"Voltage Simplifies Bitcoin's Lightning Network for Global Businesses"

Voltage, a startup founded in 2020 by Graham Krizek, is on a mission to make Bitcoin's Lightning Network accessible to every business worldwide. The company, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, aims to simplify the process of using the Lightning Network by providing a cloud-based solution that abstracts away its complexities.

Krizek, who discovered Bitcoin in 2012 and contributed to Bitcoin Core, noticed a recurring issue among Bitcoin developers: the lack of a cloud environment for infrastructure development. This realization led him to create Voltage, which offers a user-friendly platform for deploying Lightning nodes and managing liquidity.

Voltage's cloud-based solution, supported by Google Cloud and other providers, allows users to spin up a Lightning node and open channels with just a few clicks. The node's public key, peers, channels, balance, and transactions remain private, with all traffic routed through the node via Tor. Additionally, Voltage provides customer support and helps manage liquidity for its users.

In the past year, notable companies such as Coinbase and Nubank have integrated Lightning into their operations. Krizek expects more finance companies to adopt Lightning in the coming year, with non-crypto and non-finance companies following suit by 2025. He believes that Voltage's efforts to simplify Lightning usage will drive this adoption.

Tether (USDT) is expected to come to the Lightning Network soon, which Krizek believes will spur growth on the network. He is optimistic about the potential of stablecoins on Lightning, citing their widespread use and the benefits of sub-second settlement fees and low costs. Krizek is not concerned about potential security risks, as the Lightning Network is a peer-to-peer network that allows users to opt-out of USDT transfers.

Voltage has received investment from U.S. Crypto Czar David Sacks via his venture capital firm, Craft Ventures. Krizek is optimistic about the regulatory environment for Bitcoin in the U.S., noting the shift in tone from previous administrations. He believes that the government's recognition of Bitcoin as a store of value is a positive step, and he expects further discussion on its use as a means of payment in the future.