Key takeaways:
- Blockchair’s new Stacks Explorer provides in-depth analytics on Stacks transactions, smart contracts, and assets, including sBTC.
- The explorer includes developer-friendly tools like APIs, Smart-Search, interactive charts, and wallet statements.
- Full support for the Nakamoto upgrade ensures compatibility with Bitcoin finality and upcoming sBTC withdrawals.
Expanding Bitcoin’s Layer 2 Visibility with Stacks Integration
Blockchair, a universal blockchain explorer covering 48 blockchains, has launched its Stacks Explorer, enhancing visibility and accessibility for Bitcoin’s Layer 2 ecosystem. This new addition provides users with comprehensive search and analytics tools tailored to the Stacks network, including full support for sBTC, a 1:1 programmable Bitcoin asset introduced on the Stacks mainnet in December 2024.
The Stacks Explorer delivers detailed insights into transactions, addresses, smart contracts, and native tokens, allowing developers, researchers, and everyday users to better interact with the network.
"At Blockchair, our mission is to be the most powerful and versatile Bitcoin explorer on the market, and that goal would be incomplete without embracing emerging Layer 2 solutions. Stacks has been instrumental in extending Bitcoin’s functionality, so launching our Stacks Explorer felt like a natural step in reinforcing the broader Bitcoin ecosystem. We’re excited to bring our advanced search and analytics tools to Stacks users and developers, helping make on-chain data more accessible and fueling further innovation."
—Nikita Zhavoronkov, CEO and Lead Developer at Blockchair
What is Stacks and how does it expand Bitcoin’s functionality?
Stacks is a Layer 2 blockchain designed to bring smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) to Bitcoin without altering its base layer. Unlike other blockchain networks that operate independently, Stacks settles transactions on Bitcoin, leveraging its security while enabling programmability.
One of the key innovations introduced by Stacks is sBTC, a 1:1 Bitcoin-backed asset that allows for fully programmable Bitcoin transactions. With Stacks, developers can create DeFi applications, NFT platforms, and other Web3 services, all anchored to Bitcoin’s network.
The Nakamoto upgrade, launched in October 2024, significantly enhanced Stacks’ capabilities by introducing 100% Bitcoin finality, ensuring that once a transaction is confirmed on Stacks, it is as irreversible as a Bitcoin transaction. This upgrade also set the stage for the introduction of sBTC, making Bitcoin more accessible for smart contract applications.
By integrating Stacks into its platform, Blockchair provides users with a streamlined way to explore this growing Bitcoin Layer 2 ecosystem, making it easier to track transactions, assets, and smart contracts.
The bottom line
With Stacks playing a key role in expanding Bitcoin’s use cases, Blockchair’s new Stacks Explorer provides a significant boost to transparency and usability. By supporting sBTC and the Nakamoto upgrade, Blockchair is reinforcing Bitcoin Layer 2 adoption, offering a robust tool for developers and users alike. As sBTC moves toward full functionality, with withdrawals expected in March 2025, the Stacks Explorer ensures that users have the latest and most comprehensive insights into the evolving Stacks ecosystem.