Bitcoin started as a first alternative payment method on the blockchain. But later the developers realized that for small transaction it is not sustainable due to growing fees. And this means there needs to be development of another protocol that would work with low value transactions.
This is where the Lightning Network was born. And there starts the new ecosystem under the layer 2 of the bitcoin which is competiting with variety of other blockchains which are designed for the payment systems.
In this post, I wish to explain Lightning network and it's implementation in the ecosystem which has developed over the years.
Creating an LN Identity and login to Layer 2 Protocol
Before you can use the Lightning Network, you have to create an identity and then use that to login to variety of the LN network apps. So here you need a service like say Albey. That service allows you to create an account and then you create your address on LN. Which would then be used on plenty of Layer 2 apps built using Lightning network.
First thing you sign up to services like Alby. And then make sure to use them as a wallet. You can also use it on the browser add on. This simply helps you to get the sats across one apps to another through one point of contact. This has been useful for variety of the Lightning network apps and services.
You can check out Alby here
Lightning Network Powered Social Networks
Developers of the lightning network also worked on a protocol named - Nostr. This protocol allows people to tip or say zap the SATS token into the one address to another. Where this can be done on content and the variety of other posted content on the network. Nostr has been replacing random utility bill level income for many bloggers. Though some may randomly earn enough for salary, but that result is extremely rare.
Nostr has both desktop, mobile and web client too. So you can choose to sign up to such places using your login through Alby authentication. And there are other options too. Your lightning address becomes your identity and you get SATS on that address which can be accessed using the Alby.
You can check out the Nostr client here. Make sure to login using Alby and use them.
How Lightning Network is Growing
There are many ways though which the lightning network is growing. And the most popular use case of the lightning network is through the ZEBEDEE wallet which is being integrated into variety of the games and the metaverses. This has made the use case of the SATS and the lightning network. This makes the SATS more useful in the GameFi world where it can dominate for small cash.
Second use case is through the podcast that run the Value 4 Value networks. Where the podcast give back the sats for listening their shows and the listeners can tip the authors too. So this type of the model has helped the lightning network to develop into the market for the creators.
New markets, apps, Nostr and the in game payments are the way for the lightning network to grow and impement it's payment protocol and it's available in every exchange for the consumers.
Lightning network has proven it's worth through the implementation in variety of the dApps and the games. The way at which Lightning network is growing you'd see it's future secured under the umbrella of Bitcoin yet with low fees.