Botanix’s Bitcoin Layer 2 went live July 1, 2025, which is a huge achievement for the Bitcoin ecosystem. Out of development by Botanix Labs, the mainnet brings in Spiderchain. It’s a new kind of Layer 2 tech that puts forward smart contract features to Bitcoin without trade-off of decentralization.
Unlike in traditional models which use wrapped tokens or external chains, Spiderchain does it differently. The use of native BTC and a network of decentralized multisig wallets occurs with each Bitcoin block. These wallets serve as the security layer which, in turn, locks in the BTC into the system. Also, we have the orchestrator nodes which take care of transactions, liquidity, and minting.
Willem Schroé and Alisia Painter co-founded this project which has a mission to turn Bitcoin into a programmable global financial layer. Out of academia and crypto research comes their team, which is working towards a more inclusive and functional Bitcoin economy. We see this play out in the Spiderchain launch.
Botanix Bitcoin Layer 2 Improves Speed, EVM Integration
Botanix has put forth a platform which sees great improvements in transaction throughput and speed. Blocks processed by them in 5 seconds as compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minute block time. That is a 120x improvement. Also average transaction fees at $0.02 which is very much in the users’ and developers’ favor.
One of the game-changing features is full EVM compatibility. Now, Bitcoin developers can use Solidity, MetaMask, and Hardhat. This allows them to put forth their Ethereum native applications into the Bitcoin network. DeFi apps, NFTs, and complex smart contracts may at last live on Bitcoin without the use of bridges or conversion layers.
At launch, there were over 40 apps which included DeFi protocols GMX and Dolomite. Also, Bitcoin native apps like Arch and Palladium and even a retro gaming project which is Bitcoin 2100 that rewards players with satoshis.
Backed by $20M and Big Names
Botanix Labs has raised $20 million in funding for its Layer 2. They will put this toward growth. We see investments from Polychain Capital, Placeholder, and Valor Equity Partners. Also at launch is a 16-node founding federation that includes heavyweights like Fireblocks, Galaxy, and Alchemy. This federation plans to scale past 100 nodes by 2026.
During the testnet, the network saw over 26 million transactions. It also reported over 10,000 token experiments, which in turn proved scalability and developer interest.
With its own take, Botanix puts together Bitcoin’s base strength with Ethereum-like programming features. As Layer 2 options grow in number, Spiderchain raises the bar for what is possible. This includes speed, function, and decentralization, all while not deviating from Bitcoin’s original concept.
