- In Miami on Thursday, Strike CEO Jack Mallers announced a string of high-profile collaborations for Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, including one with e-commerce giant Shopify.
- The Lightning Network will allow millions of American storefronts to accept payments across the payment’s stalwarts.
- Mallers said Strike partnered with POS software provider NCR, as well as Blackhawk.
Mallers, a passionate bitcoin and supporter of the Lightning Network, said that his “King’s Gambit” will return Bitcoin to its payment origins in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Miami Beach Conference Center’s main stage Thursday.
“We feel that if we can contribute to making the Bitcoin network more accessible and useful, we can change the world,” he stated. According to him, a key component of it is making use of Bitcoin’s low-cost payments network. He contrasted this with the “caviar-eating” history of the bank-issued credit cards, which he said hasn’t innovated (besides onboarding intermediaries and their costs) in years.
In his words, “there hasn’t been a better payments network that enables us to innovate” for the benefit of customers since 1949. “Let’s start from the ground up and construct the best payments network possible.”
Mallers’ payout was straightforward, despite his sarcastic build-up: Bitcoin’s Lightning Network “carries all the qualities” for local success, according to Mallers.
He said that Strike would connect with Shopify’s worldwide network of retailers to enable payments through the Bitcoin Lightning network – for merchants that want to participate.
Incorporated inside the Shopify platform, Strike allows retailers to expand their current payment choices while also reaching untapped global markets and buying power.
Strike’s connection with Shopify also enables retailers to save money by using low-cost payment processing services like Stripe. Strike “removes some obstacles retailers experience when dealing with bitcoin (BTC) payments by instantaneously converting bitcoin (BTC) payments to dollars,” according to a news release.
Maller’s declaration might catalyze a surge in public acceptance of the Lightning Network due to his efforts. Earlier on Tuesday, Robinhood Markets (HOOD), a stock and cryptocurrency trading platform, said its new wallet would include support for bitcoin transactions on the Lightning Network.
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