FAQ
How is Spark different from the Lightning Network?
Spark was purpose-built from the ground up to be the most efficient payment network possible. We firmly believe that the payment network of the future needs to support self-custody at scale - something that Lightning cannot do. Spark removes the limitations of the Lightning network - allowing for nearly unlimited self-custody accounts at almost no cost.
While Lightning requires opening/closing channels and managing liquidity, Spark removes this complexity. You can send and receive payments instantly without worrying about channel management, inbound liquidity, or even running a Lightning node. But better still, with Spark you can send and receive natively on Spark, to/from Lightning - without needing to run a Lightning node, or on Bitcoin Layer 1. Spark also natively supports tokens like stablecoins, which is very difficult to do at scale on Lightning due to channels and liquidity requirements.
What are the fees like?
| Transaction Type | Fee structure |
|---|---|
| L1 to Spark | On-chain fee paid by the user |
| Spark to Spark | Free. Small flat fee coming in 6-12 months |
| Spark to Lightning | 0.25% + routing fee |
| Lightning to Spark | 0.15% |
| Coop Exit | 0.15% + on-chain fee |
| Unilateral Exit | On-chain fee paid by user |
| Transaction Type | Fee structure |
|---|---|
| L1 to Spark | On-chain fee paid by the user |
| Spark to Spark | Free. Small flat fee coming in 6-12 months |
| Unilateral Exit | On-chain fee + bond locked by user |
What happens if Spark operators go offline?
You can always exit to Bitcoin L1 using your pre-signed exit transaction. If only a small subset of operators are offline, you can still make transfers using other operators thanks to our threshold signature scheme. If all operators go offline, you won’t be able to make new Spark transfers until operators are back online, but your funds remain in your custody and are sequenceable at any time.
What are the SSPs present?
Lightspark is running the first SSP on Spark. Anyone can become an SSP — we want to maximize the diversity of SSPs to make the network more competitive and redundant.
Does Spark have a token or a planned airdrop?
Spark does not have a token. Spark has not announced plans for any airdrop or token generation event. Be wary of scams claiming airdrops, giveaways, etc.
If in doubt, refer to official Spark communication channels: Web: https://spark.info Twitter / X: https://x.com/buildonspark
Does Spark support smart contracts?
No, Spark does not support smart contracts. However, in the future — Spark will support Discreet Log Contracts (DLC).
Does Spark require KYC / KYB?
No. Spark is an open protocol that provides infrastructure for moving bitcoin and tokens (e.g. stablecoins). Like Bitcoin, it does not impose any KYC requirements at the protocol level.