Built for Bitcoin; Now for Everyone!
Earlier this month, Lightning Labs released the first beta for the Lightning Network protocol. While there have been multiple test versions of the Lightning Network, this is the first beta version for the Bitcoin network, with various improvements on its code base.
The Lightning Network is an off-chain application that allows blockchains such as Bitcoin’s to process a greater number of transactions at scale.
“The Lighting Network protocol dramatically improves the scalability of blockchain currencies like Bitcoin by streamlining the number of nodes involved in each transaction.”
Blockchain scalability is a hot topic, fueling the recent Bitcoin civil war that led to the creation of Bitcoin Cash and the adoption of Segregated Witness on the Bitcoin network.
“Lightning Network transactions involve a small group of nodes that link sender and receiver. These nodes are connected via ‘payment channels’ established on the underlying blockchain.”
The Lightning Network is the much anticipated scaling solution the Bitcoin community has been waiting for, but it seems that not only Bitcoin will be implementing the off-chain payment network…
Read the rest here https://crushthestreet.com/articles/digital-currencies/stellar-lumens-xlm-implementing-lightning-network
