Bitcoin Maximalist Pioneers Lightning Payments

Although the Bitcoin value has drastically plunged this year, the lightning network continues to surprise everyone. F418 is a Swiss IT professional who is said to have implanted a Lightning-enabled chip in his left hand surgically to make Lightning Network payments. 

What is a Lightning Network in Bitcoin?

A lightning network is a second layer of the network added to the Bitcoin blockchain to conduct off-chain transactions. Off-chain transactions are conducted between individuals that are not present on the blockchain network. Several payment channels between Bitcoin users form the second layer of the network. 

The lightning network is a two-way transaction method where the parties can send and receive payments from each other. The second layer of the blockchain network improves the scalability of the blockchain application by managing the transactions outside the main layer of the blockchain network. It continues to take advantage of the main network’s powerful decentralized security paradigm. 

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F418 Shares His Motives and Experience of Taking the LN in His Own Hands

F418 shared his experience with a popular news agency stating that he wanted to experiment with LN payments and body modifications for fun. However, he also mentioned that he doesn’t want the bitcoin enthusiasts to take the layer two payment Lightning Network into their own hands as he did.

He just wanted to experiment that “these chips work and it is possible to conduct such transactions”. While the majority of people carry their cards, he managed to use his hand instead to bring a wow factor.

The popular news agency first met F418 in his own country Switzerland at the Lightning Network supportive Plan B Lugano Conference. The first attempt of F418 failed due to a defect in the chip. Before trying again, F418 went through medical surgery to remove it.

However, he succeeded on his second attempt. He can not only make payments without using a smartphone or a Bolt Card, but the chip also sits perfectly on his left hand. He added, “the chips don’t hurt, and he doesn’t feel a thing even when he goes to the gym with it”.

F418 also shares that “there are several risks in the procedure of surgically implanting the chip in your hand. These chips are not completely safe and do not provide similar security to the Bolt Cards. Only LNURL withdrawal can be conducted on the network which is not safe”. Moreover in case of any mistakes during the implantation procedure can be risky, as it will require removing and re-insert the chip which can cause infections.

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How Does an NFC Chip Function From Within Your Hand?

The function of the NFC chip is the same when implanted in human hands like in the case of F418. It allows conducting Lightning Network payments without the need for smartphones or Bolt Cards. To make a payment, all he needs to do is hold his hand near a compatible NFC reader. It is one of the convenient ways to make payments in bitcoins, allowing for easy and quick transactions without the need for extra tools.

Uses of Near-Field Communication Technology

The Near Field Communication Technology applications have several uses in the world of Bitcoins. Ever since the introduction of the Bolt Cards, NFC payments over the Lightning Network have been extremely popular. The first trial was conducted on the Isle Of Man over lunch and is now available in El Salvador also known as “the Bitcoin Country”.

It is easy to set up an NFC card and use it for payments. However, the implant of the NFC chip in the human body is the first of its kind. F418 has conducted the procedure on accessible open-source including the health warnings on GitHub. F418 has mentioned the process as the “Lightening Paw”.

The Lightning Network is a second-layer payment protocol that operates on the Bitcoin blockchain. It permits near-free, and near-instant transactions by allowing the users to conduct several payments. Thereby, without any need to wait for transaction confirmations on the blockchain network. It allows the users to create different channels for the parties to conduct transactions without the need to store them in the blockchain network.

Conclusion

F418, the Swiss IT professional is a bitcoin and sports enthusiast, who likes to try stupid experiments. He has chosen to join the several bitcoin enthusiasts who keep on utilizing the coin. Thereby, with hope even during the worst bear market situation.