Milestone
Bitcoin
2018
Lightning Network Mainnet Launch
Lightning Network went live on Bitcoin mainnet, enabling fast, low-fee payments off-chain.
Event date: 2018-03-15
Sources
Verified references submitted by curators. Always include at least two.
Links marked “Source pending” are awaiting verified references.
Key Facts
Peak metricFirst mainnet release
OutcomeLayer 2 payments expand
ChainBitcoin
Year2018
Typemilestone
Tags
layer-2
payments
View Chart
External price/performance context for the historical event.
Related events
Bitcoin Cash Hard Fork
Bitcoin • 2017-08-01 • Block size debate led to Bitcoin Cash hard fork, creating a persistent chain split over scalability.
Milestone
CME Bitcoin Futures Launch
Bitcoin • 2017-12-17 • CME launched cash-settled Bitcoin futures, opening regulated derivatives exposure for institutions.
Milestone
SegWit Activation
Bitcoin • 2017-08-24 • SegWit activated on Bitcoin, increasing block capacity and enabling future scaling solutions.
Milestone
BTC-e FinCEN Civil Penalty
Bitcoin • 2017-07-26 • FinCEN assessed a $110M civil penalty against BTC-e for AML violations tied to ransomware and darknet activity.
Milestone