Learn what Stacking is, how it works, and start earning BTC rewards
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Introduction
Stacks 101
Stacks is a Bitcoin layer that enables decentralized apps and smart contracts.
What is Stacks?
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A Bitcoin Layer
Stacks is a blockchain linked to Bitcoin by its consensus mechanism that spans the two chains, called Proof of Transfer. This enables Stacks to leverage Bitcoin’s security and enables Stacks apps to use Bitcoin’s state.
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A network of decentralized apps
What if Bitcoin’s values of trustlessness and permissionlessness could apply to software too? Stacks powers decentralized apps: Apps that run on the Stacks blockchain instead of a centralized server, enabling new use cases that couldn’t exist before.
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An open network
Like Bitcoin, Stacks is a decentralized network. There are many individuals and companies from all over the world that contribute to and build on Stacks. Join us in building a better internet on Bitcoin.
What makes Stacks unique?
Stacks extends Bitcoin with new functionality. Bitcoin is Stacks’ secure and robust base layer where all transactions are settled, and Stacks adds complex apps and smart contracts. Stacks apps can interact with Bitcoin state, so you can have an app that uses Bitcoin as its currency.
A smart contract is code that runs on the blockchain — it’s the logic behind decentralized apps. Since nobody owns the logic behind decentralized apps, there’s no recourse for users if something goes wrong. That’s why Clarity is designed to prevent bugs, common exploits, and to proactively protect the user.
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Proof of Transfer is the consensus mechanism that runs between Bitcoin and Stacks. It recycles Bitcoin’s Proof of Work to achieve both high levels of decentralization and scalability without additional environmental impact. Proof of Transfer’s other half is called Stacking, which enables holders of Stacks Token to earn Bitcoin.
sBTC will enable Bitcoin write, trustless movement of BTC in and out of the layer, while securing transactions with 100% of Bitcoin hash power. sBTC is decentralized and trustless and can enable a new era of Bitcoin applications, unlocking $300B+ in latent capital for Web3, while accelerating growth of the Bitcoin economy.
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What makes Stacks unique?
Built on Bitcoin
Instead of starting from scratch, Stacks extends Bitcoin with new functionality. Bitcoin is Stacks’ secure and robust base layer where all transactions are settled, and Stacks adds complex apps and smart contracts. Stacks apps can interact with Bitcoin state, so you can have an app that uses Bitcoin as its currency.
Clarity Smart Contracts
A smart contract is code that runs on the blockchain — it’s the logic behind decentralized apps. Since nobody own the logic behind decentralized apps, there’s no recourse for users if something goes wrong. That’s why Clarity is designed to prevent bugs, common exploits, and to proactively protect the user.
Proof of Transfer
Proof of Transfer is the consensus mechanism that runs between Bitcoin and Stacks. It recycles Bitcoin’s Proof of Work to achieve both high levels of decentralization and high scalability without any additional environmental impact. Proof of Transfer’s other half is called Stacking, which enables holders of Stacks Token to earn Bitcoin.
Why Bitcoin?
Bitcoin’s security
A transaction is nearly impossible to reverse or change once it has settled on Bitcoin. These settlement assurances are critical to the base layer of a network of decentralized apps. Settling the system on Bitcoin grants Stacks novel security properties not seen in other blockchains — it guarantees that all Stacks forks are public and helps nodes identify the canonical Stacks fork and find Stacks blocks they have not yet downloaded.
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Bitcoin’s network effects
The world is converging on Bitcoin as a standard, and demand for use cases around Bitcoin is increasing. There is hundreds of billions of capital locked into Bitcoin, most of it as a passive store of value. Instead of competing with Bitcoin, Stacks can provide novel use cases for holders of bitcoin, such as bitcoin-backed loans, bitcoin DeFi or using your bitcoin to trade NFTs.
Discover more
Features
Learn about the Stacks technology: Proof of Transfer, Clarity smart contracts, DeFi on Bitcoin, and more
Expand your knowledge
Dive deeper with complementing learning resources
Try apps
Experience apps built on Stacks for yourself
