Bitcoin Lightning payments can take only seconds.
Getting your first sats usually takes a few minutes of setup — but you generally only need to do that once.
Once you have sats ready to spend, your next payment can be as simple as:
Scan → Check → Pay. ⚡
Step 1 — Get your first sats
There are two easy ways to start.
Option A — Buy a small amount of Bitcoin
For Australians, AmberApp is a straightforward way to buy Bitcoin using Australian dollars. Allow around 5–10 minutes to get set up. ID verification is usually quick, and PayID deposits can arrive within minutes. Depending on your bank or deposit method, verification or funding can occasionally take longer. Amber already maintains its own step-by-step guides, so rather than duplicate instructions that may change over time, follow their guides to:
You don’t need much. $10 is plenty to start experimenting. Identity verification is commonly required when exchanging Australian dollars for Bitcoin.
Option B — Simply receive some sats
You don’t actually need to buy Bitcoin yourself.
Download a Lightning wallet such as Blink or Wallet of Satoshi, tap Receive, and share the Lightning payment request with someone who already has sats. They can send them directly to your wallet in seconds and no exchange is involved — you’re simply receiving Bitcoin from another person.
Step 2 — Get ready for small Lightning payments
AmberApp can send Bitcoin directly over the Lightning Network. For very small payments or tips, however, your account may have a minimum send amount. If so, simply send some sats from AmberApp to a dedicated Lightning wallet such as Blink or Wallet of Satoshi first. Think of this as moving a little Bitcoin into your everyday spending wallet. Once the sats are there, they’re ready to use.
⚠️ Treat your Lightning wallet like the wallet in your pocket. Keep only a small amount of Bitcoin there for everyday spending — never more than you’d be comfortable losing. Keep long-term savings secured separately.
Step 3 — Make your first Lightning payment
Let’s make the first one almost risk-free.
We’ve created a tiny Lightning Bazaar payment for around 10 cents worth of sats, specifically for people trying Lightning for the first time. Open your Lightning wallet:
1. Scan the Lightning QR code.
2. Check the amount.
3. Pay.
Try a 10¢ LIGHTNING BAZAAR payment here:
You’ve just used Bitcoin as money. ⚡
And the next payment?
This is the important part. You don’t repeat all that setup. Once you already have sats in your Lightning wallet, your next payment is simply:
Scan → Check → Pay.
Seconds.
You can use exactly the same process to tip someone, pay another Lightning user, or buy something with Bitcoin.
That’s the real benefit of getting set up: the first time takes a few minutes. After that, Lightning payments can take seconds.