Core Lightning, the Lightning Network implementation developed by Blockstream, released version 26.04, called “Negative Routing Fees,” on April 20th.
This update introduces for the first time the possibility for node operators to subsidize payments passing through their channels. Features that could make Bitcoin trading even cheaper.
What is a negative fee?
On the Lightning Network, each payment goes through an intermediate node, which typically charges a small fee to route that transaction. In the case of negative fees, Operators can reverse that logic and pay a portion for each transaction that passes through that channel. In practice, this means that some payments may cost less to the end user or provide a small discount.
The measures are primarily intended to help operators attract traffic to less liquid channels and compete for routing volume. However, it also begins a debate about whether nodes with more resources can use this tool to focus network traffic to their advantage.
Splicing is now official
Another related change in this version is that splicing leaves experimental mode and is enabled by default. This feature You can adjust the size of the payment channel without closing it This reduces operational costs and eliminates dependence on external liquidity providers. This update also includes two new commands. splice in y splice outwhich simplifies use. As reported by CriptoNoticias, this type of tool has already been used in wallets such as Eclair and Phoenix for some time.
The privacy level pads messages between nodes to a uniform size, making it difficult for third parties to identify activity patterns through traffic analysis. In addition, the software binaries are approximately 20% smaller, improving the overall performance of the node and making it easier to install.
Regarding payments, it is built into the version route search parallelImproved pathfinding algorithms improve transaction reliability. We also added support for xpay bills payable and a new plugin for real-time currency conversion.
Version 26.04 is 421 results commit The project was implemented in 110 days by 23 collaborators, six of whom were new to the project. Team remains at 8 people bounty It is open for anyone who wants to participate in the development.
(Tag Translation)Bitcoin (BTC)
