Botanix L2 mainnet goes live, cuts Bitcoin block times to 5 seconds

Botanix isn’t the first to promise smart contracts on Bitcoin, but it may be the first to deliver them without centralization and possibly cut BTC block times to five seconds. Its mainnet launch signals a new phase in the evolution of Bitcoin’s utility beyond store of value.

According to a press release, Botanix Labs has officially launched its Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible Bitcoin (BTC) Layer 2 mainnet, backed by a decentralized federation of 16 node operators, including Galaxy, Fireblocks, and Antpool.

The network, which processed over 26 million testnet transactions since December 2024, now supports live applications like GMX and Dolomite, with average fees hovering at $0.02.

Unlike other Bitcoin L2 solutions that launched under centralized control, Botanix’s “Spiderchain” architecture ensures no single entity, including its own developers, can manipulate user funds.

The Spiderchain experiment: can Botanix finally make Bitcoin programmable?

While other Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions have launched with trade-offs like centralized sequencers, federated bridges, or wrapped assets, Botanix took a different path. The network’s “Spiderchain” architecture, a novel cryptographic primitive, creates a web of multisig wallets that secure the network without relying on a single custodian.

Every Bitcoin block triggers a new multisig setup, distributing control across its federation of node operators without resorting to centralized bridges. This structure underpins Botanix’s five-second finality and sub-cent fees while preserving native Bitcoin custody, putting it on par with Ethereum L2s like Arbitrum and Optimism.

Already, major DeFi protocols like GMX and Dolomite have deployed on the network, offering Bitcoin-native trading and lending, something previously only possible through risky BTC-pegged tokens on Ethereum.

If the network is successful, it could finally unlock Bitcoin’s dormant potential beyond being digital gold. But in a market where even Ethereum struggles with L2 fragmentation, Botanix’s real hurdle won’t be technology. It’ll be proving that Bitcoiners actually want smart contracts. The next few months will reveal whether this is the breakthrough Bitcoin needs or another ambitious solution in search of a problem.