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Country guide · United States

Best Lightning wallet in the United States

Lightning wallets, payment processors, and the regulatory realities for US users — including the post-Wallet-of-Satoshi landscape.

Published May 18, 2026 · Last updated May 18, 2026

Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this page are partner links. LN Cash may earn a commission if you sign up. This does not change which tools we recommend — see our methodology and the full disclosure.

The US Lightning landscape in 2026 is shaped by two facts: Wallet of Satoshi is not currently available, and state-by-state regulation creates differing experiences depending on where you live. The good news is that the wallets and processors that do work in the US work well.

What’s available

For US users, the practical wallet options are:

  • Strike — Lightning-native payments app, available in 49 states (not New York). Doubles as a wallet and a merchant payment tool.
  • Phoenix — self-custodial mobile wallet; available globally including the US. Ships a Lightning Address out of the box.
  • Alby — self-custodial (Hub self-hosted, or Cloud managed); available in the US.
  • Zeus — power-user wallet; embedded LDK Node or remote node connection.
  • Breez — self-custodial mobile + SDK; available in the US.
  • Cash App — Bitcoin features at the consumer level; supports Lightning-style payments through Strike-like flows; widely used.

Not available: Wallet of Satoshi (since November 2023). Mutiny (discontinued December 2024).

State-by-state realities

Federal regulation in the US is supplemented (or contradicted) by state rules. The states that matter for Lightning users:

  • New York. The BitLicense framework is restrictive. Many crypto services exclude NY entirely (including Strike). Plan around this if you live or operate there.
  • California, Texas, Florida. Generally friendlier, with more merchant adoption.
  • Wyoming, New Hampshire. Crypto-friendly state legislation; some institutional infrastructure.

For everyday wallet use, state doesn’t matter much. For running a crypto business or accepting Bitcoin at scale, it can matter a lot.

Tax framework

US federal tax treatment, in brief:

  • Receipt of sats as payment or income: taxable as ordinary income at fiat-equivalent value on the date received.
  • Disposal (sell, swap, spend): capital gains or loss on the difference between disposal value and cost basis.
  • Holding period: short-term (under 1 year) is taxed as ordinary income; long-term (1+ year) gets long-term capital gains rates.
  • No general holding-period exemption like Germany or the Czech Republic.

State tax adds an additional layer in most states.

Tools that help: CoinTracker, Koinly, TokenTax. They pull from major exchanges and wallets, calculate cost basis, and produce IRS-ready Form 8949 and Schedule D outputs.

Talk to a US-based CPA who has handled crypto. The IRS has been increasing crypto enforcement; do this part properly.

Best wallet picks (US)

  • Beginner: Strike (in 49 states). Bank-app-grade UX with native Lightning support.
  • Self-custodial mobile: Phoenix. One-screen setup, US-available, predictable fees.
  • Creator with tooling depth: Alby. Alby Cloud (~$10/month) or self-hosted Alby Hub.
  • Power user: Zeus with embedded LDK Node or remote node connection.

The notable absence: a frictionless US-available custodial wallet for casual receivers. Strike is the closest, but it’s a payments app with a wallet, not a Lightning-Address-first wallet. Wallet of Satoshi’s planned Spark-based US return may fill this gap once it ships broadly.

Best merchant setup (US)

  • Self-hosted (BTCPay Server) — zero fees, full custody. The right answer for any US merchant doing meaningful volume.
  • Hosted (OpenNode) — fast setup, custodial, US-available.
  • Hosted (Speed) — Lightning + stablecoin (USDT, USDC) support; powers high-profile US deployments like Steak ‘n Shake’s 393-location Bitcoin rollout.
  • Hosted (Strike) — Lightning-native, USD settlement, US-available in 49 states.

For a US merchant taking ongoing Lightning payments, Speed has become a serious option in 2025–2026, given its scale ($1.5B annual volume) and US-merchant footprint.

  • Creator: Strike (in 49 states) or Phoenix → Lightning Address in your bio. Track receipts in CoinTracker or Koinly.
  • Café / small shop: Speed or BTCPay Server. Train staff on the green-checkmark rule (see how to accept Bitcoin in a café).
  • Online seller: BTCPay Server (Shopify V2 plugin) for sovereignty; OpenNode or Speed for fastest start.
  • Developer: Alby for personal use; BTCPay Greenfield API or Breez SDK for app integrations.

Next step

This page is an editorial draft. State-by-state regulatory details and current US-specific service availability should be verified before publishing as authoritative.

FAQ

Why was Wallet of Satoshi removed from US app stores? +

Wallet of Satoshi withdrew its app from US Apple and Google app stores in November 2023, citing the regulatory environment. The company has since announced a partnership with Spark for a self-custodial version intended as the pathway back to the US market — currently in beta.

Is Bitcoin legal in the United States? +

Yes. Bitcoin is legal to hold, buy, sell, and use as a means of payment in the US. Federal and state regulators have rules for crypto businesses (money transmission, exchanges, custodial wallets), but individuals holding and using Bitcoin face no general prohibition.

Is Strike available in my state? +

Strike is available in all US states except New York. It supports Lightning-native payments and SEPA-equivalent USD flows.