The INTcoin Lightning Network adapts the Bitcoin BOLT (Basis of Lightning Technology) specifications for post-quantum cryptography. This category tracks protocol specification discussions that mirror the INT-devs/BOLT repository.
Key Differences from Bitcoin Lightning
INTcoin Lightning replaces all classical cryptography:
| Component | Bitcoin Lightning | INTcoin Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| Channel signatures | ECDSA (secp256k1) | ML-DSA-87 (Dilithium5) |
| Transport encryption | secp256k1 ECDH | ML-KEM-1024 (Kyber1024) |
| Onion routing keys | secp256k1 | Kyber1024 KEM |
| Key derivation | HMAC-SHA256 + secp256k1 | SHAKE256 DRBG |
| Invoice prefix | lnbc |
int (mainnet), tint (testnet) |
| Hash function | SHA256 | SHA3-256 |
BOLT Compliance
| BOLT | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Base Protocol | Adapted — ML-DSA-87 message types |
| #2 | Channel Management | Adapted — Dilithium5 commitment sigs |
| #3 | Transactions | Adapted — OP_CHECKSIG_DILITHIUM scripts |
| #4 | Onion Routing | Adapted — Kyber1024 KEM per hop |
| #5 | On-Chain Handling | Adapted — chain monitor with sweep |
| #7 | Gossip Protocol | Adapted — funding_key fields |
| #8 | Transport | Adapted — Kyber1024 + ChaCha20-Poly1305 |
| #9 | Features | Adapted — PQ-specific feature bits |
| #11 | Invoice Protocol | Adapted — int/tint prefixes |
| #12 | BOLT 12 Offers | Adapted — Bech32m encoding |
BEPs and LIPs
Protocol extensions are tracked as BEPs (BOLT Extension Proposals) and LIPs (Lightning Improvement Proposals):
- BEPs cover protocol-level changes: anchor outputs, splicing, trampoline, MPP, keysend, LNURL, DNS payment, submarine swaps, LSP protocols
- LIPs cover INTcoin-specific adaptations: SHAKE256 key derivation, KEM-based onion, naming conventions, gossip compression, mobile optimisation, channel capacity proofs
All BEPs and LIPs are published in their respective repositories on GitLab.
Current Status
The Lightning Network is in active development as a separate repository. The base layer (INTcoin v1.0.0) is production-ready. Lightning is targeted for Q4 2026 with channel state machines, HTLC management, invoice protocol, and onion routing.
Discussion of specific BOLTs, BEPs, and LIPs is welcome in this category.