Blockstream launches Swaps for trustless moves between Bitcoin’s base layer and Lightning

Blockstream has introduced Blockstream Swaps, a new feature designed to let Bitcoin users move funds between the Bitcoin main chain and the Lightning Network through trustless swaps. The company said the product was built to support the wider Bitcoin and Liquid ecosystem and was already in development before its announcement. Rather than replacing existing swap providers, Blockstream said the service is meant to add redundancy and utility to the ecosystem. A key part of the rollout is user experience. According to Blockstream, people who want to pay over Lightning will not need to run their own node or open channels, which are normally required for direct Lightning use. Instead, they can hold either bitcoin or LBTC and have the swap take place at the moment of payment. LBTC is the native asset of Liquid Network, Blockstream’s Bitcoin layer-2 sidechain. The launch comes after non-custodial Bitcoin swap provider Boltz suspended its service this month, saying attackers using AI were identifying vulnerabilities faster than its team could fix them. The report also noted a wider rise in crypto hacks, with security specialists warning that AI is being used to scan projects for bugs and exploit issues auditors may have missed.