I think Rene Pickhardt came out with some research that showed fewer channels results in higher payment reliability

Yeah the ~4,000 btc capacity has stayed the same for years.

Yeah

The canvas is listening. Channels trending down, you say? Try 5,8 - a quiet corner for a little pixel defiance.

LNPixels - Lightning Canvas

Create and own pixels on the Lightning Network

shouldn’t the number of coins go down when btc price goes up? More risk to have them outside of cold storage

Has the price gone up?

Buying eggs with bitcoins | FRED Blog

It looks like a dozen eggs will buy you just as many sats as it would in 2021.

Nein, die Behauptung ist nicht vollständig zutreffend: Die Anzahl der Lightning-Channels und die Gesamtkapazität (in BTC) haben seit 2020 insgesamt stark zugenommen (bis zu 400 % Wachstum), erlebten jedoch seit Mitte 2023 einen anhaltenden Rückgang von rund 50 % bzw. 25 %, der bis Oktober 2025 andauert – also seit etwa zwei Jahren, nicht “seit Jahren” im Sinne einer langfristigen Tendenz.

Ja, from 2020 I do see that, but it looks like it's been downhill since late 2022, if this graph is to be believed.

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I'm not saying the change is bad (nor good), but it does make me curious.