I'm very interested in your comparison of LN nodes (factories) with bank branches and between them, there is one very significant difference IMHO.
Lightning Network Hubs:
No KYC, no AML.
1. you cant just have funds and throw it at a destination when using LN.
a) first you need to lock your funds into a contract. which gives a scond party duel signature control of.(setting up a bank account)
b) then you need to route your funds from the factory(central deposit) to a hub(choosing which regional bank branch you wish to frequent most often)
c) then when spending the funds that were allocated to your local bank branch account(channel). the hub needs to sign off on it.
d) and so does every attached hub on the route to the destination.. and
d) even the destination needs a hub manager to be awake and online to accept payment because your destined friend may be asleep
e) where things like banking hours may develop where not everyone is online all the time so certain times of day become better to transact(best routes)
as for AMLKYC
go research into latest regulatory reports about making it compulsory for "custodians" to KYC... look at the new crypto companies starting up that are not doing finance but doing identity.. where do you think they link into the picture..
here is what will happen
factoris will register as custodians and do KYC. and be allowed to handle large amounts of funding. they however need to register thier channel partners who also reach a certain value limit to avoid AML alerts. and if the network overview shows they have channeled to a node that has high value but cant be KYC'd the factories will rfuse to channel with them to avoid being alerted as a possible AML risk.
eventually nodes with high value but no KYC wont find acceptable channel partners. and as we all should know by now, due to the 8 degrees of separation theory. (some say lower numbr) everyone including the small value channels will be KYC'd due to thier near partnerage of a registered AMLKYC factory/watchtower
last point.
if you think LN is going to be more private and 'off the grid' .. think again. just look at the stats that get posted.
nodes are PUBLICLY publishling their holdings, numbers of channels and values in each.
if LN was more private than onchain. none of the stats would be able to be published.