Lightning accounts allow you to send and receive Bitcoin with low fees and instant confirmation. Follow the steps below to enable and receive Lightning payments using The Blockstream App.
Note: This feature is currently in beta and requires enabling Experimental Features in App Settings.
1. Open The Blockstream App and Go to the Transact Tab
From the home screen, tap Transact in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap "Receive"
On the Transact page, tap Receive.
3. Select Asset: Bitcoin (Lightning)
Tap the asset selector and choose Bitcoin (Lightning) from the list.
4. Enter the Amount You Want to Receive
Type the amount (in sats or USD) you’d like to receive.
If the payment amount exceeds your current Lightning receive capacity—or is below the minimum threshold of 10,000 sats—a channel funding fee will apply:
- Lightning invoice (on-the-fly channel): 0.4% of the received amount, minimum 10,000 sats
- Swap-in (on-chain to Lightning): 0.4% of the received amount, minimum 10,000 sats
These fees fund the opening of a Lightning channel. Once your receive capacity is replenished, no fee applies for incoming payments. Spending from your Lightning account or funding new channels increases receive capacity.
Learn more about Lightning receive capacity .
5. Generate the Lightning Invoice
After entering the amount, tap Confirm to generate a Lightning invoice.
6. Share Your Lightning Invoice
Your invoice will appear as a QR code. Share it with the sender to receive funds.
Note: The first Lightning receive will trigger the creation of your Lightning account. A small on-chain fee is required to fund the account—this only happens once.
Please wait for the on-chain confirmation before your Lightning balance appears in the app.
If you need further assistance, visit our Help Center or contact our support team.