On-chain

A Bitcoin transaction settled directly on the main blockchain. Slower and more expensive than Lightning but the ultimate settlement layer.

On-chain refers to a transaction settled directly on the main Bitcoin blockchain — recorded in a block, verified by every node, and visible in the public ledger forever. Compare to off-chain, which usually means Lightning or another second-layer system.

On-chain is what you use for long-term settlement. Receiving sats from an exchange. Moving sats to a hardware wallet. Sending a large amount where the time and fee don't matter. It's the strongest, most fundamental layer of Bitcoin.

It's also slower and more expensive. Block time is 10 minutes on average; fees rise during busy periods. For everyday small payments — coffee, tips, allowances — Lightning is the practical layer. On-chain is reserved for amounts and use cases where settlement security matters more than speed.

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Related terms

Glossary

Lightning Network

A second-layer Bitcoin payment network that enables instant, low-fee transactions.

Glossary

Block

A bundle of Bitcoin transactions added to the blockchain roughly every ten minutes.

Glossary

Mempool

The waiting room of unconfirmed transactions — where every Bitcoin transaction sits before being included in a block.

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