POLL: Have You Ever Used the Lightning Network?

[Pmalek]

It has been over 5 years since the first version of the Lightning Network whitepaper was released. LN is an off-chain scaling solution created for Bitcoin. It allows two users to make a payment channel and transfer bitcoins almost instantly and with minimal fees. If that sounds too complicated, feel free to use custodial wallets (like the Blue Wallet), where you are not required to open your own payment channels.  

This network can be integrated into altcoins as well. Litecoin already uses it. As Andreas Antonopoulos explained in his YouTube video, LN can be used on other blockchains that support multi-signature addresses and time locks.  

I will not go into any more specifics about the network because Rath_ has already written several extensive topics about it.

To learn more about it, I suggest you take a look at:

Basics of the Lightning Network
The Lightning Network FAQ

1.   I would like to know if you have ever used the Lightning Network?
2.   How often do you use it, and how would you rate the experience and difficulty of use?
3.   Which Lightning implementation did you try, and what is your favourite one?
4.   What do you think can be further improved?

Please keep discussions on topic! Let’s talk about user experiences and not whether you are pro or against the Lightning Network.

I have personally never used the Lightning Network. Not because I am avoiding it, but because I am not exchanging money with the same users multiple times that would require me to use it. I have also not yet used a service or platform where I was required to send Lightning payments.

[1714858407]

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[decodx]

I have used the Lightning Network at least a couple of times so far to transfer small amounts via Telegram and to gamble at LN casino.

And in general it is nice to pay at a lower bitcoin transaction fee as the current fee of a one and two payment is fairly high, if one consider Bitcoin as a cash transfer tool. Another great benefit of the Lightning Network is that it encourages the usage of bitcoin as a fast and cheap payment system, because it is very easy to move money from one place to another with the help of a simple app.

[mk4]

I have also not yet used a service or platform where I was required to send Lightning payments.

^This right here is probably like half the problem on why a lot of people refuse to try out Lightning. Where would they use it in the first place if the most used exchanges doesn't accept it yet? Because it's a safe assumption that exchanges(withdrawals/deposits) are where a good chunk of transaction volumes are. I'm betting that we get Lightning adoption once exchanges like Binance starts accepting it.

Personally I have only tried Phoenix[1] wallet because I've heard it has the best UX of all Lightning wallets, and the UX is definitely great. You'd barely feel the difference between LN and base-chain. Only tried it once though, because my VPN and VPS providers doesn't accept Lightning as of yet.

[1] P.S. For the iOS users: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5250677

[tranthidung]

To learn more about it, I suggest you take a look at:

Basics of the Lightning Network
The Lightning Network FAQ

Some sources for Lightning network

• Electrum Lightning Network walkthrough
• [Complete] A fortnight of lessons on the lightning network
• Lightning Network - Video
• Lightning Network -- Basics (documents, data pages, files, plots)

Some members on the forum can help to test and practice with Lightning network.

• Free lightning tests
• Overview of lightning network nodes owned by forum users
• Liberated: LoyceV's Legendary Little Lightning Loans

[Oshosondy]

I have not used lightning network, the reasons are:

1. It requires miners fee which is the fee require for bitcoin transaction confirmation. To open and close a channel, it requires fee.
2. I have only little bitcoin
3. No service I have used that demand for lightning network payment
4. I still hear of some vulnerabilities about it which are fixed already
5. People I am sending to are not requesting for lightning network yet
6. Shops around me not supporting it

If lightning has been common and known and more used for transactions and if I have enough bitcoin, I will make use of lightning network.

[BIT-BENDER]

Not for once have I used the lighting network, I don't know which reason I would give for not using it maybe because I haven't had the pressing need to use it, and for now am quite ok and comfortable with the way I do my transaction, am looking forward from this post and research to seeing how the benefits of lighting network is more than how I do my transactions now then I will ponder on my chances of using lighting network.

[Mbitr]

I’ve used the LN at least ten times. I use BlueWallet and it’s really simple to use and never had any problems with it . I don’t understand why LN hasn’t really been mass adopted, but I’ve got a feeling will be having the same conversation in 5 years time 

[PrimeNumber7]

1. It requires miners fee which is the fee require for bitcoin transaction confirmation. To open and close a channel, it requires fee.

This is probably the main reason why many people are not interested in testing LN. In terms of USD, the cost to open/close channels is very high.

I think LN has a little bit of a chicken/egg problem. While some merchants accept LN, most cyrpto-accepting merchants do not. With so few merchants accepting LN, there is less incentive to keep a lot of coin locked up in LN channels if they might want to spend their coin on-chain.

[LTU_btc]

Honestly, I'm not going to lie, I have never used Lightning Network. Not because I against it or I don't understand it. Simply, so far I haven't found any places where I can use it. It's not an easy task to find merchant which accept Lightning Network payments. So far it seems that I only can try it for testing purpose only or on Testnet.

[Rikafip]

I have Blue Wallet downloaded for that purposes, fooled around a bit with it, checked few guides but never really bothered to try sending, mainly because I didn't really have any real need to use it.

I do plan to actually try to use it, it is on my bucket list and I honestly feel kinda ashamed that I never really tried to do at least one transaction.

[Stalker22]

I also have a Blue Wallet. I have transferred some satoshies to it solely for the purposes of LN payment. I've been playing around with it for a while and I've done a few transactions. Everything went very smoothly, however, as Rikafip said, I can't say I have any particular needs for it.
Too bad the Lightning Network has not yet been widely adopted.

[Pmalek]

Where would they use it in the first place if the most used exchanges doesn't accept it yet? Because it's a safe assumption that exchanges(withdrawals/deposits) are where a good chunk of transaction volumes are. I'm betting that we get Lightning adoption once exchanges like Binance starts accepting it.

According to https://lightningnetworkstores.com/, a lot of the sites that accept Lightning payments are crypto casinos and sportsbooks. But there seems to be a couple of exchanges that have integrated LN as well. There aren't that many familiar names and I have only heard about these:

- SouthXchange
- Bitfinex
- Bitgild

This one seems to have the most hits:
https://fixedfloat.com/

...one specific thing i'd like to be improved is better warning/error message which can be understood by regular user.

How do the error messages look now?

<Snip>

Thanks for the remainders. I didn't know that jackg has so many LN-related threads. I will take a look at them.

1. It requires miners fee which is the fee require for bitcoin transaction confirmation. To open and close a channel, it requires fee.

So does a standard on-chain bitcoin transaction. However, if you send/receive bitcoin from the same people on a regular basis it would make sense using it.

I don’t understand why LN hasn’t really been mass adopted, but I’ve got a feeling will be having the same conversation in 5 years time  

Considering that not even Bitcoin has seen massive adoption yet, I don't think Lightning Network will either just yet. We shouldn't forget that this is still a work in progress and the development is still on-going.  

[mk4]

According to https://lightningnetworkstores.com/, a lot of the sites that accept Lightning payments are crypto casinos and sportsbooks. But there seems to be a couple of exchanges that have integrated LN as well. There aren't that many familiar names and I have only heard about these:

- SouthXchange
- Bitfinex
- Bitgild

This one seems to have the most hits:
https://fixedfloat.com/

Yep. The list of services that accepts Lightning is surely slowly but surely growing. But still, I think that international exchange giants such as Binance is what's going to decently boost up adoption if they started accepting Lightning. As we speak, the withdrawal fee is 0.0005 which is more or less $25 in current prices. That's definitely pretty high for most people in poor countries.

[ShowOff]

So far, I have never transacted using LN, but I have heard about it quite often on several occasion. At this time, I can't try to make transaction using LN because maybe I don't need it yet. But yes, LN will be very helpful for small transaction and I'll try it next time. Hopefully someone in my area will accept an LN payment for just a pack of cigarette. 

[tranthidung]

I didn't know that jackg has so many LN-related threads.

By the way, let me help you with a small tip when you need to quickly find topics with specific keyword if you are guessing one user has big interest in that area. Assume you want to find topics on lightning network from jackg

• Go with this hidden link: https://bitcointalk.org/gettopics.php?user=543626
• Search with keyword is: lightning or LN
• 543626 is the jackg's UID.

It's a quick and very efficient searching.

[SFR10]

~Snipped~

I did a couple of tests when it was first introduced and AFAICR, that's it... Some of the online stores that I use from time to time offer it but I still prefer using the on-chain transaction instead.
^{- Having said those, I have nothing against it [I'm just fine using on-chain TXs (with its current limitations)].}

Simply, so far I haven't found any places where I can use it.

In addition to "Pmalek's second post", you can find a few more places from here: 1ML directory ^{[website links are usually posted in the "Owner Info" section]}

[ABCbits]

...one specific thing i'd like to be improved is better warning/error message which can be understood by regular user.

How do the error messages look now?

It depends on LN implementation/software you use. Here's few example for BlueWallet from reddit,

1. https://reddit.com/r/bluewallet/comments/atl0ne/api_error_try_again_later_code_9/

What does "API Error: Try again later (code 9)" mean? Before getting this, I had an API Error saying something like "Payment in Transit". What does that mean?

2. https://reddit.com/r/lightningnetwork/comments/kyky1l/1_of_fund_stuck_in_blue_wallet_lighting/

I am trying to withdraw all my funds from my Blue wallet on android. When I try to do this I will not let me send it all (API error: make sure you have at least 1% reserved for potential fees.) and I and trying to stop using this wallet and get all my Sats out. What is the correct way to do this? I have tried the exchange option and creating a lighting channel and they all give me the same error when making a full amount transaction.

[UserU]

I remembered one guy over here giving away 100/ 500 Sats for free if you enabled LN on your wallet.

I tried but never received the Sats because it expired/ became invalid and he never replied to my inquiry

[Pmalek]

<Snip>

It's precisely because of those withdrawal fees that many centralized exchanges won't act that quickly to implement the Lightning Network. It will weaken their revenue structure. Traders will still be using their services, with or without LN. If I am not mistaken, Binance was quite slow with the introduction of the SegWit upgrade as well.

Go with this hidden link: https://bitcointalk.org/gettopics.php?user=543626

Excellent advice. I will bookmark the address because it can be useful in the future.   

<Snip>

I am sure that will be sorted out with time. The developers have to understand that if LN (and Bitcoin for that matter) is to get some serious traction, it has to become understandable and easy to use for those with 0 experience with that subject.

I remembered one guy over here giving away 100/ 500 Sats for free if you enabled LN on your wallet.

I think that was LoyceV or jackg.

[Rikafip]

I remembered one guy over here giving away 100/ 500 Sats for free if you enabled LN on your wallet.

Maybe someone else did the same thing, but the one I remember doing it was @bpovtmg when he created the thread last September in which he was giving 200 Satoshis for free for those who installed  Lightning Network wallet. That was exactly the reason why I downloaded Blue Wallet, but somehow I forgot to ask for those free satoshis in order to test it.

I am sure that will be sorted out with time. The developers have to understand that if LN (and Bitcoin for that matter) is to get some serious traction, it has to become understandable and easy to use for those with 0 experience with that subject.

+1

This is the key, ease of use, and until that is sorted I don't think that use of LN will get any traction. Sooner or later that will happen though, as with everything. But until then, it will be used by those few that are either tech savvy enough, or really interested in all this.