Finally use Bitcoin as a currency !

2024 EDIT: thibaultlangloisberthelot.github.io

Thanks to the Lightning Network, Bitcoin today makes it possible for anyone to perform small amount, free and secure transactions. No need anymore for intermediaries, you become technically sovereign of your bits of data (and your bitcoins/satoshis becomes money).

Prerequisite: you need to buy/own Bitcoin and then follow the tutorial at the end of the article.

To start with the LN, you can use :

• A Bitcoin lightning compatible wallet where you can deposit fractions of bitcoins, i.e. satoshis (you can use Bluewallet, Phoenix and begin to use the lightning networks in few seconds).

• Install your own Lightning Network node (the simplest is to use Umbrel). This process is a little bit longer than just picking up a lightning wallet (which will be based on someone else’s node.

After installing the tools to access the Lightning Network :

You can try to send me few satoshis instantly from your wallet (just go on my website then use Tor Browser and click on the button showed bellow). Your satoshis will arrive directly on my personal node which is hosted at my home: this allows totally sovereign, peer-to-peer, free and secure transactions over the internet.

Conclusion :

Thanks to the Lightning Network and the applications mentioned above, Bitcoin and the Lightning Network are now easily accessible to the general public (on desktop & phones just like bank accounts), for a new and end to end sovereignty!

More than a store of value, Bitcoin will become a store of value that you can exchange just like any money, something gold can’t allow.