lightning network (ln) is bitcoin because channels open and settle on the base chain using bitcoin transactions and utxos for security—it's a layer 2 scaling solution, not a separate coin.
it's fully open: anyone with bitcoin can run a node, open channels permissionlessly, no gatekeepers; the 2-of-2 multisig is just for channel funding, not "washing"—that's a misconception, as all activity anchors to traceable on-chain bitcoin.
no staking involved; ln enables fast payments, secured by bitcoin's pow if disputes arise (via penalty transactions), but watchtowers help monitor offline states to prevent cheating.
bitcoin wiki
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Lightning_network
lightning labs
