Botanix Labs has officially launched its EVM-equivalent Bitcoin Layer 2 (L2) mainnet, making it the first decentralized Bitcoin L2 from inception. The network, governed by a federation of 16 independent node operators including Galaxy and Fireblocks, drastically improves Bitcoin’s utility with 5-second block times and $0.02 average fees. Key ecosystem partners like Chainlink, GMX, and Dolomite are already live, while new Bitcoin-native apps such as Arch and Bitzy are launching exclusively on Botanix. The team also unveiled ‘Bitcoin 2100,’ an immersive game where users earn bitcoin while exploring DeFi applications on the network. CEO Willem Schroé emphasized Botanix’s commitment to self-custody and decentralization, addressing past issues with centralized platforms. With over 26M testnet transactions since December 2024, Botanix aims to expand its node operator set beyond 100 in 2026.
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Bitcoin’s Cold War: 3,000 Nodes at Risk in Core Policy Clash
Bitcoin Core’s decision to remove the 80-byte OP_RETURN relay cap has sparked a divisive policy war, with a GitHub script now targeting Bitcoin Knots nodes (13% of reachable peers) for auto-banning. The conflict centers on whether larger data payloads undermine Bitcoin’s monetary focus, with Knots gaining adoption as critics like Luke Dashjr call Core’s move ‘utter insanity.’ Unlike the block size wars, this relay policy split doesn’t require consensus changes but risks network partitioning if peer bans spread. Core’s v30 release in October will enforce the change, leaving miners and node operators to decide whether to propagate data-heavy transactions. With Knots nodes at a record 2,938 and banning tools proliferating, Bitcoin faces its first major operational divide since 2017.
read moreBitVM Smart Contracts Gain 31.5% Bitcoin Hashrate Support
Bitlayer’s BitVM implementation has gained backing from major Bitcoin mining pools, including Antpool, F2Pool, and SpiderPool, which collectively control 31.5% of the network’s hashrate. This support ensures the system’s operation on the Bitcoin blockchain, enhancing its scalability and functionality. BitVM, introduced in 2023 by Robin Linux, enables complex smart contracts on Bitcoin by verifying computations onchain while executing them offchain, similar to optimistic rollups. The move marks a significant step toward expanding Bitcoin’s utility beyond simple transactions.
read moreFoundry Dominates Bitcoin Mining with 34 Percent Block Share
Foundry USA has emerged as a dominant force in Bitcoin mining, recently capturing 34% of all blocks mined in the past week. This achievement is part of a broader trend, as Foundry, with an estimated hashrate of 233 EH/s, continues to outpace its closest competitor, AntPool, contributing to a market where a few entities control over half of the Bitcoin blocks. The strategic moves behind Foundry’s success highlight its consistency and reliability in the decentralized mining landscape.
read moreBhutan’s Gelephu City Integrates Bitcoin and Ethereum into Strategic Reserves
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) in Bhutan plans to incorporate Bitcoin, Ethereum, and BNB into its strategic reserves, marking a pioneering move for Special Administrative Regions. This initiative aims to enhance economic resilience and is part of a broader strategy to leverage digital assets and Bitcoin mining for economic growth.The city, envisioned as a sustainable urban model, will be powered entirely by renewable energy and is strategically located to serve over two billion people in South Asia. With new digital asset laws in place, GMC is set to become a hub for digital innovation and blockchain technology.
read moreBitcoin Faces Decentralization Challenges Compared to Ethereum in 2024
Bitcoin (BTC) is increasingly viewed as less decentralized than Ethereum (ETH) due to several factors, including a lack of client diversity, centralization risks from major mining pools, and a shrinking security budget. With fewer active Bitcoin Core developers and a weak social narrative, Bitcoin faces significant challenges, while Ethereum benefits from a robust developer community and anti-centralization measures.
read moreFoundry Refunds 8.18 BTC Transaction Fee After Overpayment Error
Foundry USA Pool, the largest Bitcoin mining pool, refunded an excess transaction fee of 8.18 BTC (approximately $777,000) after a significant overpayment during the mining of block 875475 on December 19. The mining pool assured that this refund did not impact regular customer payouts, as their system disregards extreme transaction fees. This incident follows a similar refund by Antpool in November 2023, where a user mistakenly submitted an 83 BTC fee.
read moreProsper Partners with BITMAIN for Bitcoin Miner Hosting Services
Prosper has secured a long-term hosting service agreement with BITMAIN, the leading manufacturer of digital currency mining servers, to enhance operational standards for its Bitcoin miners. This partnership aims to unlock Bitcoin’s potential through liquidity farming and will see the first batch of hashrate come online in November via Antpool’s mining pool platform. Prosper positions itself as a unique Web3 Bitcoin mining project, collaborating with top industry players to benefit $PROS token holders.
read moreProsper Partners with BITMAIN for Long-Term Bitcoin Miner Hosting Services
Prosper has secured a long-term agreement with BITMAIN to provide hosting services for its Bitcoin miners, enhancing operational standards for $PROS token holders. The initial hashrate is set to go live in November via Antpool’s mining pool, marking a strategic pivot towards Bitcoin mining and liquidity farming. This partnership positions Prosper as a unique Web3 Bitcoin mining project with top industry players.
read moreChina’s Bitcoin Mining Dominance and Evolving Regulatory Landscape
Recent claims suggest that China controls 55% of the Bitcoin network hashrate, but this overlooks the global distribution of miners within pools like Antpool and F2pool. Notably, US-based pools, such as MARA Pool and Foundry, accounted for 33.6% of blocks mined in August 2024, complicating the geographic hashrate analysis.Meanwhile, following a 2021 ban on cryptocurrency, rumors of a potential unban in mainland China have emerged, coinciding with new anti-money laundering regulations set to take effect in 2025. These regulations aim to address risks associated with digital assets and involve collaboration with financial institutions and the central bank.
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