Cash App users in the U.S. can now buy, send, and receive Bitcoin using the network’s secondary payments layer Lightning Network, directly within the app. 

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Fast facts

  • Before the update on Tuesday, users were limited to sending Bitcoin, as Cash App didn’t support other transaction forms in Bitcoin.
  • The service is not available to U.S. users in New York. 
  • Cash App is a mobile payment app launched by Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey’s fintech company, Block (formerly known as Square).
  • The Lightning Network is a layer 2 solution built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, which enables faster and cheaper transactions by offloading them from the main chain. 
  • Bitcoin critics often argue that the network does not run on an ideal blockchain for payments due to its slow block verification and costly transaction fees.
  • Bitcoin was trading at US$20,519 at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday in Hong Kong, up 5.6% over the past day, according to CoinGecko data.

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