The Lightning Network, Bitcoin's layer-2 solution, has achieved a new all-time high in capacity, reaching 5,637 BTC, approximately $490 million, as reported by Amboss. This surge follows increased adoption by major crypto exchanges like Binance and OKX, which have been depositing more Bitcoin onto the network. The capacity increase comes despite a decline in the number of nodes and channels, indicating more Bitcoin is being added without a corresponding rise in network usage. In related developments, Lightning Labs has upgraded its Taproot Assets protocol to version 0.7, enhancing features such as reusable addresses and auditable asset supply. This upgrade aims to facilitate the minting and transfer of assets like stablecoins over the Lightning Network, leveraging Bitcoin's security for low-fee transactions. Meanwhile, Tether has led an $8 million funding round for Speed, a startup focused on enabling stablecoin payments on the Lightning Network.