Lightning | Crypto

A $1 million Lightning transfer between SDM and Kraken was used to test whether Bitcoin’s main scaling layer could handle seven‑figure, institutional‑grade payments. Institutional trading and lending desk Secure Digital Markets (SDM) said it sent a $1 million payment to cryptocurrency exchange Kraken over the Lightning Network on Jan. 28. SDM claimed in a Thursday statement shared with Cointelegraph that it is the largest publicly reported Lightning transaction to date and a proof‑of‑concept for seven‑figure transfers between regulated counterparties. The payment cleared in 0.43 seconds and was routed via Voltage’s managed Lightning infrastructure, which provides node management, pre‑provisioned liquidity, and uptime guarantees aimed at exchanges and trading desks.  Read more

Speed, which leverages the Bitcoin Lightning Network to facilitate USDT transfers, has secured $8 million from Tether and Ego Death Capital. Stablecoin giant Tether has led an $8 million investment round in Bitcoin startup Speed to support its mission in enabling more enterprise stablecoin payments on the Bitcoin layer-2 Lightning Network. “Speed’s architecture demonstrates how Lightning and stablecoins can operate together to move money at high scale with low fees, strong compliance, and global reach,” Tether said in a statement on Tuesday. “Speed’s execution and adoption signal that Bitcoin-rooted networks are ready for mainstream commerce,” Tether’s CEO Paolo Ardoino added. Read more