The number of nodes on Bitcoin’s Lightning network has nearly doubled year over year, according to public data. The Lightning Network – a layer atop the Bitcoin blockchain that uses its own special rules to facilitate cheaper, faster transactions – had about 5,335 public nodes in April 2020. Now that number sits at 10,348, a roughly 94% increase. This figure only includes nodes with public connections, however, and the real number is likely higher when factoring nodes with private connections. As Bitcoin’s on-chain fees grow alongside Bitcoin’s price, scaling technologies like Lightning offer users a cheaper and ... (full story)