Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, has hinted at the integration of Bitcoin's layer 2 scaling solution, Lightning, into the cryptocurrency exchange. In response to a tweet accusing him of "actively ignoring" the Lightning network, Armstrong tweeted on April 8 that "Lightning is great and something we'll integrate." However, no further details or timelines for the integration were provided.
Coinbase has been criticized in the past for not integrating Lightning, which allows for faster and cheaper Bitcoin transactions compared to the base network. If Coinbase does integrate Lightning, it would join Bitfinex, Kraken, and OKX as the largest trading platforms to do so, according to a GitHub repository by Lightning enthusiast David Coen.
Coen had previously suggested that integrating Lightning may not align with the business plans of many trading platforms, as their priority appears to be integrating altcoins and following market trends.
Recently, Armstrong claimed to have tested a Lightning network application and sent $100 in Bitcoin as a prize to a reporter, showcasing crypto usage in Africa. However, there have been reports of delays in receiving the payment, leading some to suggest that Armstrong may need to familiarize himself with Lightning.
Coinbase has been more active in the Ethereum ecosystem lately, launching "Base," an Ethereum layer 2 application-focused networks powered by Optimism, another layer 2 solution.
It's worth noting that Armstrong had expressed support for Bitcoin scaling solutions in a 2016 article titled "Scaling Bitcoin," where he stated a desire to see a solution sooner rather than later. Lightning was launched in March 2018, marking its fifth-anniversary last month.
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