risk profile, with Lightning developers warning users that the software is still under development.

“Most software deployed in the Lightning Network is still considered beta software, meaning it may contain bugs that could lead to irrevocable loss of funds. For most operators, the biggest risks are data loss from power outages, hardware failures and bugs,” per Lightning’s FAQ.

Bitcoin sent over Lightning should appear in seconds, with the network often used for micropayments and real-world transactions. Twitter, for instance, enabled BTC tipping in 2021 via payments app Strike, which uses Lightning.

Binance pledged to integrate Lightning last month but said doing so required further technical work.

Other exchanges such as Bitfinex, Kraken, River Financial and OKX have already integrated Lightning into their platforms. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in April hinted that his platform may do the same but hasn’t yet provided a specific timeline.

Lightning adoption has steadily increased over the past few years, although it hasn’t been without hiccups. There’s about 4,900 BTC ($148.2 million) on the network right now — up from under 1,000 BTC ($30.2 million) in 2020.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.png

Research

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) represent low-hanging fruit in a massive market ripe for Web3-driven disruption. The global CDN market was valued at ~$28B in 2024, and is projected to surpass $140B by 2034, (18.75% CAGR) underscoring the immense demand for efficient content delivery.

article-image

“We’re not really doing anything controversial,” said co-founder Zak Folkman at Permissionless last week

article-image

Why equities are more stable than in past decades, plus advice from Peter Lynch

article-image

As Permissionless speakers talk on-chain RWA potential, tokenized stock platform Dinari secures FINRA broker-dealer approval

article-image

JavaScript fueled a toxic ad model for the internet, says Brendan Eich, but crypto and privacy tech could help us escape it

article-image

Stablecoin drivers, the SEC’s war on ETH, and how AI is driving crypto

article-image

It took years of struggle to keep encryption free of government control