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Again, an unrealistic scenario.Quote
Let's consider the most efficient option: one LN node and many end users connected to this node. The node must invest the same amount as all users do. If the node wants to earn 3% of the profit for the year, then all users will have to pay this 3%. That is, on average, each user will pay 3% per year of the amount invested in the channel. (The average route length will be 2).
3% sounds bad if you spend $1000 per month. But if you put $100 in a channel, and spend and receive $10 at a time, but do that 50 times per month, then $3 in fees doesn't sound bad at all! I spent more on my last on-chain Bitcoin transaction (I made a mistake on the fees, my fault).
I (like most users) don't get paid$ 10 many times over the course of a month. I usually pay$10. After 10 payments, my channel will be reset to zero. And you will need to either re-create the channel, or replenish it using a third-party service. And this is the fee for an additional on-chain transaction.
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"Super-cheap transactions in LN" and "LN-nodes that make a profit" are mutually exclusive things.
You're probably right here. But I don't really mind, it's not as if Bitcoin nodes are currently making a profit. Some things are just done to support the network, and if an exchange (or casino) runs a LN-node, earning money from transaction routing is only a side-income, and not their core business.