<p>You've basically described Ripple (aka XRP). You may want to read up on it - and specifically, criticism of it that can help illuminate why this system does not offer the same benefits that Bitcoin's does.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T22:59:22.370Z
The difference between ripple and this would be, ripple need a validating node and this is completely only peers
Mani Bharathy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T23:13:56.143Z
I think the system described by OP much more closely resembles the old pre-XRP Ripple system by Ryan Fugger.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T22:38:37.650Z
2020-04-22T22:38:37.650Z
Meni Rosenfeld
<p>As Meni and Pieter have pointed out, you seem to be describing the original Ripple system (described and centrally implemented before the Ripple/XRP company, and even before Bitcoin). </p>

<p>One main point that hasn't been mentioned before is that this system isn't based on a bearer asset like Bitcoin but on debt instead. So it would be a F2F (friend-to-friend) debt channel network instead of a P2P cash channel network like Lightning is. </p>

<p>This has many implications that probably prevent such a system from scaling widely. For example, it would be hard for large companies to be part of such a system since they would need to trust all their customers. </p>

<p>I'm not saying that it couldn't work, but it would be a system with very different properties and there is probably a reason why it hasn't taken off long before Bitcoin.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-23T12:47:15.010Z
2020-04-23T12:47:15.010Z
stefanwouldgo
<p>Under the given assumptions such a system would work. However I highly doubt the assumptions</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T22:05:19.393Z
2020-04-22T22:05:19.393Z
Rene Pickhardt
<p>I've been reading about the working of LN. I had this interesting thought, what if we dont need the main blockchain and the miners to have a p2p cash system. Let me explain.</p>

<p>The difference between the current LN and what I thought is, people have channels only with the people they know and trust. There wont be any multisig wallet(may be set a limit for each channel based on their trust of the other person). And when they wanna close the channel, they transact in real life either with bitcoin or fiat (whatever unit they are using). Since it the people they trust there wont be any cheating problem. </p>

<p>This will be a completely p2p system. Would such system work? Am I missing anything?</p>

<lightning-network>
Lightning network without main chain?
Mani Bharathy
# Lightning network without main chain?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-22)

I've been reading about the working of LN. I had this interesting thought, what if we dont need the main blockchain and the miners to have a p2p cash system. Let me explain.

The difference between the current LN and what I thought is, people have channels only with the people they know and trust. There wont be any multisig wallet(may be set a limit for each channel based on their trust of the other person). And when they wanna close the channel, they transact in real life either with bitcoin or fiat (whatever unit they are using). Since it the people they trust there wont be any cheating problem.

This will be a completely p2p system. Would such system work? Am I missing anything?

**Tags:** lightning-network


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-22. Score: 2

You've basically described Ripple (aka XRP). You may want to read up on it - and specifically, criticism of it that can help illuminate why this system does not offer the same benefits that Bitcoin's does.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The difference between ripple and this would be, ripple need a validating node and this is completely only peers  
> **username_2**: I think the system described by OP much more closely resembles the old pre-XRP Ripple system by Ryan Fugger.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-04-23. Score: 1

As Meni and Pieter have pointed out, you seem to be describing the original Ripple system (described and centrally implemented before the Ripple/XRP company, and even before Bitcoin).

One main point that hasn't been mentioned before is that this system isn't based on a bearer asset like Bitcoin but on debt instead. So it would be a F2F (friend-to-friend) debt channel network instead of a P2P cash channel network like Lightning is.

This has many implications that probably prevent such a system from scaling widely. For example, it would be hard for large companies to be part of such a system since they would need to trust all their customers.

I'm not saying that it couldn't work, but it would be a system with very different properties and there is probably a reason why it hasn't taken off long before Bitcoin.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-04-22. Score: 0

Under the given assumptions such a system would work. However I highly doubt the assumptions


---

