Why compare the start and end of a pasted address?
Does the fee depend on the amount sent?
When should you use Lightning rather than an on-chain transaction?
Using a Lightning-capable wallet, send yourself (or a friend) 100 sats over Lightning and note how many seconds it takes to settle. Enter the number of seconds.
Then prove it: a 3-question quiz · a challenge. The lesson marks itself complete at 100%.
After this lesson you can: pay someone and get paid, on-chain or over Lightning, without the mistakes that cost people money.
Receiving
Share a fresh address or QR code. You do not need to be online to receive; the network records it. For privacy and tidiness, use a new address each time; your wallet does this by default.
Sending
Paste or scan the address. Never type it. Compare the first and last six characters with the original, because clipboard malware exists.
Enter the amount.
Choose a fee. Wallets usually offer slow, normal and fast. Fees are per byte of transaction data, so they do not depend on the amount sent. Check current conditions on a mempool explorer if the wallet's estimate looks high.
For a large amount to a new address, send a small test first.
Confirm. It is now irreversible.
The sending routine. Step 2 is the one that saves people.
When to use Lightning
Chain for savings and size, Lightning for speed and small amounts.
For small, fast payments (tips, coffee, online purchases) Lightning is instant and nearly free. For savings and large transfers, use the chain. Many wallets support both. A Lightning invoice starts with lnbc; a Lightning address looks like an email address.
If it is stuck
A low-fee transaction can wait hours or days when the network is busy. It is not lost. Many wallets let you bump the fee (replace-by-fee). Otherwise it will either confirm when fees drop or be dropped from mempools and return to your balance.
Phoenix Bitcoin Wallet: Lightning Self Custody Made Easy · Full Tutorial 2025 · BTC SessionsWatch on YouTube ↗
MINI CHALLENGEPay with Lightning
Using a Lightning-capable wallet, send yourself (or a friend) 100 sats over Lightning and note how many seconds it takes to settle. Enter the number of seconds.
seconds
Most Lightning payments settle in under ten seconds. Any small number is right; the point is to have done it.
Done. You have now used both rails. Save the chain for savings.
01Malware can replace an address on the clipboardClipboard hijackers swap in the attacker's address. Checking catches it.
02No, it depends on the transaction's size in bytesA $10 and a $10 million transaction of the same structure pay the same fee.
03For small, fast payments such as tips, coffee or online purchasesLightning is instant and nearly free for small amounts; the chain suits larger, slower settlement.
