"state channel" v.s "micro-payment channel" : are they the same?

0

We use "micro-payment channels" such as "Bitcoin Lightning Network" or "Duplex Micro-Payment Channels" for saving transaction fee, accelerating payments, supporting better micro-payment and scaling blockchain.

Is there any difference between "state channel" v.s "micro-payment channel"? and if so, what are differences?

Questioner

Posted 2018-07-26T02:16:51.533

Reputation: 906

Answers

3

Payment channels are a specific form of state channels used for forwarding payments (as in the Lightning network). State channels are a more abstract idea: In theory you could use the ideas of cryptographically securing a state between two or more participants (the balance in payment channels) backed by a blockchain for something else than payments (like games). But, just as with blockchains, it is highly doubtful if this actually makes sense economically for anything else than money itself.

stefanwouldgo

Posted 2018-07-26T02:16:51.533

Reputation: 579