Definition. This chart shows the average number of Lightning Network channels per node (orange columns), alongside the BTC price (grey).

Technical. Since every channel connects two nodes, each channel contributes to the channel count of both of its endpoints:

• Mean Channels per Node = 2 x Channel Count / Node Count

Interpretation. Mean channels per node describes the connectivity density of the Lightning Network graph. Rising values indicate the average node is maintaining more channels — a better-connected topology with more routing paths and greater redundancy — and often accompany phases where professional routing nodes expand their presence. Falling values indicate node growth outpacing channel creation, typical of influxes of lightly-connected hobbyist nodes, or of consolidation phases where redundant channels are closed. Read together with capacity measures, it helps distinguish networks that are growing in breadth (more nodes) from those growing in depth (more connectivity and liquidity per node).

Notes. Built from Lightning Network Number of Channels and Lightning Network Number of Nodes. See also Mean Node Capacity and Opened/Closed Channels.