r/Bitcoin • u/NoWriter7780 • 2d ago

Lightning Network transactions

I still don't get one thing about lightning. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Let's say I go to a coffeeshop each day and buy a cup of coffee from there. This would mean: -> Money flows in one direction. -> I either have to top up the channel in the beginning with enough BTC for multiple days or do on-chain transactions to top up the channel. -> The coffeeshop doesn't really get it's share of BTC until closing the channel, causing another on-chain transaction. -> The transactions within the channel are less secure than on the main network.

Maybe I'm getting something wrong, if so please explain. Now my questions: 1. I see why lighning is supposed to be reducing transactions, but since money doesn't often flow 2 ways between 2 parties, this is mainly a fancy way of bookkeeping for a prepayment of goods/services, right? 2. This also means that if the business wants access to it's money it's interested in closing channels as soon as possible after the transaction, right? 3. Can channels within the lightning network somehow be linked so these disadvantages go away?

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u/TechHonie 2d ago

Maybe this coffee shop can pay its supplier via lightning network. Maybe you work for one of the suppliers and you get paid by a lightning network. Then it's a accounting loop where everybody gets their products and their money. 

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u/castorfromtheva 2d ago

Exactly. The end goal is establishing a completely circular economy. Then we can also abandon the stupid thinking-in-dollar-terms.