Bitcoin scalability

The Lightning Network is a secondary network designed to address bitcoin scalability

Bitcoin scalability refers to the capability of the Bitcoin network to handle large amounts of transaction data on its platform. Records (known as blocks) in the Bitcoin blockchain are limited in size and frequency to prioritize security and decentralization by keeping the cost of running a Bitcoin node affordable. With an average block creation time of 10 minutes and a block size limit of around 1 megabyte, the base layer processes an estimated 3.3 to 7 transactions per second.

Scalability is often contrasted with security and decentralization.

The term "Layer 2" is used for systems, such as the Lightning Network, which process multiple transactions more quickly using a separate network and then updating the bitcoin blockchain in batches.

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