SoFi First US Bank to Use BTC Lightning

[umair]

Just saw that SoFi is becoming the first U.S. bank to integrate the Bitcoin Lightning Network, and honestly, this feels like a major step forward for crypto adoption. While we’ve seen fintechs dabble with Lightning before (Strike, Cash App, etc.), this is the first time an actual bank in the U.S. is jumping in. That’s significant.

For those unfamiliar, the Lightning Network is a second-layer scaling solution for Bitcoin. It lets people send BTC instantly and with very low fees—perfect for microtransactions or just making Bitcoin more usable for day-to-day payments. SoFi integrating this could make it easier for regular users to actually spend Bitcoin, not just hold it.

The fact that SoFi has over 6 million customers makes this even more impactful. It’s not a small startup testing the waters—this is a major financial institution with a banking charter, and they’re actively bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized technology.

Also interesting: SoFi was already offering crypto trading and holding, but this is the first time they're diving into the infrastructure side. It could encourage more banks to follow suit, especially if they see demand or new revenue streams.

One concern: will this move bring increased scrutiny from regulators? Crypto still lives in a legal gray area, and with a bank now running Lightning nodes, it might draw some attention from the SEC or other agencies.

Anyway, I’m curious what others think—does this legitimize Bitcoin further, or is it just a one-off play by a forward-thinking bank? Either way, the lines between banking and crypto are definitely blurring.