Service overview
GhostSwap
ghostswap.io
Swap front-end routing orders through third-party processing partners
Non-custodialNo registration
Privacy 10.0/10
Safety 8.4/10
Read the evidence
Lightning Loop review
Lightning Labs' non-custodial submarine swap service for moving sats between Lightning and on-chain
Privacy score
7.8/ 10
StrongHow much you reveal
See the score breakdown Safety score
8.0/ 10
StrongHow well you’re protected
See the score breakdown Identity policy
1/ 4 KYC level
No ID mentioned Read the policy Evidence
Documentation reviewed Grades based on published terms and documentation.
0 published tests Two grades. Different questions.Understand the methodology
The overview
The essentials, at a glance.
Lightning Loop is a swap service operating since 2019. Its terms put it at KYC level 1 of 4: no ID mentioned. NoKYC Score grades it 7.8/10 for privacy (strong) and 8.0/10 for safety (strong). In its favour: no account needed, no email needed and no phone number. No incidents are on record.
What stands out
- Never holds your funds
The operator never controls user funds, so it cannot freeze them.
- Open source
The code that matters is public and can be inspected.
- No account needed
Usable without creating an account, or the account is only a random number.
Before you use it
No warning flags found in the recorded terms. This is not a guarantee of safety.
0 incidents on recordNo test transactions published yet.
About Lightning Loop
Lightning Loop is a service from Lightning Labs that lets a Lightning node operator swap off-chain balance to an on-chain address (Loop Out) or refill channels from on-chain bitcoin (Loop In) using non-custodial submarine swaps. It is used through the open-source loop client or Lightning Terminal alongside an LND node, and authenticates with an L402 token bought for 1 satoshi on first use rather than an account. The fee documentation lists a Loop service fee that depends on on-chain fee conditions, the miner fees, and a 30,000-sat prepayment on Loop Out that is forfeited if the swap is not completed. No identity requirement appears in the documentation read; no separate Loop terms of service were found.
Cite this review or read as plain text
NoKYC Score, "Lightning Loop review", reviewed 23 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/lightning-loop
Open plain-text review ↗The feature review
Privacy, without the guesswork.
7 / 15 features confirmed0 warnings in the recorded terms
Identity
3 / 4 confirmed
- ID never requiredNot stated
The terms rule identity checks out, or the design makes them impossible.
- No account neededYes
Usable without creating an account, or the account is only a random number.
- No email neededYes
An email address is not required to sign up or use it.
- No phone numberYes
A phone number is never required.
Payment
1 / 2 confirmed
- Accepts MoneroNot stated
Monero hides sender, receiver and amount, so the payment cannot be traced to you.
- Accepts LightningYes
Bitcoin Lightning payments: fast, cheap and more private than on-chain.
Access
0 / 2 confirmed
- Tor onion addressNot stated
An official .onion address, reachable only through Tor.
- Works without JavaScriptNot stated
Core functions work with scripts disabled, as in Tor Browser on its safest setting.
Trust
3 / 7 confirmed
- Never holds your fundsYes
The operator never controls user funds, so it cannot freeze them.
- Own liquidityNot stated
Fills orders from its own reserves, so no upstream exchange screens your deposit.
- Refund without IDNot stated
The terms commit to refunding a stopped order without identity documents.
- Open sourceYes
The code that matters is public and can be inspected.
- Independent auditNot stated
A third party audited the code or the no-logs claim, and the report is public.
- Company namedNot stated
The operating company and its jurisdiction are published.
- 5+ years operatingYes
Has operated continuously for five years or more.
Warnings
0 flagged
- May ask for IDNot in terms
The terms reserve the right to demand identity documents, often after a risk flag.
- Screens depositsNot in terms
Deposits are scored by blockchain analytics; a flag can freeze them.
- Passes orders to partnersNot in terms
Orders go to upstream exchanges that apply their own screening.
- Holds your fundsNot in terms
The operator controls user funds while they are on the platform.
- Email requiredNot in terms
An email address is required to use the service.
- Phone number requiredNot in terms
A phone number is required to use the service.
- Closed sourceNot in terms
The code is not public, so its behaviour cannot be checked.
- Nobody accountableNot in terms
No company or person is publicly responsible for the service.
“Not stated” means the service’s own pages do not say. Expand a group to see every check.
Identity requirements
Does Lightning Loop require KYC?
Level 1 of 4
No ID mentioned
- 0 Never
- 1 Not mentioned
- 2 Rare
- 3 On risk flag
- 4 Mandatory
No ID requirement appears anywhere in Lightning Loop's terms or documentation. Checked against its own terms.
- No account needed
- No email
- No phone number
- No ID documents
KYC level 1: No ID mentioned. No identity requirement appears anywhere in the terms or documentation.
The official Loop documentation describes L402 token authentication and no account or identity step; no Loop terms of service were found to confirm the policy (not confirmed).
Transparent by design
Every point, explained.
Both grades start at 50 points and move by fixed, published amounts. Nothing is adjusted by hand. The total is divided by ten.
Privacy
7.8/ 10
- Starting points 50
- KYC level 1: No ID mentioned +12
- No registration +6
- No email needed +3
- No phone needed +1
- Accepts Lightning +1
- Non-custodial +3
- Open source +2
- Total, clamped to 0–100 78
Safety
8.0/ 10
- Starting points 50
- Non-custodial +12
- Open source +8
- 5+ years operating +10
- Total, clamped to 0–100 80
Evidence, not promises
Test ledger 0
Published test transactions, with the route, amount and outcome available to inspect.
No test transactions published yet
The grades above rest on Lightning Loop’s terms and documentation. Tests will appear here with the date, route, amount band and result as they are run.
The track record
Incidents 0
No incidents on record
We have no documented cases for Lightning Loop. An empty record does not guarantee a service is risk-free.
Community experience
What users are saying 0
Reviews never change a grade. Reviews with a transaction reference are marked.
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Alternatives to Lightning Loop
All alternatives → Service overview
Chainflip
chainflip.io
Cross-chain DEX protocol for native BTC, ETH, SOL and stablecoin swaps
Non-custodialNo registration
Privacy 7.1/10
Safety 8.3/10
Read the evidence
Service overview
Swap Market
swapmarket.github.io
Open-source front end for atomic swaps between Bitcoin, Lightning, Liquid and Rootstock
Non-custodialNo registration
Privacy 9.3/10
Safety 7.3/10
Read the evidence
Service overview
eigenwallet
eigenwallet.org
Desktop wallet for peer-to-peer BTC-to-XMR atomic swaps, formerly UnstoppableSwap
Non-custodialNo registration
Privacy 8.9/10
Safety 7.0/10
Read the evidence
Lightning Loop vs GhostSwapLightning Loop vs ChainflipLightning Loop vs Swap MarketLightning Loop vs eigenwallet
Lightning Loop: common questions
Does Lightning Loop require KYC?
Lightning Loop is rated KYC level 1 of 4 on this site: no ID mentioned. The official Loop documentation describes L402 token authentication and no account or identity step; no Loop terms of service were found to confirm the policy (not confirmed).
Is Lightning Loop safe to use?
Lightning Loop has a Safety grade of 8.0 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 7.8 out of 10. No incidents are on record. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.
Is Lightning Loop legit?
Lightning Loop is a working swap service that has operated since 2019. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 8.0 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.
Is Lightning Loop a scam?
NoKYC Score does not label services as scams; it records documented incidents with their sources and outcomes. No incidents are on record for Lightning Loop.
Do I need an account or email to use Lightning Loop?
No account needed.
What fees does Lightning Loop charge?
Loop service fee varying with on-chain conditions, plus on-chain and routing fees; 30,000-sat no-show prepayment on Loop Out. Fees were recorded from Lightning Loop's own pages and can change; check before you send.
Does Lightning Loop have a Tor onion address?
No official onion address was found on Lightning Loop's own pages.
Which cryptocurrencies does Lightning Loop support?
Lightning Loop supports BTC.
Is Lightning Loop custodial?
No. Lightning Loop is non-custodial: the operator does not control user funds.
Can I use Lightning Loop over Tor?
Lightning Loop does not publish an official onion address.
Listing history
- Listing added. Facts and KYC level set from the service's own terms and documentation.