Taproot, the first soft fork of the bitcoin protocol since Segregate Witness in 2017, aims to extend Bitcoin’s functionality for complex transactions and smart contracts while enhancing privacy and reducing fees. While SegWit’s activation was preceded by a fiery debate, Taproot is a peaceful revolution.

A “decentralized internet” – this is the vision for many projects exploring solutions for data storage in the crypto space. What approaches exist today? What differentiates Filecoin from BitTorrent or Swarm?

By declaring Bitcoin legal tender alongside the US Dollar, El Salvador is breaking new ground for cryptocurrency adoption of remittance-dependent governments.

How are non-fungible tokens different to ‘normal’ ones? What can you do with them today and who are the big players in the space? We dissect the chaotic space and give you insights on the structure of the marketplaces and what we expect in terms of useful NFTs in a second wave. Ready Player One?

As Bitcoin becomes more popular, questions regarding its energy consumption step into the limelight. What is the true environmental impact of Bitcoin? How is the “Bitcoin electricity mix” composed?

Block rewards and transaction fees are a commonly known source of income for block producers. There is a third profit opportunity, however – miner/maximum extractable value. How does this affect DeFi protocols and users? What are the consequences?

In part 1 of our miniseries, we covered on-chain and Layer-1 innovations. In part 2, we explore innovations on top of the Bitcoin base layer. While Layer-2 mainly tackles issues around payments, Layer-3 projects aim to bring “smarter” contract functionality to Bitcoin and Lightning.

Amidst the DeFi and NFT hype in the Ethereum space, the depth and breadth of innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystems tends to be overlooked. Let’s open the lid, or shall we say ‘layers’, and have a look. Part 1 of our 2-part miniseries focuses on Layer 1.

Navigating the rough waters of the cryptocurrency markets sometimes requires finding a safe haven. Algorithmic stablecoins aim to deliver just that – but do they indeed hold that promise?