<blockquote>
  <p>Is there a minimum limit of bitcoin that can be added into a channel
  during the initialization?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>According to the <a href="https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/master/03-transactions.md#commitment-transaction-outputs" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lightning Network Specifications</a>: </p>

<p>"<em>The amounts for each output MUST be rounded down to whole satoshis. If this amount, <strong>minus the fees</strong> for the HTLC transaction, is less than the <strong>dust_limit_satoshis</strong> set by the owner of the commitment transaction, the output MUST NOT be produced (thus the funds add to fees).</em>"</p>

<p>So, the commitment must be greater than the sum of the transaction fee (determined by miners at the time of broadcast) and the <code>dust_limit_satoshis</code> value. The dust limit purpose is "<em>to prevent creation of uneconomic outputs (which would otherwise remain forever, unspent on the blockchain</em>." - <a href="https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/4aabe6052395269f82e20b06f1e6b717c343f7d9/05-onchain.md#rationale-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BOLT #5</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>And, if I decided to open a channel with a lightning node, also that
  node has to add money to the channel?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>From what I understand, this is not typical, but it depends on your agreement with that other node. "<em>Initially they each hold a bitcoin transaction that sends all the bitcoin (e.g. 0.1 bitcoin) back to one party.</em>" <a href="https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/master/00-introduction.md#channels" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lightning RFC - Introductions</a>. So, if the fundee needed to make a payment to the funder, it could provide a payment up front.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-07T11:44:23.373Z
Perhaps initialization is a special case, since there are no previous commitments that one can try to commit fraud with. For all subsequent cases (after the counterparty has more than 1% of the funds), there are more things to consider: https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/80731/minimum-funds-required-in-a-channel-in-lightning/80786#80786
ranchalp
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-03T20:52:56.020Z
I believe that as of the current implementations of lnd, the default, tested and only way is to open a channel when only the initiate party funds the channel. That is to answer your second question. I’ll be happy to know if there any development with this issue.
Haddar Macdasi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-30T15:00:07.677Z
2018-08-30T15:00:07.677Z
JBaczuk
<p>Is there a minimum limit of bitcoin that can be added into a channel during the initialization? </p>

<p>And, if I decided to open a channel with a lightning node, also that node has to add money to the channel? </p>

<lightning-network><funds><ln-opening-channels>
Lightning network: funds into channels
Bruce Wayne
# Lightning network: funds into channels

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-30)

Is there a minimum limit of bitcoin that can be added into a channel during the initialization?

And, if I decided to open a channel with a lightning node, also that node has to add money to the channel?

**Tags:** lightning-network, funds, ln-opening-channels


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-08-30. Score: 1

> Is there a minimum limit of bitcoin that can be added into a channel
> during the initialization?

According to the [Lightning Network Specifications](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/master/03-transactions.md#commitment-transaction-outputs):

"*The amounts for each output MUST be rounded down to whole satoshis. If this amount, **minus the fees** for the HTLC transaction, is less than the **dust\_limit\_satoshis** set by the owner of the commitment transaction, the output MUST NOT be produced (thus the funds add to fees).*"

So, the commitment must be greater than the sum of the transaction fee (determined by miners at the time of broadcast) and the `dust_limit_satoshis` value. The dust limit purpose is "*to prevent creation of uneconomic outputs (which would otherwise remain forever, unspent on the blockchain*." - [BOLT #5](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/4aabe6052395269f82e20b06f1e6b717c343f7d9/05-onchain.md#rationale-1)

> And, if I decided to open a channel with a lightning node, also that
> node has to add money to the channel?

From what I understand, this is not typical, but it depends on your agreement with that other node. "*Initially they each hold a bitcoin transaction that sends all the bitcoin (e.g. 0.1 bitcoin) back to one party.*" [Lightning RFC - Introductions](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lightning-rfc/blob/master/00-introduction.md#channels). So, if the fundee needed to make a payment to the funder, it could provide a payment up front.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I believe that as of the current implementations of lnd, the default, tested and only way is to open a channel when only the initiate party funds the channel. That is to answer your second question. I’ll be happy to know if there any development with this issue.  
> **username_2**: Perhaps initialization is a special case, since there are no previous commitments that one can try to commit fraud with. For all subsequent cases (after the counterparty has more than 1% of the funds), there are more things to consider: https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/80731/minimum-funds-required-in-a-channel-in-lightning/80786#80786  

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