Building on Bitcoin Event Recap
by Grant Nissly on March 6th, 2024
The recent Building on Bitcoin Virtual event served as a rallying point for Bitcoiners and developers, showcasing the diverse innovations emerging within the Bitcoin ecosystem.
From Layer 2 solutions to DeFi applications, the Bitcoin economy is experiencing a renaissance, propelled by advancements such as Ordinals and BRC-20s.
The event, held on February 22nd, drew participants from around the globe, underscoring the growing interest and engagement within the Bitcoin development community.
Whether you were an active participant or missed out on the live sessions, the entirety of the event is now available for review on YouTube and X — we hope that the insights and discussions shared extend far beyond the virtual confines of the conference!
Here’s a summary of some of the key talks during the event.
From Layer 2 solutions to DeFi applications, the Bitcoin economy is experiencing a renaissance, propelled by advancements such as Ordinals and BRC-20s.
The event, held on February 22nd, drew participants from around the globe, underscoring the growing interest and engagement within the Bitcoin development community.
Whether you were an active participant or missed out on the live sessions, the entirety of the event is now available for review on YouTube and X — we hope that the insights and discussions shared extend far beyond the virtual confines of the conference!
Here’s a summary of some of the key talks during the event.
A Global Perspective on the Bitcoin Ecosystem
Moderator: Gina Abrams (Trust Machines)
Speakers: Melody He (Spartan Capital), Daniel Fogg (IOV Labs), NFT Supply (SatRepublic), Trevor Owens (Bitcoin Frontier Fund)
YouTube Link
Speakers: Melody He (Spartan Capital), Daniel Fogg (IOV Labs), NFT Supply (SatRepublic), Trevor Owens (Bitcoin Frontier Fund)
YouTube Link
Gina Abrams of Trust Machines moderated an expert panel to explore Bitcoin's global adoption and potential. Each speaker shared their insights — here’s a sneak peek of some of the highlights.
Melody He highlighted China's significant role in Bitcoin mining and retail holding, despite regulatory challenges.
Trevor Owens emphasized the speculative nature of current Bitcoin use and the need for practical applications.
Daniel Fogg discussed the Rootstock ecosystem, focusing on DeFi and smart contracts on Bitcoin, with a strong user base in Latin America and Africa.
NFT Supply pointed out the growing interest in rare and exotic sats and stressed the importance of mobile-first infrastructure for mainstream adoption.
The panelists agreed on the necessity of developing user-friendly financial products and infrastructure on Bitcoin to encourage wider use, touching on the role of art and culture in attracting new users. Also, they agreed on the need for regulatory clarity to foster further growth.
Melody He highlighted China's significant role in Bitcoin mining and retail holding, despite regulatory challenges.
Trevor Owens emphasized the speculative nature of current Bitcoin use and the need for practical applications.
Daniel Fogg discussed the Rootstock ecosystem, focusing on DeFi and smart contracts on Bitcoin, with a strong user base in Latin America and Africa.
NFT Supply pointed out the growing interest in rare and exotic sats and stressed the importance of mobile-first infrastructure for mainstream adoption.
The panelists agreed on the necessity of developing user-friendly financial products and infrastructure on Bitcoin to encourage wider use, touching on the role of art and culture in attracting new users. Also, they agreed on the need for regulatory clarity to foster further growth.
The Future of Bitcoin with Muneeb Ali and Laura Shin
In a dynamic discussion with Laura Shin, Muneeb Ali, co-creator of Stacks, explored the transformative phase Bitcoin is currently undergoing, with a focus on the emergence of Bitcoin L1 innovations like ordinals and the growing interest in Layer 2 (L2) technologies.
Laura and Muneeb discussed the potential of Bitcoin L2s to attract significant intellectual and financial capital to the ecosystem, enhancing Bitcoin's utility and infrastructure.
The conversation also touched on the Nakamoto upgrade for Stacks aimed at improving transaction efficiency. Also, Muneeb discussed the broader implications of ETFs and the upcoming Bitcoin halving on the ecosystem's evolution.
Muneeb emphasized the excitement around the experimentation within the Bitcoin L2 space and its potential to drive growth and innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Laura and Muneeb discussed the potential of Bitcoin L2s to attract significant intellectual and financial capital to the ecosystem, enhancing Bitcoin's utility and infrastructure.
The conversation also touched on the Nakamoto upgrade for Stacks aimed at improving transaction efficiency. Also, Muneeb discussed the broader implications of ETFs and the upcoming Bitcoin halving on the ecosystem's evolution.
Muneeb emphasized the excitement around the experimentation within the Bitcoin L2 space and its potential to drive growth and innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Growth Spurt: What Bitcoin DeFi Should Learn From Other Chains
Moderator: William Foxley (Blockspace)
Speakers: Alex Miller (Hiro), Jake Margulies (Galxe), Sankha Banerjee (Babylon)
YouTube Link
Speakers: Alex Miller (Hiro), Jake Margulies (Galxe), Sankha Banerjee (Babylon)
YouTube Link
During a panel discussion led by William Foxley of Blockspace, industry experts Alex Miller, Jake Margulies, and Sankha Banerjee explored the rapid development in the Bitcoin ecosystem, drawing comparisons to the DeFi summer of 2020.
The panel discussed the importance of community engagement in building a thriving DeFi ecosystem. Reflecting on DeFi Summer of 2020, they noted the current macroeconomic differences and the Bitcoin community's cautious approach to risk, emphasizing security and self-custody over high yields.
The conversation shifted towards Bitcoin's Layer 2 (L2) solutions, where the panel commented on the exciting growth of Bitcoin L2s. The panel noted the variety of exciting innovations coming to Bitcoin like BitVM and sBTC that would help to scale Bitcoin.
Alex highlighted the importance of innovation at the L2 level rather than making speculative changes to Bitcoin's highly reliable L1.
The panel discussed the importance of community engagement in building a thriving DeFi ecosystem. Reflecting on DeFi Summer of 2020, they noted the current macroeconomic differences and the Bitcoin community's cautious approach to risk, emphasizing security and self-custody over high yields.
The conversation shifted towards Bitcoin's Layer 2 (L2) solutions, where the panel commented on the exciting growth of Bitcoin L2s. The panel noted the variety of exciting innovations coming to Bitcoin like BitVM and sBTC that would help to scale Bitcoin.
Alex highlighted the importance of innovation at the L2 level rather than making speculative changes to Bitcoin's highly reliable L1.
Liquid Stacking for Bitcoin Layers
Moderator: Andre Serrano (Stacks Foundation)
Speakers: Anuj Shankar (Luganodes), Jakob Schillinger (Hermetica), Tycho Onnasch (Zest Protocol), Tim Varner (Papaya)
YouTube Link
Speakers: Anuj Shankar (Luganodes), Jakob Schillinger (Hermetica), Tycho Onnasch (Zest Protocol), Tim Varner (Papaya)
YouTube Link
The “Liquid Stacking for Bitcoin Layers” conversation focused on the potential of liquid stacking in enhancing the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem.
The speakers highlighted liquid stacking’s rapid growth, with Stacking DAO reaching over $60 million in TVL, underscoring its foundational role in providing liquidity for DeFi applications.
The panel explained how liquid stacking enables users to earn native yield through Stacking, and it simultaneously enables users to allocate their assets to other Bitcoin DeFi protocols (and earn additional yield).
The panelists also noted the upcoming Stacks Nakamoto upgrade as a critical juncture for further decentralizing and securing the Stacks network.
The speakers highlighted liquid stacking’s rapid growth, with Stacking DAO reaching over $60 million in TVL, underscoring its foundational role in providing liquidity for DeFi applications.
The panel explained how liquid stacking enables users to earn native yield through Stacking, and it simultaneously enables users to allocate their assets to other Bitcoin DeFi protocols (and earn additional yield).
The panelists also noted the upcoming Stacks Nakamoto upgrade as a critical juncture for further decentralizing and securing the Stacks network.
Build with Us
Our speakers, moderators, and organizers made the Building on Bitcoin event a major success.
If you want to watch the event in full, find it on YouTube or X.
Also, there are a number of additional events if you’re looking for more ways to get involved with the Bitcoin and Stacks ecosystem.
Thank you!
If you want to watch the event in full, find it on YouTube or X.
Also, there are a number of additional events if you’re looking for more ways to get involved with the Bitcoin and Stacks ecosystem.
- Register for the Ready Layer 2: Bitcoin Builder Competition starting March 8th, 2024.
- Register for the next Building on Bitcoin: Halving Edition virtual event in mid-April in your city.
- Register for the Nakamoto Launch Series — an event series in Seoul, Amsterdam, NYC, London, Paris, and online to celebrate the Nakamoto Launch.
Thank you!