BitGo, an OCC-regulated digital asset trust bank, has introduced Lightning Earn, a new product that allows corporate bitcoin treasury companies and institutional allocators to deploy their bitcoin as liquidity on the Lightning Network and earn bitcoin-denominated routing fees.

The offering is built on an integration with Amboss Technologies’ Rails product, a Lightning infrastructure platform that enables participants to capture routing fees by routing payments and leasing liquidity across the network. BitGo, a subsidiary of BitGo Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BTGO), said the integration gives institutional clients access to Lightning Network infrastructure without sacrificing custody or governance standards.

Through the BitGo-Amboss integration, clients deploy bitcoin into Lightning Network channels. Those funds then route payments across the network and provide liquidity to new payment destinations. 

In return, participants receive fees denominated in bitcoin — not a token, synthetic instrument, or third-party yield product.

BitGo said its existing security controls, operational workflows, and governance infrastructure carry over into the Lightning Earn product, giving institutions the compliance framework they require to participate.

BitGo commits its own treasury

The bank has deployed a portion of its own bitcoin treasury into Amboss Rails, a move the company described as a direct expression of confidence in the product.

“We believe Rails gives our clients a credible way to deploy their bitcoin without compromising on custody or governance,” said Mike Belshe, CEO and Co-founder of BitGo. “We’ve allocated a portion of our own treasury to Rails, and we are excited to bring this capability to the institutions we serve.”

The decision to commit company funds signals that the company views Lightning Earn as more than a client-facing product. It also positions the firm alongside its clients in exposure to Lightning Network routing economics.

Amboss CEO Jesse Shrader said the partnership marks a turning point for institutional participation in the Lightning Network. 

“BitGo’s integration of Rails sends a clear signal that Lightning is fit for institutions,” Shrader said. “With the capital brought by BitGo and their clients, Bitcoin can serve instant payments at enterprise scale while capturing the benefits of Lightning’s proliferation.”

Amboss builds data, software, and infrastructure products for the Lightning Network, with Rails serving as its primary institutional infrastructure offering.