What Are Bitcoin Layer 2 Networks? A Guide to Scaling Bitcoin
Bitcoin is the first and most popular cryptocurrency in the world, with a market capitalization of over $1 trillion as of February 2024. Bitcoin is also a decentralized and secure payment system that operates without intermediaries or central authorities. Bitcoin enables peer-to-peer transactions across the globe, with low fees and high transparency.
However, Bitcoin also faces some challenges, especially when it comes to scalability. The Bitcoin network can only process about seven transactions per second (TPS), which is far below the demand of millions of users. Moreover, the average block confirmation time of 10 minutes makes Bitcoin transactions slow and unpredictable. The limited capacity of the network also leads to high transaction fees, especially during periods of congestion.
To address these scalability issues, the Bitcoin community has developed various solutions, known as Bitcoin Layer 2 networks. These are protocols that run on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, but process transactions off-chain, reducing the load on the main network. Bitcoin Layer 2 networks aim to improve the speed, cost, and usability of Bitcoin transactions, while preserving the security and decentralization of the base layer.
In this article, we will explain what Bitcoin Layer 2 networks are, how they work, and what benefits they offer. We will also introduce some of the most prominent examples of Bitcoin Layer 2 networks, such as the Lightning Network, Rootstock, Stacks, and Liquid Network. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how Bitcoin Layer 2 networks can enhance the performance and functionality of Bitcoin.
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