Xapo Bank enables faster Bitcoin payments with Lightning Network

cointelegraph.com:

Xapo Bank, an international private bank headquartered in Gibraltar, integrates the Lightning Network to improve its Bitcoin (BTC) capabilities.

On March 2, Xapo officially announced a partnership with the Lightning Network infrastructure platform Lightspark, which allowed the firm to implement Lightning on its platform.

The integration enables faster and cheaper transactions on Xapo, reducing blockchain confirmation waiting times and transaction fees on the original Bitcoin network.

According to the firm, Xapo Bank members will now be able to instantly pay for small purchases of up to $100 at any vendor accepting Lightning payments. High-volume transactions are initially not supported with the integration.

The new integration was introduced on Feb. 27 as part of a new update for Xapo bank’s apps on the Apple Store and Google Store.

According to Xapo Bank CEO Seamus Rocca, Bitcoin’s transaction confirmation can take up to one hour during periods of high usage, which makes BTC unsuitable for small daily payments like groceries. By integrating the Lightning Network, Xapo allows its customers to pay using Bitcoin without having to convert it to the U.S. dollar, he said.

Related: Bitcoin node connection shuts down: BlueWallet users urged to withdraw funds

Bitcoin average confirmation time has seen a huge spike in mid-February amid a massive activity on the Bitcoin network, with the mempool size reaching November 2022 levels. According to data from Ycharts, BTC confirmation time hit nearly 600 minutes on Feb. 19.

Rocca also noted that Bitcoin payments are especially crucial during times of hyperinflation, economic uncertainty and political turmoil.

Founded in 2013, Xapo operates a private bank as well as a Bitcoin custodian