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16 articles

Layer 2

Layer 2June 2nd, 202620 min read

What is Spark? The Bitcoin Layer 2 behind the new wave of self-custodial wallets

Spark is a Bitcoin Layer 2 based on statechains and shared signing. It gives wallets a way to offer a Lightning-like payment experience without taking direct custody, but its self-custody guarantees are weaker than holding bitcoin directly on L1.

Layer 2May 31th, 202615 min read

What is the Ark protocol? The missing piece to make Bitcoin a scalable everyday currency

Bitcoin is often described as a store of value, a form of “digital gold” meant to be held rather than spent. Yet, to function as a true monetary system, it must also enable payments that are fast, simple, and accessible. While solutions like the Lightning Network have significantly improved this aspect, they still introduce a level of complexity that limits adoption. It is in this context that the Ark protocol emerges.

LightningMay 30st, 202620 min read

What Is the Lightning Network? Bitcoin's Payment Layer Explained

The Lightning Network is Bitcoin's payment layer, enabling instant, low-cost transactions without compromising decentralization. Discover why it exists, how it solves Bitcoin's scaling limits, and whether it is a viable long-term solution or just an intermediate step in Bitcoin's evolving monetary infrastructure.

Layer 2May 8th, 20265 min read

What is Citrea? The Bitcoin rollup powered by BitVM?

While Bitcoin still concentrates most of the liquidity in the crypto market, its use remains largely limited to value transfer and long-term holding. This contrasts with other ecosystems where on-chain financial applications have expanded significantly. It is within this context that Citrea emerges, aiming to make Bitcoin programmable without modifying its base protocol.

LightningMay 8th 20265 min read

What Is E-Cash? David Chaum’s Confidential Transaction Protocol on Bitcoin

E-Cash is making a comeback in the Bitcoin ecosystem through protocols like Cashu and Fedimint. At its core lies an older idea: enabling digital payments that are as private as physical cash, without exposing every transaction to a public ledger or a centralized intermediary.

Layer 2May 7th, 20265 min read

What is Rootstock? The Bitcoin sidechain for smart contracts

Bitcoin was designed as a monetary system, not as a programmable platform. Yet over the past few years, several solutions have attempted to extend its capabilities without modifying its core protocol. Rootstock fits into this trend: a sidechain aiming to bring smart contracts to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Layer 2May 7th, 2026

What is the Liquid Network? Bitcoin’s private and scalable sidechain?

Bitcoin was designed as a robust monetary system, but with intentionally limited capacity. To address these constraints, several solutions have emerged to improve its usability. Among them, the Liquid Network takes a different approach: a sidechain focused on speed, privacy, and asset issuance.

Layer 2May 6th, 20265 min read

What are Ordinals, Runes, and other inscriptions on Bitcoin?

Since 2023, a new practice has emerged on Bitcoin: inscriptions. Images, text, tokens, and various files can now be recorded directly on the blockchain. Behind this shift, several protocols, Ordinals, BRC-20, and later Runes, have emerged in succession. Their appearance has expanded Bitcoin's possible use cases while reigniting a long-standing debate about the network's purpose.

Layer 2May 6th, 20265 min read

What is RGB, the ultra-scalable and highly confidential Bitcoin Layer 2?

Bitcoin was designed as a robust and decentralized monetary system, but its architecture naturally limits the complexity of applications built directly on its blockchain. For several years, different solutions have attempted to extend its capabilities without modifying its core rules. The RGB protocol follows this approach, with a radically different design: moving contract execution off-chain while preserving Bitcoin's security.

Layer 2May 5h, 20265 min read

What is BitVM? The protocol that enables Layer 2 rollups on Bitcoin

Since its inception, Bitcoin has been designed as a simple, robust monetary system with intentionally limited programmability. Unlike blockchains such as Ethereum, it does not natively support complex smart contracts. Yet, the demand for more advanced applications on Bitcoin continues to grow, pushing developers to explore new approaches. This is where BitVM comes in.