Let's get it said right from the get-go. Lightning Address is an email-like address that allows you to receive your Satoshi on the Lightning Network. Ufff. That was fast. No, really, that’s it.

Lightning Address helps provide a better user experience for receiving Bitcoin. It abstracts the technical complexity of generating invoices for each received transaction into a simple and generally understandable format with automatic invoice generation.

The good old email format offers a unique address with a great level of readability and memorability. The first part is your username, separated by the @ symbol and followed by the URL of the domain provider. We all know that.

The Lightning Network is becoming a step closer to a user-friendly experience, allowing its users to enjoy the power of Bitcoin as a non-stop operating money and value network.

Where can I get a Lightning Address?

Nowadays, there are many custodial wallets that offer Lightning Address by default, with a high level of reliability. So, you do not need to have a technical understanding of the protocol. However, if you feel a bit technical or if you are already a Lightning Network node operator, you can extend your node and deploy your own Lightning Address bridge.

To find out if your wallet provider supports Lightning Address, you can check the protocol-supported wallet list.

Does a Lightning Address have any limitations?

Yes, there are some constraints with Lightning Address. The limits are defined by the Lightning Address provider, who can set the minimum and maximum amount of Satoshi that the Lightning Address (the Lightning Network node, to be precise) is capable of accepting.

The main reason for these constraints is to provide stability and reliability, ensuring the highest possible transaction success rate. So, check the constraints of your Lightning Address before you start using it.

The technical depth

Lightning Invoice is the core of getting paid and making payments on the Lightning Network. Lightning Address is a protocol that simplifies the process of generating invoices for all recipients. It handles invoice generation behind the scenes, offering a better user experience. In short, even with Lightning Address, there are still Lightning Invoices. As the owner of the Lightning Address, you do not have to generate any invoices because the Lightning Address provider does it based on the payee's request.

Normally, if someone would like to send you, say, 21 Satoshi, you would have to go to your Lightning wallet and indicate that you want to receive 21 sats. This would generate an invoice, which you would then send or show to the person from whom you want to receive the money. They would scan it or copy it, and finally, they would make the payment. That’s a lot of steps to receive some sats.

How would you do it if you wanted someone else to send you money without your participation? Well, that is exactly what Lightning Address solves for you. The payer would ask the Lightning Address provider to generate a Lightning Invoice for the specified amount. This amount must be within the acceptable range for the Lightning node. The Lightning Address provider will communicate with your Lightning Node to generate an invoice for you.

How do we use Lightning Address in Puls?

If you are a game vendor, you will receive payments to the Lightning Address that you register in our developer portal. We keep track of the Lightning Address constraints and split consolidated payouts to your address to ensure the optimum transaction success rate.

So, here you go! Elevate your Bitcoin experience with this great protocol.