Botanix co-founders Willem Schroé and Alisia Painter join Messari's Dylan Bane on Fully Diluted to unpack a Bitcoin Layer-2 built for real finance. Botanix is a proof-of-stake Bitcoin L2 where 50% of gas fees flow to stakers via STBTC—a liquid, up-only, native Bitcoin yield backed by on-chain economic activity (not points or new tokens). We cover how users bridge BTC → Botanix → stake → earn, instant peg-outs, and why the team’s Spiderchain design prioritizes decentralization and censorship resistance (federation today, dynafed next, more than 1,000 nodes over time).We also dive into catalysts for BitcoinFi adoption (monetary incentives + trusted apps), BTC-backed stablecoins like Palladium (PUSD), perps and tokenized assets, and the 6–12 month roadmap as STBTC becomes base collateral across the Botanix ecosystem. 0:00 – Introductions Meet the hosts and Botanics’ founders, William and Alicia, and hear how the project began. 3:30 – Bitcoin L2 Today State of Bitcoin Layer 2s, scaling challenges, and why Botanics is building for the long term. 6:15 – Bridging & Spider Chain How to bridge Bitcoin to Botanics, plus a deep dive into the Spiderchain security model. 10:45 – Yield & Incentives Understanding STBTC, gas-fee-backed Bitcoin yield, and why it’s a catalyst for adoption. 20:25 – Adoption Drivers Key ingredients for Bitcoin DeFi growth: incentives, builders, and decentralization. 23:50 – StablecoinsExploring Palladium (PUSD) and the opportunity for Bitcoin-backed stablecoins in emerging markets. 30:15 – DEXs & AssetsPerpetual DEXs, tokenized assets, and why Bitcoin collateral changes the game. 36:55 – Roadmap AheadWhat’s next for Botanics: STBTC rollout, new apps, and expanding the federation. 40:55 – Learning MoreWhere to find docs, tutorials, and how to start earning yield with Bitcoin. 42:30 – ConclusionFinal thoughts on Bitcoin yield, self-custody, and building a sustainable Bitcoin DeFi future. Hosted by Dylan Bane of MessariFollow Messari on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MessariCryptoFollow Unqualified Opinions on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0uG5qpwFg67zTt0VQRTaZ7?si=13163cbebe01415eFollow Unqualified Opinions on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/messaris-unqualified-opinions/id1455666979____This episode and its contents do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Messari, Inc. Hosts and guests may hold cryptocurrencies discussed in this content. This content is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as investment advice. You should conduct your own research, and consult an independent financial, tax, or legal advisor before making any investment decisions. Nothing contained in this content is a recommendation or suggestion, directly or indirectly, to buy, sell, make, or hold any investment, loan, commodity, or security, or to undertake any investment or trading strategy with respect to any investment, loan, commodity, security, or any issuer. This content should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security or commodity. Messari does not guarantee the sequence, accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information provided in this content.
