Latest news with #LightningNetwork
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Millionaire-Maker AI Cryptocurrency Hiding in Plain Sight
Despite the constant hype about artificial intelligence, most AI cryptocurrencies are down anywhere from 40% to 60% in 2025. While Bitcoin was never designed for AI, it has certain inherent characteristics that could make it useful in future iterations of AI. According to billionaire Michael Saylor, AI will be a demand driver for Bitcoin and other forms of digital capital. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) with blockchain technology was supposed to produce a new crop of millionaire-maker "AI cryptos." Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. Every single AI investment thesis has flopped this year, with many top AI cryptos down anywhere from 40% to 60% for the year. But what if we're looking in the wrong place? What if the millionaire-maker AI crypto is hiding in plain sight? Yes, I'm talking about Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). During a recent Bloomberg interview, billionaire Michael Saylor, the founder and executive chairman of Strategy, suggested that the rise of artificial intelligence might actually be bullish for Bitcoin. As Saylor points out, AI agents will soon be conducting tens of thousands of micro-transactions per minute. As a result, they will need some form of digital currency to carry out those transactions. Saylor suggests that the Bitcoin Lightning Network, the super-fast payment network built on top of the core Bitcoin blockchain, might be the answer. In fact, he even calls AI a "demand driver" for Bitcoin. In many ways, Saylor's view of AI and Bitcoin is similar to the view held by Cathie Wood of Ark Invest. In 2023, the Ark Invest team discussed Bitcoin's potential to become "the currency for AI." This was less than one year into the ChatGPT revolution, but Cathie Wood was already talking about the role of AI agents. If you want these AI agents to do your tasks (such as buying something for you online), you're going to need to give them a way to pay for things. This is where Bitcoin enters the picture. Since a single Bitcoin can be split into 100 million different pieces (each known as a Satoshi), this makes it very useful from the perspective of micro-transactions. That's one big advantage that a digital currency such as Bitcoin has over traditional fiat currencies (which can only be split into 100 different pieces). The potential intersection of AI and Bitcoin raises all sorts of fascinating questions. Is Bitcoin really the best digital currency to carry out all of these AI micro-transactions? Can the energy-intensive Bitcoin network deal with the energy-intensive needs of AI? And, perhaps most importantly, will AI agents outsmart their human masters and decide to hoard all their Bitcoin, instead of spending it as they're told? Keep in mind: Bitcoin was not built for AI. Bitcoin launched in 2009, long before anyone was talking about ChatGPT, generative AI, or large language models. Obviously, there is no mention of AI in the famous Bitcoin whitepaper. However, in the whitepaper, Satoshi Nakamoto did describe Bitcoin as a "peer-to-peer electronic cash system." So, if you think about AI bots as being "peers," then maybe Nakamoto was right after all. Only it won't be the humans doing all the transactions on the electronic cash network -- it will be the AI bots. Right now, the core Bitcoin blockchain can't handle the massive activity load required by AI, since it can only handle a paltry seven transactions per second. So it will require new solutions built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. For example, the Bitcoin Lightning Network can theoretically process more than 1 million transactions per second. If you're looking to invest in AI cryptos, there are plenty of options. According to CoinMarketCap, there are now eight AI cryptos with a market cap higher than $1 billion. The problem, quite frankly, is that their performance this year has been ghastly. Of these eight cryptocurrencies, the top performer has been Bittensor, which is actually down 17% for the year. Most AI cryptos are down anywhere from 40% to 60% for the year, and some smaller-cap AI cryptos are down 90% or more. You're probably not going to become a crypto millionaire investing in these coins. What's particularly striking is that nobody has been talking about the intersection of AI and crypto in 2025. For example, Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, recently penned a blog post on the future of super-intelligent AI ("The Gentle Singularity") and did not include a single mention of crypto. So maybe it's still too early to be talking about the intersection of AI and crypto, or the emergence of new millionaire-maker cryptos. Until other cryptocurrencies start inserting themselves into the AI narrative, I'm sticking with Bitcoin as the best AI play out there. Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $658,297!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $883,386!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 992% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool recommends Bittensor. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Millionaire-Maker AI Cryptocurrency Hiding in Plain Sight was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Time Business News
4 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
Top 10 Blockchain Development Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Let's start this blog with statistics! Last year, global blockchain adoption reached $10 trillion in transaction volume. Despite this massive growth, developers still face specific issues. Why? Building on the blockchain isn't just about smart contract development or token creation; it is a complex landscape filled with unique challenges that developers often don't anticipate. From scalability issues to regulatory uncertainties, building on the blockchain isn't as easy as it seems. Understanding these blockchain issues is essential, not just to survive but to thrive in the Web3 era. In this blog, we'll discuss the top blockchain development challenges and offer solutions to help you navigate them easily. Without further ado, let's begin with the blog! Below are some of the existing blockchain challenges, along with their solutions on how to address them. The scalability of blockchain remains a significant hurdle. While Ethereum's transaction throughput is limited to approximately 15-30 transactions per second, financial networks like Visa can handle over 24,000 TPS. This affects the blockchain's potential for widespread adoption. As the adoption of blockchain technology increases, especially in industries like supply chain and finance, the demand for higher transaction speeds and lower costs rises. Without scalable solutions, blockchain networks result in risk congestion, increased fees, and slower transaction times. There are exciting innovations tackling the scalability issue right now, such as: The Lightning Network is a second-layer protocol built on top of blockchains. It allows transactions to happen off-chain and settle instantly. This means faster payments, reduced fees, and less congestion on the main chain. Sharding is a solution that splits the blockchain into smaller and more manageable pieces called 'shards'. Each shard handles its transactions and smart contracts, which allows multiple processes to run in parallel. Blockchain technology is known for its secure nature. But that doesn't mean it's not prone to security attacks. In fact, in 2024, over $1.8 billion was lost to blockchain-related hacks and exploits. Blockchain technology involves security risks. One minor coding flaw can result in massive financial losses and irreversible damage to a project's reputation. Smart contracts must undergo regular third-party audits to rule out all vulnerabilities and bugs. You can utilize platforms like Immunefi that allow developers to crowdsource security testing by rewarding ethical hackers. Another way is to use multi-signature wallets and time delays on critical functions to prevent anonymous access. Indeed, blockchain operates globally, but its laws vary across different jurisdictions and countries. In 2025, over 60% of countries are still drafting or revising crypto regulations, which creates massive uncertainty for developers and entrepreneurs. You might work on building a compliant blockchain product today, but there are huge chances that it may get banned or restricted tomorrow. It is important to keep track of evolving regulations in your target markets. For that, you can use platforms like CoinDesk or The Block for updates. You can hire blockchain experts who specialize in crypto law. They can even help you structure your tokenomics and compliance approach. The other way is to consider regulatory-friendly jurisdictions like Switzerland, Singapore, and the UAE, which offer clearer frameworks for crypto startups. Let's be honest – using most of the blockchain applications still feels like rocket science to most users. That's mostly because of the complicated user experience. According to a 2024 survey, over 70% of new users drop off after onboarding gets too confusing for them. No matter how innovative and engaging you build your app or the end product, if people can't use it efficiently, it won't scale. Wallet setups, technical phrases, and gas fees get too overwhelming for average users. Consider using solutions like Web3Auth or Magic Link to let users log in with Google or social accounts. Let users interact with your dApp without paying gas fees directly. Most users are on mobile. Thus, ensure your dApp is optimized for smaller screens and fast interactions. You can provide walkthroughs or videos to guide new users. Despite all the innovation, trust still remains a huge barrier. According to the latest survey, it was found that only 39% of people trust blockchain technology to keep their data and money safe. Users today are still sceptical about leveraging blockchain technology. That's because they have observed high-profile hacks and scammy crypto projects. And without trust, even the best blockchain solution won't get adopted. It is important that you prioritize security and audits, as users won't trust what isn't secure. If you are a newbie, consider working with a reliable provider of blockchain development solutions who can help audit your solutions. You can use blogs, tutorials, and Ask Me Anything to clarify users' doubts about your project. This will help users understand, which will allow them to invest confidently. Show how your platform solves problems. People today trust value and not buzzwords. There are over 6,500 active blockchain projects. Each of them is built on different platforms with their own protocols, coding languages, consensus mechanisms, and privacy models. The networks can't easily communicate, which leads to inconsistent security and a poor user experience. This makes interoperability a serious problem. This lack of connectivity affects the user experience. If your assets are on one chain, but the app you want is on another, you get stuck. And for developers, it means extra work building isolated tools for each network. Consider using cross-chain bridges that support cross-chain asset transfers. You can use Cosmos and Polkadot, which were built with interoperability in mind. They let apps interact across chains using shared protocols. Design your dApp to work on multiple blockchains simultaneously using SDKs. One of the major issues that comes with blockchain development is its high energy consumption. Today, the majority of blockchain platforms now use power, especially the Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism. In 2024 alone, Bitcoin mining consumed an estimated 91 terawatt-hours of electricity. Isn't that huge? As the world focuses more on sustainable practices, blockchains that use a lot of energy are being criticized and closely examined. If the energy inefficiency of blockchains isn't addressed, mass adoption of blockchain technology may go down. Consider shifting to a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, which is far more energy-efficient than PoW. It may cut down energy usage by 99.9%. You can use eco-friendly blockchain platforms like Cardano, Avalanche, Tezos, and more, as these are designed with sustainability in mind. You must optimize smart contracts to reduce unnecessary computations and network load. Undoubtedly, blockchain technology is currently booming. But what about skilled blockchain developers? Well, not much! In 2024, one LinkedIn report stated that the demand for experts specializing in blockchain technology grew by 50%, but the supply lagged far behind. Unlike traditional web or mobile development, blockchain requires an in-depth understanding of cryptography, smart contracts, and decentralized protocols. Hiring the wrong team or taking too long to find one can eventually delay your project or lead to costly mistakes. You must consider upskilling your current development team with blockchain certifications or courses from platforms. Publishing your code on open-source platforms, where you can attract skilled developers to contribute to your blockchain projects. Blockchain development agencies often have pre-vetted experts with deep experience. They can allow you to quickly onboard talent. Today, most of the businesses want to adapt to blockchain technology. But their existing systems weren't built for it. Integrating blockchain with outdated databases, ERP platforms, or traditional APIs can be a significant headache. If blockchain isn't able to work with traditional systems and tools, businesses won't use it. It leads to delays, higher costs, and failed pilots. You can use blockchain middleware tools like Chainlink, Hyperledger Fabric, or others, as they can help connect blockchain networks to existing software. Instead of replacing entire systems, you can start small. Consider using blockchain alongside your current infrastructure and scale gradually. Even with all the hype, blockchain adoption is relatively slow. One of the recent surveys found that only 12% of global businesses use blockchain in their operations. But what about 88% of them? They are still experimenting or sitting on the sidelines. Even the most impactful blockchain projects struggle to stay in the market without real-world users and use cases. Investors might not be interested and won't invest in the project. You must focus on real use cases and build solutions for real-world problems such as payments, identity verification, or supply chain tracking. Educate your audience and simplify blockchain concepts for non-technical users. Using webinars, blogs, and tutorials can help you. That brings us to the end of this blog! The above-mentioned list of blockchain adoption and development issues highlights the necessity of technological advancements. We can't ignore that the industry is working hard to resolve them. Blockchain adoption will rise even more if we work towards fixing these and removing these hurdles. At Technoloader, we have a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable blockchain developers who are well-versed in the nuances of the industry. They identify all prevailing blockchain development challenges and have the potential to solve them. Contact us, and let's integrate blockchain technology into your business! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular burger chain claims saving 50% in payment processing fees
Popular burger chain claims saving 50% in payment processing fees originally appeared on TheStreet. Popular American fast food chain Steak 'n Shake has claimed to save 50% in processing fees through Bitcoin. When customers make payments using Bitcoin instead of credit cards, the company is saving about 50% in processing fees, Steak 'n Shake executive Dan Edwards told the audience at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas on May 26. Founded in 1934, Steak 'n Shake is one of the leading American fast food chains that is popular for its steakburgers and hand-dipped milkshakes. It operates in hundreds of locations across the U.S., with several joints abroad as well. The chain began accepting Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network globally May 16 onwards — a move encouraged by the likes of Twitter c-founder Jack Dorsey. It was a global implementation that introduced Bitcoin payments not only in the U.S. but also in France, Monaco, and Spain, Edwards said, and added, "Bitcoin is faster than credit cards." "The day we launched Bitcoin, 1 out of every 500 Bitcoin transactions globally happened at Steak 'n Shake," Edwards claimed. He added that not only can customers pay for their meals with Bitcoin, but one can also purchase a Steak 'n Shake franchise with Bitcoin. The executive underlined that the chain didn't see the initiative as a marketing gimmick for short-lived publicity. Instead, it saw Bitcoin as a viable payment option on par with other globally accepted methods, such as cash and credit cards. To celebrate the milestone, the fast food chain is offering Bitcoin Burger, Super-Sized Bitcoin Meal, and Bitcoin Milkshake on its menu this week in Las Vegas. "Bitcoin is a win for the customer, it's a win for us as the merchant, and it's a win for you in the Bitcoin community," he proclaimed. Popular burger chain claims saving 50% in payment processing fees first appeared on TheStreet on May 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on May 27, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Arabian Post
05-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
K Wave Media Embarks on $500m Bitcoin Infrastructure Initiative
K Wave Media Ltd., a Nasdaq-listed Korean entertainment conglomerate, has secured a $500 million equity financing agreement with Bitcoin Strategic Reserve KWM LLC. The capital infusion is earmarked for operating Bitcoin Lightning Network nodes and investing in Bitcoin infrastructure, signalling a significant strategic shift towards digital assets. The Lightning Network, a second-layer solution built atop the Bitcoin blockchain, facilitates faster and more cost-effective transactions by enabling off-chain settlements through payment channels. This technology addresses Bitcoin's scalability issues, allowing for a higher volume of transactions with reduced fees. K Wave Media's move aligns with a broader trend of corporations integrating Bitcoin into their financial strategies. Companies like LQWD Technologies have also been expanding their Bitcoin holdings and Lightning Network operations, aiming to generate yield through transaction fees and enhance payment efficiencies. ADVERTISEMENT The $500 million financing will enable K Wave Media to establish and operate Lightning Network nodes, contributing to the network's robustness and decentralization. Additionally, the investment will support the development of Bitcoin infrastructure, potentially fostering innovation in digital payment solutions and financial services. This strategic pivot reflects K Wave Media's commitment to embracing emerging technologies and adapting to the evolving financial landscape. By investing in Bitcoin infrastructure, the company positions itself at the forefront of digital asset integration within the entertainment industry. The partnership with Bitcoin Strategic Reserve KWM LLC underscores the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin and its associated technologies. As more companies explore the potential of digital assets, investments in infrastructure like the Lightning Network are becoming increasingly prevalent. K Wave Media's initiative may also influence other entertainment and media companies to consider similar ventures into the digital asset space. The integration of Bitcoin infrastructure could lead to new business models, revenue streams, and enhanced engagement with tech-savvy audiences.
Geek Vibes Nation
04-06-2025
- Business
- Geek Vibes Nation
Advancements In Bitcoin's Lightning Network
Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash If you think Bitcoin is just a slow old coin sitting pretty at the top, well, it is. But let's not get into how many transactions Bitcoin manages per second (around 7 per second; we couldn't help ourselves). But with the Lightning Network, think again. They've already processed over 100 million transactions in Q1 2025, increasing 28% from Q4 2024. A lot of crypto experts are attributing the lightning speeds (hence the name of the network) to the current Bitcoin price live , sitting at $109,219 at the time of writing. The Lightning Network proves that Bitcoin can move fast, scale better, and power up. This isn't just some off-chain experiment. It's a full-on upgrade that's been quietly growing into something that could change everything. If you've been wondering how Bitcoin plans to handle more users, faster transactions, and lower fees, all while staying decentralized, then read on to learn about the Lightning Network. The Lightning Network is where it's happening. Advancements in Bitcoin's Lightning Network Back in the early days, Bitcoin was cool but clunky. Everyone loved to hate it. It's the OG coin, but it ran so slow, it was initially expensive (and still sort of is compared to other networks), and as cryptocurrency grew and new ledgers formed, Bitcoin became plum last for slow speeds. The whole world wanted to use it, but the poor network just couldn't keep up. Slow speeds. High fees. Long waits. That's where the Lightning Network came in. It's a second-layer solution built on top of Bitcoin . Think of it as the fast lane. It lets users set up payment channels that don't require every transaction to hit the main chain. Instead, you zip your payments through these channels and settle up later. Simple. Developed in 2016 by Joseph Poon and Thaddeus Dryja, the Lightning Network is all about efficiency. And it's working. In September 2024, it had a capacity of 5,382 BTC across thousands of active channels, a big increase from the year before. And we gave you the numbers in the introduction, and the numbers never lie. The network isn't perfect. There's still the risk of fraud, hacks, and congested nodes. But the point is this: it's improving. And if Bitcoin wants to scale for the future, Lightning might be the power-up it needs. Bitcoin's Lightning Network: The Recent Updates Let's talk numbers (again). Since 2020, Lightning's capacity has surged 384%. That's not some fluke; that's institutional money, infrastructure upgrades, and a lot of bullish momentum. According to Fidelity Digital Assets, we're only seeing half the picture. Many Lightning channels are private, meaning actual network capacity could be nearly double what's reported. Public channels will hit over $500 million by January 2025. Add in the stealth activity, and you're looking at serious liquidity. And more institutions are watching. As routing fees drop and reliability climbs, they're starting to dip their toes in. With the right node setup, transaction fees can be as low as 0.04%. Then there's the speed. Payments under one million sats (roughly $1,000) settle in under a second. Bigger ones take around 7 seconds. Compare that to the legacy financial system, and it's a joke. Compare it to Bitcoin's original layer system, and it's still a joke. Lightning's upgrades aren't just about speed and fees. It's about scale. As Bitcoin's price goes up, so does Lightning's value. How the Network Benefits Users If you've ever waited an hour for a Bitcoin transaction to clear, the Lightning Network is basically your redemption arc. First off, it's fast. Really fast. We've already mentioned that. Instant transactions under a second are now common for small payments. That means you could buy a coffee with BTC and not be the weirdo holding up the queue. Then there's the fee structure. It's dramatically cheaper than on-chain Bitcoin transactions. Think fractions of a cent. That's what happens when you don't need to clog the main chain with every transaction. It's also more scalable. By moving thousands of tiny payments off-chain, the Lightning Network clears up space and makes Bitcoin more efficient. The network's overall reliability is now approaching the 95% mark, and with things like watchtowers and retries, we're getting closer to that mythical 100% success rate. Still, there's room for improvement. Channel management can be complex, and the Bitcoin difficulty rating was at 119.12 at the time of writing, up from 83.15 12 months ago. Inbound liquidity is still a pain. But the upside is huge. With the right setup, users can send and receive Bitcoin with near-zero friction, and that's game-changing. Getting the Most Out of the Bitcoin Network Bitcoin isn't valuable because it's shiny or rare. It's valuable because it has the strongest, most widely connected network in the digital asset space. The more people use it, the more useful it becomes. The Lightning Network amplifies that. Every new node, every payment channel, and every successful transaction make the whole system stronger. It's like compound interest for infrastructure. This is what separates Bitcoin from the rest. It's not just a coin—it's a protocol. A settlement layer. A foundation. The upgrades happening off-chain aren't side projects; they're part of the core vision. Bitcoin's community is building something that doesn't just work—it lasts. Bitcoin's Lightning Network isn't just about sending coins faster—it's about building a future. It's already faster. It's already cheaper. And now it's attracting institutions and developers who want to push it further. The Lightning Network is a glimpse into Bitcoin's next era. Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
