Department of Mathematics2024-11-0920150022-314X10.1016/j.jnt.2014.11.0022-s2.0-84920987200http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnt.2014.11.002https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/10337We study the j-invariant of the canonical lifting of an elliptic curve as a Witt vector. We prove that its Witt coordinates lie in an open affine subset of the j-line and deduce the existence of a universal formula for the j-invariant of the canonical lifting. The canonical lifting of the elliptic curves with j-invariant 0 and 1728 over any characteristic is also explicitly found. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.MathematicsJournal Article1096-1658349510900003Q32450