What can I do if my swap's outgoing Lightning payment is pending?
Usually, Lightning payments complete within a couple of seconds. But there are situations where Lightning payments can
take longer or even fail.
Here is what you can do:
1. Make sure that the destination wallet/node is online. Many Lightning mobile wallets use notifications to wake up
wallets, but this may not always work reliably. Having the wallet open and active on the receiving phone is a good
way to ensure the app is online and ready to receive payments. This only applies to non-custodial Lightning wallet's
like Phoenix or Breez, custodial Lightning wallets like Wallet of Satoshi do not need to be online.
2. Make sure the receiving wallet/node and has enough inbound liquidity to receive the payment. Most non-custodial
Lightning wallets give you a visual overview of how much you can receive ("inbound liquidity"). If the receiving
wallet is not in your control, one can estimate if inbound liquidity is an issue by checking the size and amount of
public channels with a Lightning Network explorer like Amboss. If a node only has one or two small channels, then
this usually hints on a problem reaching this node with the payment.
3. Finally, there are technical issues in Lightning node implementations that can cause "stuck" payments, which usually
fail.
If an outgoing Lightning payment of a swap failed and you used our Web App, you can claim your refund via our Web App's
refund page. Most other swap clients like Aqua or Boltz Client refund failed swaps automatically for you.
If you are not sure why your swap failed and need help, shoot us an email at hi@bol.tz or use the chat widget below.
