Bitcoin Lightning capacity climbs to new high amid exchange deposits and Taproot Assets upgrade
The Bitcoin Lightning Network has reached a new all-time high in network capacity, reflecting growing adoption by major crypto exchanges and continued technical upgrades. The milestone highlights renewed momentum for Bitcoin’s layer 2 scaling solution after a prolonged period of slower growth.
Lightning Network Capacity Hits New Peak
Lightning Network capacity climbed to approximately 5,600 BTC surpassing its previous record set in early 2023. At current prices, this represents nearly $490 million locked into payment channels. The increase followed a sharp rise in capacity during November and December, reversing much of the decline seen earlier in the year.
While the number of nodes (around 14,940) and channels (about 48,700) remains below 2022 highs, the data shows that more Bitcoin is being committed per channel signaling deeper liquidity rather than broader user expansion.
Analytics providers report that large crypto exchanges have been among the biggest contributors to the capacity increase. Platforms such as Binance and OKX have added significant Bitcoin to Lightning, enabling faster and lower-cost withdrawals and payments for users.
At the same time, Taproot Assets v0.7 introduced support for multi-asset transactions, reusable addresses, and auditable asset supply. These improvements allow assets such as stablecoins to move securely over Lightning, reinforcing Bitcoin’s role as a scalable, multi-asset settlement network and laying groundwork for significantly higher transaction volumes in the future.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.