John Deaton, a legal expert and advocate for cryptocurrency, has criticized the Lightning Network and endorsed the 'Spend The Bits' protocol on the XRP Ledger as a superior alternative. Deaton, who is an angel investor and Chief Legal Officer for 'Spend the Bits', has previously praised the protocol as a faster and more secure way to spend Bitcoin than the Lightning Network.

His comments come at a time when concerns have been raised about the security and integrity of the Lightning Network, with a prominent Bitcoin developer identifying a significant security risk and usage declining by 84% compared to the previous year. The Lightning Network's capacity has also dwindled by 15% over the past three months, prompting questions about its robustness and sustainability.