Casey & Raph: Behind Runes & Ordinals

Charlie Spears discusses the trend combining Bitcoin mining with speculative elements from NFTs, ordinals, and sidechains. He highlights how Bitcoin mining has evolved beyond its traditional scope, now has a distinct "degen" component.

Over time, UTXO expanded into publicly traded Bitcoin miners and products, eventually investing in ordinals and exploring native yield opportunities on Bitcoin's layer 2s. He notes the firm's forward-thinking approach in helping clients navigate Bitcoin’s financialization, as well as how ordinals marked a significant shift in the ecosystem.

Bablyon's now live - what's next for the chain? Enter SatLayer, a restaking protocol for Bitcoin.

We're highlighting a shift in venture capital interest toward Bitcoin, indicating that funds traditionally allocated to the broader crypto landscape are now increasingly flowing into Bitcoin projects. Significant investment rounds, with notable recent raises amounting to over $100 million in the past year suggest a growing confidence in Bitcoin-specific ventures.

Lorenzo, the founder of Unisat, describes his journey from working in the gaming to building the most dominant company in Ordinals. He reflects on how his background as a game programmer fueled his interest in creating vast, interconnected digital universes, which eventually led him to explore blockchain technology.

Metaprotocol Mania is heating up: Fractal Bitcoin, OPNET, SUBFROST, indexing, BRC20s might be changing?

David Tse, cofounder of Babylon, explains how the Babylon protocol leverages the asset of Bitcoin to improve Proof of Stake systems. Tse discusses the broader implications for Bitcoin holders, suggesting that Babylon Chain could introduce a new era where Bitcoin holders play a more active role in securing the network, potentially earning yield in a low-risk manner.

Devin discusses how Rebar Labs is developing solutions like Rebar Shield, a product designed to protect Bitcoin transactions by keeping them in a private mempool, away from potential MEV exploiters until they are included in a block. This approach is likened to Flashbots Protect on Ethereum, providing a way for users to safeguard their transactions from front-running and other manipulative tactics.

Matt Luongo from Thesis discusses trends and in the Wrapped Bitcoin and decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.