Revolut to Enable Bitcoin Lightning Payments in Europe in Collaboration with Lightspark

Revolut is collaborating with Lightspark to enable payments via the Bitcoin-based Lightning Network, a move that aims to streamline crypto transfers for users across the UK and select European countries.

With traditional blockchain payments often considered slow and costly, the two firms expect this partnership to enable real-time, crypto-native infrastructure in fintech.

Addressing Delays in Bitcoin Transfers

Revolut’s upcoming feature will connect users to the Lightning Network using Lightspark’s backend infrastructure. This network acts as a secondary layer on top of Bitcoin , allowing transactions to be settled in near real-time while avoiding the congestion and fees often associated with the base blockchain.

Lightspark, founded by former PayPal executive David Marcus, has positioned itself as a gateway to what it calls the “Money Grid,” a decentralized system for instant global payments. Through this setup, Revolut aims to enhance its crypto offerings by allowing smoother Bitcoin transfers.

While the companies have not specified a launch date, the collaboration puts Revolut among a growing number of financial technology firms embracing faster crypto-native payment rails. The move echoes a broader trend in the industry, as firms seek to build infrastructure that can rival traditional banking speed and cost efficiency.

Lightning Network Popularity

The Lightning Network , once a niche solution for Bitcoin purists, is now gaining traction as fintech platforms like Strike, which reported $6 billion in volume last year, prove its commercial viability.

By adopting Lightspark’s infrastructure, Revolut signals its intent to compete not just in crypto custody and trading, but in active transaction processing. Users in the UK and European Economic Area will soon be able to send BTC with a few taps, skipping delays and slashing fees.

You may also like: How Revolut Added 15 Million Users in Just One Year (While Doubling Profits)

This step reinforces Revolut’s ambitions in crypto and underscores a shift in how digital banks approach Bitcoin, not just as an investment asset, but as a functional currency for everyday payments.

Revolut has experienced substantial growth. Last month, the digital banking giant posted a substantial 149% jump in profit before tax to $1.4 billion (£1.1 billion) for 2024, marking its fourth consecutive year of profitability.

“This performance earned us the status of Europe's most valuable private technology company,” said Nik Storonsky, CEO of Revolut. “We're making strong progress towards 100 million daily active customers across 100 countries.”

Besides that, the London-based fintech giant reported a 38% increase in customer base to 52.5 million users globally, while total customer balances rose 66% to $38 billion (£30 billion).