The CEO of Voltage foresees strong growth for the Lightning Network, driven by stablecoin adoption in the coming years.
The Lightning Network could witness significant growth in stablecoin volume over the next few years, according to the CEO of Voltage. In an interview with Cointelegraph, Graham Krizek, founder and CEO of Voltage—a payment services provider for the Lightning Network—stated that increased adoption of the Layer 2 network could enable it to handle at least 5% of global stablecoin volume by 2028.
Considering that current daily stablecoin volume is around $180 billion according to CoinGecko, this would translate into up to $9 billion being transacted via the Lightning Network. However, that volume is expected to grow even further in the coming years, especially with the implementation of stablecoin regulations such as the GENIUS Act in the United States and similar efforts internationally.
Krizek emphasized that stablecoins will accelerate the adoption of the network, noting that “Lightning is the top scalability tool for stablecoins.” The Voltage founder added:
“Stablecoins are just now starting to come to Lightning, and some of the major players like Tether or Circle are not yet live. So the current percentage [of volume] is near zero but will be growing in the second half of this year.”
According to Krizek, Lightning Network adoption will be driven by retail users and developers. Institutional interest is also growing, with traditional institutions starting to explore and recognize the value of Lightning for risk management, working capital access, and reduced counterparty risks, the Voltage CEO suggested.
Currently, the Lightning Network has around 14,000 nodes, 44,800 channels, and a capacity of 3,820 BTC—worth approximately $448 million at current prices, according to Amboss. Although the network’s capacity has dropped by 23% since the beginning of the year, Krizek pointed out that there are fewer total channels, but they are larger in size, which validates capital efficiency and a more optimized network. Access to the Lightning Network—measured by the total number of users across exchanges, wallets, banks, and payment platforms—is currently above 700 million, according to the Voltage CEO.
