Blockstream has released an update to its mobile app that allows users to trade between Bitcoin’s Lightning and Liquid networks, aiming to lower the barrier to entry for fast, private bitcoins. payments.
A new version of the Blockstream Green app introduces support for trustless atomic swaps between Lightning and Liquid. The change allows users to pay Lightning bills directly from their Liquid bitcoin (LBTC) balances, avoiding the need to manage Lightning channels or maintain incoming liquidity, a process that can be technically challenging for many.
Lightning is designed for instant bitcoin payments with low fees. Liquid, on the other hand, is a sidechain that offers confidential transactions and easier management of unspent bitcoin outputs (UTXO). By linking the two networks through atomic swaps, Blockstream attempts to give users the benefits of both without requiring deep technical involvement.
The exchange process is done autonomously and is based on cryptographic hash locks, ensuring that both sides of the transaction are completed or neither. If something goes wrong, the funds are automatically returned to the original wallet.
This approach may appeal to users who want to spend bitcoin in places that accept Lightning, such as cafes or online stores, but prefer to keep their funds in more private, off-chain environments, such as Liquid. The company also notes the benefits for merchants, who can accept payments via Lightning while protecting assets in a Liquid wallet without needing to expose balances or rely on hot wallets.
Blockstream says more updates are coming soon, including support for on-chain swaps, allowing users to move funds between the bitcoin mainnet, Liquid, and Lightning from a single interface. Another future feature will allow Lightning payments to be received via hardware wallets like Blockstream Jade.
The integration is part of an ongoing effort to improve interoperability in Bitcoin’s growing ecosystem of second-layer protocols, while preserving user control over private keys. The update is now available in the Blockstream Green app.
