A cryptocurrency trading firm, Secure Digital Markets (SDM), has successfully completed a record-breaking $1 million payment using Bitcoin's Lightning Network. The transaction, sent to the Kraken exchange on January 28, 2026, settled in a mere 0.43 seconds, showcasing the network's capability for high-value, institutional-grade settlements.
The payment was routed through infrastructure managed by Voltage, a company specializing in reliable Lightning node operations with pre-arranged liquidity for exchanges and trading firms. This transaction significantly surpasses the previous publicly reported record for a single Lightning payment, which was approximately 1.24 BTC (roughly $140,000 at the time).
Mostafa Al-Mashita, founder of SDM, described the event as a "definitive shift in the architecture of global settlement," indicating that the industry has moved past questioning Bitcoin's institutional viability and is now focused on adoption speed. Graham Krizek, CEO of Voltage, called it an "important moment for Lightning and for institutional Bitcoin payments," demonstrating the network's ability to meet enterprise requirements.
The milestone arrives amidst evolving Lightning Network metrics. Total Bitcoin locked in public Lightning channels dipped from over 5,400 BTC in late 2023 to about 4,200 BTC by mid-2025, before rebounding to a new high of more than 5,600 BTC by December 2025, where it has remained stable. This recovery suggests growing institutional interest, even as the total number of public nodes has slightly decreased.
Exchanges are also adapting to support larger transactions. Bitfinex, for instance, recently increased its Lightning deposit limits from 0.04 BTC to 0.5 BTC per payment and 2 BTC per channel. Paio Ardoino, CEO of Tether and CTO of Bitfinex, stated that Lightning handles higher volumes with predictable settlement, lower costs, and reduced on-chain congestion—key factors for institutional use.
Institutional reports reinforce this narrative. Fidelity Digital Assets' 2025 report, citing data from Voltage, noted that average Lightning capacity has grown 384% since 2020 and represents a "transformative opportunity" for financial institutions. Similarly, Blockstream's Q4 2025 report highlighted technical improvements in Core Lightning and promoted its Greenlight platform for easier enterprise integration.
