The payment infrastructure developer Breez, in collaboration with industry giants like Lightspark, Tether, and Plan ₿ Network, has announced the launch of Time2Build. This new program is designed for incentivizing Bitcoin Lightning adoption by rewarding developers for integrating Lightning Network features into existing open-source applications. The main news is the shift in focus: it is not a hackathon or a simple bounty, but a sustained economic incentive to drive the real utility of Bitcoin as a means of payment. A Breez representative noted that the initiative seeks lasting and impactful adoption.
Time2Build is distinguished by its reward mechanism. The initiative will pay developers only if their code, which integrates the Breez Software Development Kit (SDK), is accepted and merged by the maintainers of the original open-source project. This rigorous process ensures that new Lightning features are not just fleeting demos, but permanent features available to a real user base. To be eligible, projects must have a free and open source license (FOSS), an active community, and real-world users.
Funding for the prize pool comes from Breez and its partners. Additionally, DraperU and PlebLab are offering special residencies as complementary prizes, increasing the program’s appeal to top talents. The fundamental goal is to reward long-term contributions.
The Breez SDK is a complete, open-source solution that makes it easier for programmers to integrate the Lightning Network. It allows for creating self-custody solutions within their applications without the usual complexity, an essential feature for maintaining the decentralized spirit of Bitcoin. The Breez API provides developers with an end-to-end solution to integrate Lightning into their applications.
The Imminent Growth of Lightning and its Impact on Bitcoin
The Lightning Network (LN) is widely recognized as the fundamental Layer 2 scaling solution for Bitcoin to regain its original purpose as a payment system. It enables instant, very low-cost, and trustless transactions, settled off the main Blockchain. This technological advancement not only makes it solid for everyday use, but analysts have even raised its technical viability for sending BTC to places as distant as Mars.
According to recent data, the Lightning Network shows constant growth, with an increase in the number of nodes and payment channels in recent months. The network’s processing capacity already exceeds 3,800 BTC, representing hundreds of millions of dollars. This remarkable growth has been bolstered by the interest of major companies and financial institutions outside the core crypto ecosystem.
The Time2Build initiative comes at a crucial time of expansion. Recently, the digital bank SoFi Technologies announced its move to become the first US bank to leverage Lightning. Similarly, the supermarket giant Spar implemented Bitcoin payments via Lightning in a Swiss city. Even Tether, the leading stablecoin issuer, integrated its USDt onto the network, meaning that global stablecoin volume could be channeled through this technology, further driving the mission of incentivizing Bitcoin Lightning adoption globally.
