What Are Lightning Wallets?

Lightning wallets are apps designed specifically to send and receive Lightning payments. They look and feel like regular Bitcoin wallets but support instant transactions. There are two main types: custodial wallets and non-custodial wallets.

Custodial Lightning wallets are simple and beginner-friendly. They manage channels, liquidity, and routing for you, so you can send and receive payments without worrying about technical details. They’re great for small daily balances and users just exploring Lightning for the first time.

Non-custodial Lightning wallets give you full control over your funds and channels. They require a bit more setup, as the wallet manages liquidity and connections on your device. While slightly more complex, they offer greater privacy, autonomy, and security. As the technology evolves, non-custodial wallets keep getting easier to use, making self-sovereign Lightning payments more accessible than ever.