Mullvad Now Accepts Bitcoin Lightning Payments for Faster, Cheaper, Private Transactions
Published on August 6, 2025
- Lightning Support Launched: Mullvad now accepts Bitcoin Lightning for faster, low-cost VPN payments.
- Enhanced Privacy Benefits: Lightning payments avoid blockchain storage, improving user anonymity via onion routing.
- 10% Discount Offered: Users paying with Lightning receive a 10% discount; refunds are not provided.
Mullvad VPN has officially announced support for Bitcoin Lightning payments, marking a significant step forward in how users can pay for its privacy-focused services. With this update, customers can now benefit from faster transactions, lower fees, and enhanced anonymity.
What Is the Mullvad Bitcoin Lightning Payment System?
The Bitcoin Lightning Network is a "layer 2" payment protocol built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. It is designed to facilitate faster and cheaper transactions than traditional Bitcoin (on-chain) payments. Instead of waiting several minutes or more for blockchain confirmations, Lightning payments typically take just a few seconds to complete.
Another key advantage is cost. Lightning significantly reduces transaction fees, bringing them down to a few cents, making microtransactions much more viable.
Enhanced Privacy and Anonymity
Beyond speed and cost, Lightning also introduces a new level of privacy. Regular Bitcoin transactions are permanently recorded on the blockchain, making them traceable. Lightning transactions, however, are routed through a network of channels and nodes using onion routing, a privacy-enhancing technique also used in the Tor network. This means transaction details are not publicly stored and are far more difficult to trace.
How It Works for Mullvad Users
To make a payment via the Lightning Network, users will need a Bitcoin wallet that supports Lightning payments. Once ready, users can visit Mullvad’s website, generate a Lightning invoice, and scan or paste it into their wallet app. The payment is processed almost instantly, typically within seconds.
There are a few conditions to note:
- No refunds are offered for Lightning payments.
- A 10% discount is available for users who pay using the Lightning Network.
For Advanced Users: Open a Channel to Mullvad
Mullvad also operates its own Lightning node using the popular lnd (Lightning Network Daemon) implementation. Advanced users who want to open a payment channel to Mullvad directly can do so using the following node address:
029ca6d8397617d1bbe42714613dce0f262aa4db67123431113a148f5467029a0b@lightning.mullvad.net
Opening a direct channel is optional; most users can simply route payments through the broader Lightning Network without any issue.
Mullvad’s integration of the Bitcoin Lightning Network gives users a faster, cheaper, and more private way to pay for their VPN subscription, further reinforcing its commitment to digital privacy.
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