Definition. This chart shows the average Lightning Network channel capacity per node, displayed in both BTC (orange) and USD (green) denomination, alongside the BTC price (grey).

Technical. The average capacity is calculated as the total channel capacity divided by the number of reachable nodes:

• Mean Node Capacity (BTC) = Total Network Capacity / Node Count (orange)
• Mean Node Capacity (USD) = Mean Node Capacity (BTC) x Price (green)

Interpretation. Mean node capacity gauges how much liquidity the average routing participant commits to the network. A rising BTC-denominated trace indicates that capacity is growing faster than the node count — the network deepening around larger, better-capitalized routing nodes — while a falling trace indicates node growth outpacing committed liquidity, typical of waves of small hobbyist nodes joining. Comparing the BTC and USD traces separates organic network growth from price effects: the USD trace can rise on price appreciation alone even when the underlying BTC capacity per node is flat.

Notes. Built from Lightning Network Capacity and Lightning Network Number of Nodes. See also Mean Channels per Node, Opened/Closed Channels and Change in Node Count.