Lightning Network Channel Count
- 1M1M
- 3M3M
- 6M6M
- 1Y1Y
- ALLALL
- LinearLinear
- LogLog
About this metric
What it measures
Lightning Network Channel Count counts observed public payment channels between nodes, measured in channels. Each channel is one connection with its own funding, and two nodes can share more than one channel.
How to read it
An increasing count means the observed public channel set is expanding; a declining count means it is contracting. The series grew from 667 channels on January 26, 2018 to a peak of 86,855 on February 13, 2022, then stood at 39,331 on October 17, 2026.
More channels do not necessarily mean more funds or payments: channel sizes vary and routing can concentrate in fewer, larger links. Private channels are absent, while public graph visibility can change. Read count with capacity and node measures rather than treating each channel as a new user.
- Frequency
- Daily (UTC 00:00)
- Asset
- BTC
- Category
- Lightning Network
- Type
- Single value
- Data since
- 2018-01-26
- Latest data
- 2026-10-27
FAQ
Does channel count include private Lightning channels?
This public-network measure does not capture channels that are not publicly announced. It therefore describes the observed public graph rather than every channel used for Lightning payments.
How does channel count differ from node count?
A node is a network participant; a channel is a funded payment connection between two nodes. A node can have many channels, and two nodes can open multiple channels with each other.
Does falling channel count mean total capacity is falling?
Not necessarily. Small channels can close while larger ones open or remain, leaving fewer channels with as much or more total capacity. Compare the count with total and average channel capacity.
