As Bybit celebrates its sixth anniversary, the exchange has solidified its position as a leading player in the cryptocurrency market.

As Bybit celebrates its sixth anniversary, the exchange has solidified its position as a leading player in the cryptocurrency market. With significant growth in both its user base and variety of trading products, Bybit is not only expanding its offerings, but also enhancing its market influence. This article highlights the attached report’s key messages, focusing on user growth, spot trading, perpetual futures and options trading.

Since its inception in 2018, Bybit’s user base has experienced explosive growth, surpassing 60 million users by Q3 2024. This remarkable increase — from 20 million users in late 2023 — underscores both the platform's appeal and the growing global interest in cryptocurrency trading.

Several factors have contributed to this user growth. First, Bybit's continual innovation and its introduction of new trading products have attracted a diverse range of traders. Additionally, the platform’s user-friendly interface and robust educational resources have made it accessible to newcomers in the crypto space.

Moreover, the rising popularity of cryptocurrency, as well as favorable market conditions — such as the anticipation surrounding Bitcoin Spot ETFs — have drawn more users to the platform. The report indicates that the influx of new users has led to increased activity, further driving demand for various trading pairs.

Spot trading on Bybit has seen significant expansion, with daily volumes exceeding $10 billion by 2024. This growth is particularly notable given the turbulent market conditions that have characterized the past few years. The report highlights that spot trading volumes grew steadily, especially during bullish market phases, driven by heightened interest in altcoins alongside Bitcoin.

The number of available spot trading pairs has more than doubled from 2022 to 2024, catering to the diverse preferences of traders. Increased spot pair availability has not only attracted more users, but has also contributed to a robust trading environment in which traders can capitalize on various market opportunities.

Tellingly, the report notes the relationship between Bitcoin's price movements and spot trading volumes. As Bitcoin rallies, there’s a substantial uptick in trading activity for both Bitcoin and altcoins, indicating a capital rotation effect that’s common in cryptocurrency markets.

Perpetual futures remain one of Bybit’s most popular trading instruments, consistently outpacing spot trading volumes. During the March 2024 rally, perpetual trading volume reached nearly $70 billion, highlighting traders' preference for leveraged trading options that these contracts provide.

The appeal of perpetual futures lies in their flexibility, allowing traders to take both long and short positions while utilizing 

 to amplify potential gains. This makes perpetual futures an attractive option for traders seeking to optimize their capital efficiency.

Despite the steady growth in spot trading, perpetual futures have maintained a dominant position in the market. The report indicates that while spot trading volumes have increased, they still lag behind those of perpetual futures, reflecting a strong preference among traders for these derivative products.

Bybit’s continual enhancement of its perpetual futures offerings, including a wider range of trading pairs, has further solidified its leadership in this segment. The growth trajectory of perpetual futures is expected to continue, particularly if market conditions remain favorable.

 market, although smaller than its perpetual futures segment, is experiencing noteworthy growth. Since its launch in 2022, the options market has expanded, reflecting an increasing number of traders willing to engage with more sophisticated trading instruments.

The report reveals that Bitcoin options dominate open interest within Bybit’s options market, with a growing preference for call options over puts. This trend indicates traders’ optimism about Bitcoin’s future price movements, particularly following the recent price rallies.

Solana options, introduced more recently, are also gaining traction, showcasing the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency derivatives. The report highlights a clear upward trajectory in open interest for Solana options, driven by increasing demand for exposure to emerging cryptocurrencies.

As traders become more familiar with options trading, the market is expected to mature, providing further opportunities for innovative trading strategies and 

Bybit’s sixth anniversary marks a significant milestone in its journey as a leading cryptocurrency exchange. With a rapidly growing user base, robust spot trading activity, dominant perpetual futures volumes and burgeoning options market, Bybit is well-positioned for continued success.

These developments not only reflect Bybit’s commitment to enhancing its offerings, but also highlight the broader trends within the cryptocurrency market. As traders seek diverse and sophisticated trading instruments, Bybit’s adaptability and innovation will likely play a crucial role in shaping its future.

Advanced

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Bybit’s 6th Anniversary: A Journey of Growth and Milestones Toward Becoming the No. 2 Crypto Exchange

Bybit Cloud Wallet offers a seamless way to manage cryptocurrencies without having to handle private keys. Learn more about how it works in this article.

Bybit Cloud Wallet makes crypto management seamless for everyone by offering a user-friendly platform for storing and managing cryptocurrencies without the hassle of handling 

 not only enhances security but also simplifies interactions with Bybit Web3 services. In this article, we'll explore how Bybit Cloud Wallet works and its benefits and risks, and provide a step-by-step guide to using the wallet. 

Bybit Cloud Wallet is a custodial digital wallet integrated with the Bybit platform, allowing users to store and manage cryptocurrencies without handling private keys directly. It offers enhanced security and accessibility for web3 interactions.

Bybit Cloud Wallet is a custodial wallet, meaning that Bybit manages the private keys on behalf of its users. This design simplifies the experience by removing the burden of securely storing seed phrases or private keys. It integrates with Bybit accounts to streamline cryptocurrency management and provide secure handling for private keys.

Users can access their wallet by logging into their account and completing the Cloud Wallet setup. A unique wallet address is generated, and the associated private keys are securely stored on Bybit's cloud servers. Once the wallet is configured, users can safely store, manage and transact a variety of digital assets. 

When initiating transactions — such as sending or receiving cryptocurrency — a request is created and securely transmitted to Bybit’s servers. The provider verifies the request using the stored private keys, ensuring it’s been authorized by the rightful owner.

Depositing funds into the Bybit Cloud Wallet is straightforward, and users can transfer cryptocurrencies from other wallets within the Bybit Web3 platform with ease. Withdrawals follow a similarly simple process, whereby users specify the amount and destination address while selecting their preferred gas fees.

The wallet uses standard security protocols to protect user accounts and funds from unauthorized access. While the custodial nature of the wallet makes it user-friendly, it also necessitates trust in Bybit's security practices.

Bybit Cloud Wallet integrates with various Bybit Web3 services, enabling users to trade, 

 (DApps) directly through the wallet’s interface.

Bybit Cloud Wallet offers a range of benefits for users seeking an efficient and secure way to manage their cryptocurrency assets.

While Bybit Cloud Wallet offers numerous advantages, users should also be aware of several inherent risks associated with its use.

: Navigate to the Bybit homepage and log in to your Bybit account. Then, click on the 

tab on the top left corner of the page. 

. This will generate a unique wallet address associated with your account.

Now that you’ve created your Bybit Cloud Wallet, here’s how you can deposit tokens and start interacting with DApps. There are two ways in which you can deposit tokens into your Bybit Cloud Wallet — by transferring from your Bybit Funding Account, and by transferring from your external wallet.

: Please ensure that you already have funds in your Bybit Funding Account before you proceed with the steps below. 

: Hover your cursor over your profile icon in the upper right corner of the Bybit homepage, and click on 

 (Web3) and your Bybit Wallet (Web3) address will automatically be filled. Select your preferred 

and enter the amount you wish to withdraw to your Bybit Wallet (Web3).

: After you’ve checked and verified all details, click on 

Congratulations! You’ve successfully transferred assets from your Bybit account to your Bybit Cloud Wallet!

Let’s use MetaMask and the BNB chain as an example. 

: Navigate to your MetaMask wallet. Then, click on the 

. Click on the copy icon to copy your Bybit Wallet address.

and paste your Bybit Cloud Wallet address into the input box. 

: Please make sure you choose BSC. Otherwise, your USDT and BNB may not be transferred successfully.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully transferred assets from your external wallet to your Bybit Cloud Wallet.

 next to the token you would like to withdraw, and transfer your funds to your Bybit Funding Account.

, enter the amount you would like to withdraw, choose your gas fees and click on 

: Confirm the details, request the verification code and submit your withdrawal request.

 next to the token you would like to withdraw, and transfer your funds to your external wallet.

: Enter the receiving wallet address and the amount, and choose your gas fees. Click on 

: Review the details, submit the verification code and confirm your withdrawal.

: To view your transfer history, hover your cursor over the 

tab in the top-right corner of the Bybit Web3 page, and click on 

: You can check your deposit and withdrawal history under either the 

Who Is Best Suited to Use the Bybit Cloud Wallet?

Bybit Cloud Wallet combines ease of use with robust security measures, making it a suitable option for users who prefer not to manage their own private keys, while still being able to conduct cryptocurrency transactions.

Individuals who are new to cryptocurrencies will find Bybit Cloud Wallet appealing due to its user-friendly interface and custodial nature, which eliminates the need for managing private keys. This accessibility allows users to engage with digital assets without needing extensive technical knowledge.

 services will also appreciate the wallet's integration with various DApps and platforms, allowing for easy interaction within the blockchain ecosystem.

Deciding whether to use the Bybit Cloud Wallet depends upon your specific needs and preferences. If you value security, convenience and the ability to manage multiple cryptocurrencies within a single platform, Bybit Cloud Wallet is a strong choice. However, if you prefer having full control over your private keys and assets, a 

 might be a better option. Consider your priorities and the level of control you desire over your digital assets when making your decision.

Bybit Cloud Wallet offers a secure and convenient way to manage cryptocurrency assets without the complexity of handling private keys. Its seamless integration with Bybit Web3 services makes it ideal for beginners and experienced users alike, enabling easy interactions with DApps and DeFi platforms. While Bybit Cloud Wallet offers strong security and user-friendliness, the risks of using a custodial wallet remain a consideration for those seeking full control over their assets.

Beginner

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Bybit Cloud Wallet: Seamless Crypto Management for Everyone

USUAL introduces USD0, a stablecoin backed by U.S. Treasury Bills, offering transparency, security, and revenue sharing through its governance token, USUAL.

More than a decade ago, in mid-2014, the first 

 arrived on the stage of the crypto market. These cryptocurrencies were designed to provide stability in the typically volatile world of crypto, and to serve as a bridge between the traditional finance (TradFi) and 

 (DeFi) ecosystems. At the core of their functionality is a mechanism that maintains a close peg to some traditionally valued asset, be it the U.S. dollar, euro or 

Stablecoins have proved to be tremendously popular, with the leading asset in this niche, 

 (USDT), routinely attracting higher trading volumes than any other cryptocurrency — including the mighty Bitcoin. The second most popular stablecoin in the market, 

 (USDC), also enjoys multibillion-dollar daily trading volumes, and ranks among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap.

Despite their popularity, many leading stablecoins — including the dominant USDT and USDC pair — have opaque collateral management mechanisms, are lacking in transparency, don't distribute revenues to the wider user community and are highly centralized in terms of control.

Usual (USUAL) is a DeFi solution launched on the 

 (ETH) blockchain that aims to tackle these deficiencies of traditional stablecoins by offering a 

 (RWA)–backed stablecoin and redistributing protocol revenues among its users. The platform's primary stablecoin — USD0 — is backed by collateral invested mainly in short-term U.S. Treasury Bills; maintains a tight peg to the greenback via these secure investments; has a fully transparent reserve verification system; and opens up additional yield opportunities across a variety of external DeFi protocols via a 

 (USUAL) is an Ethereum-based DeFi platform that offers an RWA-backed, USD-pegged transparent stablecoin, USD0, and distributes protocol revenues among its user community. 

USD0 is backed by collateral invested in RWAs, primarily in short-term U.S. Treasury Bills. The short-term, highly liquid and secure nature of these government-issued assets ensures that USD0's peg to the U.S. dollar isn't likely to be compromised.

Usual has partnered with Hashnote, a Florida-based regulated provider of digital and tokenized fund products, to facilitate secure investment in U.S. Treasury Bills and associated products.

Usual's USD0 is a unique stablecoin product, distinct from the dominant assets in this niche, 

 and USDC. While these cryptocurrencies also maintain fiat reserves to back their value, they’re controlled by centralized corporate entities, and their USD reserves are exposed to the traditional banking system, with poorly known levels of risk associated with them.

, whose values aren’t backed by fiat assets, and which are highly dependent upon underlying protocols’ activity to maintain their pegs. In many cases, these algorithmic coins lose their pegs and stability when the underlying lending or borrowing activities on their protocols are manipulated by 

 or become subject to panic-driven runs. The most notorious example was the 2022 

Usual’s platform also offers a liquid staking version of USD0, USD0++, which can be used throughout the DeFi ecosystem for additional yields. It has partnered with several Ethereum DeFi protocols to expand the universe of platforms where USD0++ can be utilized, including 

Usual also has another distinct feature: the protocol aims to distribute future revenue among its users, specifically among holders of its upcoming USUAL 

The platform was developed by the France-based Usual Labs, a blockchain development outfit co-founded by Adli Takkal Bataille, Hugo Sallé de Chou and former French parliament member Pierre Person. Usual launched the USD0 stablecoin in mid-2024. In late November 2024, the platform introduced the USUAL governance token, set to be launched sometime in mid-December 2024.

The introduction of the USD0 stablecoin is a potentially paradigm-changing event for the crypto market. This innovative asset adopts many of the advantages of fiat-backed stablecoins, but also resolves many associated issues. Usual Labs has targeted several goals with the advent of USD0 and its unique working mechanism.

One key aim is to change the way that profits from decentralized stablecoin operations are shared. Usual's revenue is to be shared with the user community — namely, the holders of the USUAL token. All the revenue generated from the platform's operations flows to its treasury. USUAL holders are in charge of this revenue, making them eligible to decide on the actual distribution. In essence, owning USUAL entitles you to a share of potentially 100% of revenue generated by the platform.

This starkly contrasts with the way that other fiat-backed stablecoins, notably USDT and USDC, operate. All the revenues generated from these stablecoins are appropriated by their respective founding companies — Tether Limited for USDT, and Circle Internet Financial Limited for USDC. While the risks from the operations of these assets are externalized and shared with holders of the stablecoins, the revenues are internalized and scooped up by Tether and Circle.

Another aim of the Usual project is to bring transparency to the management of collateral that backs the USD0 stablecoin. As a decentralized protocol, Usual provides the transparency of collateral funds' allocation. Again, this contrasts with the opaque nature of the way that USD collateral for some stablecoins is managed. Tether's USDT has particularly 

 in the crypto investor community, as the company has never conducted a full-scale audit for its vast claimed dollar reserves.

Another aim of Usual is to provide a stablecoin that’s completely secure from exposure to the traditional, fractional reserve-based banking system. Some crypto investors have derided the fractional reserve system, whereby only a small proportion of client liabilities are actually held at any given time by banks. Projects like USDT and USDC rely heavily on the traditional banking system, which backs their U.S. dollar reserves. These banks naturally rely on fractional reserves that, at least in the opinion of the most risk-averse investors, exposes them to 

In contrast, USD0 is backed by short-term U.S. Treasury Bills, an asset class that’s fully backed by the U.S. government's pledge. These are considered among the safest assets in the world of finance, as the U.S. government has never yet defaulted on its payment obligations. Unlike USD deposits in banks, USD0's Treasury Bill–based collateral isn't exposed to the risks of the fractional reserve system. As such, the coin's collateral is based on a government-backed asset, providing a level of security that most fiat-based stablecoins in the market are unlikely to match.

Usual uses a three-token model to power its operations and services. There's the fiat-backed USD0 stablecoin, which is protected by Treasury Bill collateral. The second asset is the USD0++ LST, a derivative of USD0 issued upon staking the latter. And there’s the USUAL governance token that grants holders the right to participate in decision-making on the protocol's rules and future direction.

The Usual protocol provides two ways to mint the USD0 stablecoin:

:This is normally done by investing in the USYC fund and using it as collateral, then depositing it into the mint engine to mint USD0. USYC is an on-chain representation of the Short Duration Yield Fund (SDYF) provided by Hashnote, a regulated provider of tokenized fund products. USYC/SDYF is based mainly on U.S. Treasury Bills with short-term maturity.

:You can also mint USD0 indirectly on a 1:1 basis by supplying the USDC stablecoin as collateral.

Redeeming the stablecoin is also possible in two ways — directly through the protocol, or via the secondary market. When using direct redeeming, you simply withdraw your RWA collateral using the protocol's interface. Alternatively, you can sell USD0 for USDC or USDT via a secondary market platform, such as 

 (CRV), a popular DeFi protocol that specializes in stablecoin assets.

USD0++ is an LST representation of USD0. When you stake USD0 on the platform, you’re issued USD0++, which is fully composable and can be used on various Ethereum-linked protocols to earn additional yield. You can lock USD0 to get issued USD0++ for four years. However, you’re also free to unstake at any time.

Staking rewards from locking USD0 to get USD0++ are paid in USUAL tokens. Usual's model rewards long-term staking commitments, as users are encouraged to stake for at least six months — this is the minimum period of staking required to qualify for what the protocol calls the 

 (BIG). BIG essentially refers to a guaranteed yield from native staking of the underlying RWAs on the Usual protocol. When the period concludes, the staker can choose to collect the yield in either USUAL or USD0.

Yields start accumulating from day one of staking. Although users are free to unstake at any time, those who do so before the six-month minimum period will forfeit accumulated rewards.

USUAL is the Usual protocol's governance crypto token. It was unveiled on Nov 19, 2024, and is currently in pre-market mode only. It's expected that USUAL's public launch will occur in the near future. As USUAL is a community-first token, 90% of the tokens are distributed to the community with only 10% allocated to insiders (team and investors).

Usual feeds its revenues into its protocol's treasury, which is controlled by the USUAL holder community. As such, USUAL holders own 100% of the platform, a significant departure from the system used by many other stablecoin issuers, whereby a corporate entity earns all or the majority of the profits. 

Additionally, Usual is designed such that its protocol will incentivize early adopters and long-term holders. As the TVL of USD0 increases, Usual will generate more revenue. The emission rate of USUAL is also disinflationary, gradually reducing as the TVL of USD0 rises and enhancing the scarcity of the token, which will subsequently lead to a boost in its value.

At the initial stages of the platform's market presence, Usual Labs is largely responsible for governance decision-making. However, this function will be taken over by USUAL holders, likely in the form of a 

Although called a governance token, USUAL has additional functionalities beyond supporting the protocol's governance processes. It’s also used to distribute yields from staking ( as discussed in the section above on USD0++). Rewards from the protocol's loyalty point campaigns are also airdropped in USUAL. 

In addition, USUAL can be staked for additional governance rights and rewards. USUAL stakers will receive 

, from which they can earn a portion of USUAL emissions and 50% of the fees generated from people unstaking their Usual assets (USUAL or USD0++).

USUAL's maximum and total token supply are specified at 4 billion. The initial circulating supply during the early days of the token's pre-market trading is close to 500 million as of Dec 2, 2024.

The Usual protocol ran a points-based reward program from July through the last week of November 2024. Called the 

, it let early users accumulate points by acting as liquidity providers before the protocol's full public launch phase. The accumulated Pills points will determine users' eligibility for a USUAL airdrop, slated for mid-December.

The airdrop will allocate 8.5% of the token's supply to eligible users — the more Pills points you've earned, the more USUAL tokens you’ll receive.

During the token's pre-market trading stage, Bybit is one of the rare platforms that’s allowing you to access it. As of Dec 2, 2024, 

 on Bybit's Pre-Market Perpetuals Trading platform as a 

 lets you invest in a variety of upcoming cryptocurrencies via USDT-based perpetual futures contracts before these assets are listed on the main spot or derivatives markets. Using this platform, you can access a range of promising new crypto assets before they become publicly available. There are two main limits enforced by Perpetual Pre-Market — the position size cannot exceed $250,000, and leverage is permitted up to 5x.

Stablecoins are one of the oldest asset types in the crypto industry, while RWAs are a much newer trend that’s growing increasingly popular among investors. The Usual project has decided to marry these two areas, providing an RWA-backed, USD-pegged stablecoin — USD0. The concept of using an RWA for stablecoin collateral may not be totally unique. However, using a highly secure asset such as U.S. Treasury Bills with short-term maturity is something that truly distinguishes the Usual protocol.

Distributing revenue among the governance token holder community is also a refreshing innovation in a niche dominated by providers who largely internalize protocol incomes. Currently, the stablecoin market is heavily dominated by USDT and USDC, with 

 (FDUSD) also recently posting impressive, multibillion-dollar daily trading volumes. All three of these stablecoin issuers lack a mechanism to share revenue with their users. A major stablecoin provider that utilizes a democratized way of sharing protocol revenues with the user community is a deserted area, one that the Usual platform is keen to claim.

With all these merits of the Usual protocol, the upcoming USUAL token is a promising and potentially rewarding asset. Investors interested in stablecoins grounded in highly secure TradFi collateral might want to take a closer look at these new arrivals on the block — the USD0 stablecoin and the USUAL governance token.

Intermediate

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Usual (USUAL): A New Model of Collateralized Stablecoin Ownership

AI agents in crypto are autonomous entities designed to operate within blockchain ecosystems. A popular AI agent is AIXBT, which specializes in providing crypto market intelligence.

The cryptocurrency ecosystem runs on narratives, and the current cycle is being driven by two major ones: meme coins and artificial intelligence (AI). 

The recent AI agent craze has captured both of these narratives to a large extent. November 2024 saw several AI agents gain significant traction, boasting tokens with market caps in hundreds of millions of dollars. 

As of now, most of these agents are used as key opinion leader (KOL) influencers to post on X (formerly Twitter), interact with X users and promote their particular tokens. However, they have the potential to evolve to handle complex tasks and reshape how users interact with 

AI agents are autonomous entities designed to operate within 

 ecosystems. They can utilize machine learning algorithms and data analytics to perform a variety of tasks, such as trading, posting tweets, building a community and even creating art or music. 

At first glance, an AI agent might just look like a fancy rebranding of traditional bots that have existed in the ecosystem for a long time. But unlike traditional bots that follow rigid rules, AI agents can analyze data in real time and adapt their strategies accordingly. This flexibility and learning capability make them significantly more sophisticated than conventional bots. 

AI agents have a variety of applications within the cryptocurrency space:

, an AI agent deployment platform that operates on the 

 blockchain. It enables any user to create and launch an AI-powered agent that can perform a variety of tasks and accrue value for its token holders. 

The recent popularity in the AI narrative has driven the price of Virtuals Protocol’s token, VIRTUAL, from $0.05 to $1.89 in just a few months. 

Virtuals Protocol operates similarly to the popular Solana-based meme coin launchpad 

. By purchasing VIRTUAL tokens, any user can build an AI agent to seamlessly interact with different networks. Each agent requires 10 VIRTUAL tokens for deployment. Once deployed, the agent token enters a bonding curve, whereby users can buy or sell it depending upon their interest.

If the bonding curve market cap reaches $420,000, the token’s liquidity pool is deployed on 

 and the agent is transferred to a new contract that handles the on-chain creation process. The agent also becomes visible on the platform, where users can trade it freely. 

There have been several notable launches from Virtuals Protocol, none more so than 

, which has reached a market cap of approximately $200 million in less than a month. AIXBT specializes in providing crypto market intelligence and automates the process of tracking market trends and interpreting data. It tracks over 400 KOLs to understand trending narratives in real time, and can perform technical analysis on the price movements of different cryptocurrencies. 

AIXBT has had a remarkable run-up in price during November 2024, as its market cap has increased from around $42 million to over $230 million. Its price has since retraced slightly, with its current market cap hovering around $174 million. The number of token holders has also seen a sharp increase over the past month. 

While AI agents present numerous advantages, they also bring some challenges. The biggest concern with any AI agent is 

, as their responses aren’t always accurate. Therefore, solely relying on them for research can be counter-productive. The second major concern is security: adding an AI agent to execute a transaction also adds an additional layer of security risk and vulnerability that could be exploited by malicious actors. 

Conclusion: The Future of AIXBT and AI Agents

Despite the risks outlined above, AI agents such as AIXBT have become the hottest sector of the current crypto cycle. The 2017 cycle was led by the advent of 

 platforms, and the 2021 cycle was largely driven by DeFi. Now, as we head into 2025, we could possibly see AI agents becoming the breakthrough technology that provides a new case for cryptocurrency.

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AIXBT by Virtuals: The AI Analyst Shaking up Crypto Twitter

Bybit Learn

Bitcoin

Explainers

Altcoins

Fractal Bitcoin (FB) offers a Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin, enhancing scalability and transaction efficiency through recursive virtualization without compromising security or decentralization.

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 (BTC), the world's oldest and largest blockchain, has long been regarded as the most secure platform in the cryptocurrency industry for asset transfers and storage. Over the last few years, innovations such as Bitcoin Ordinals, Runes tokens and the BRC-20 standard have further contributed to the chain's ecosystem diversification. However, despite its status as the industry leader and benchmark, Bitcoin suffers from several significant limitations, including poor scalability, network congestion and rising transaction fees.

 platform that builds directly on Bitcoin's technical foundation, Bitcoin Core, to address the issues of the blockchain's limited scalability and transaction inefficiency. Using an architectural setup known as recursive virtualization, the Fractal project aims to improve the scalability and efficiency of Bitcoin transactions without compromising the blockchain's famed security and decentralization advantages. Fractal could potentially be a key evolutionary development for the broader Bitcoin ecosystem as it's the first Layer 2 solution that directly leverages the blockchain's core technology without being a fork of it.

 (FB) is a Layer 2 Bitcoin scaling solution designed to enhance Bitcoin's scalability and extend its functionality while maintaining its core security and decentralization benefits.

 Set up as a sidechain platform, Fractal directly leverages the Bitcoin Core code.

Fractal Bitcoin uses recursive virtualization technology in its architectural setup to offer multiple layers that operate independently while remaining connected to the Bitcoin network. It's the first and only Bitcoin scaling solution that applies virtualization within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Each layer operates independently, leveraging Bitcoin's underlying 

. This ensures that Fractal is capable of offering its scalability benefits without sacrificing the security of transactions.

Layers can be spun off as needed, creating a truly flexible and scalable platform for conducting Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, Fractal's sidechain supports 

 functionality, opening the way to using 

The project launched its mainnet operations in September 2024. It's been developed and is actively supported by the team at the UniSat Wallet project, a crypto wallet solution for the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Fractal Bitcoin's core technology is based on recursive virtualization. Virtualization, in general, lets you create virtual instances of a system, in this case virtual replicas of the Bitcoin chain. “Recursive” indicates that these virtual instances (or layers, using the project's terminology) can be created continuously, launching layers that operate independently of each other. In theory, this allows Fractal to scale unlimited layers recursively within the overall technical capacity restrictions of the platform.

Each virtual layer runs its own processes without clogging up the main Bitcoin network. The layers are designed to process each transaction block in 30 seconds, which is considerably faster than Bitcoin's own 10-minute block intervals.

The use of virtualization as a scalable computing system, along with the smart contract capabilities of the Fractal Bitcoin platform, enables a variety of use cases, including solutions in 

Fractal has also integrated support for the 

. CAT20 lets Fractal developers create fungible tokens with high levels of built-in security, adherence to Bitcoin's consensus, compatibility with the blockchain's native

 (UTXO) model and the capacity to support complex composable transactions.

Fractal also supports three highly popular Bitcoin asset types: BRC-20 tokens, Runes tokens and Bitcoin Ordinals. Users and issuers of these assets can take advantage of Fractal's superior scalability and quick confirmation times, a key consideration given the frequent complaints about these tokens’ activity congesting the Bitcoin network.

 tokens are fungible Bitcoin assets created by inscribing token data into Bitcoin 

, the smallest units of a Bitcoin. Introduced in March 2023 and based on Bitcoin Ordinals theory, BRC-20 tokens are commonly created as 

. Fractal Bitcoin fully supports this token standard on its own platform.

However, Fractal's BRC-20 tokens have to follow a somewhat different naming standard from the one used by BRC-20 assets issued directly on Bitcoin. These differences primarily relate to ticker names being limited to 6–12 bytes, and rules governing what characters may be used for the tickers. In terms of their functionality, Fractal-based BRC-20 assets are similar to their Bitcoin-based counterparts.

 are another highly popular fungible token variation on Bitcoin. Unlike BRC-20 tokens, Runes don't use Ordinals inscription methodology, and are instead based on Bitcoin's native UTXO model. Thanks to this distinction, Runes are considered a more lightweight, low-footprint way of issuing and using Bitcoin-based fungible assets.

Fractal Bitcoin directly supports these assets as well, and Fractal-based Runes are etched, minted and used in the same way as on Bitcoin to create a familiar environment for Runes enthusiasts. Unlike BRC-20, Runes tokens' tickers on Fractal are no different from the naming standards used on Bitcoin.

, a technology that has enabled Bitcoin-based NFTs, are also available on Fractal, and in the same format as on the Bitcoin blockchain. One user-friendly way to create inscriptions on Fractal is through the Fractal Bitcoin wallet on the UniSat platform.

 features a step-by-step procedure that makes issuing Fractal Ordinals inscriptions accessible even to users with no understanding of the technical details behind this technology. You can also trade these assets via the UniSat Marketplace on Fractal.

The Fractal Bitcoin platform was created by the UniSat team, so it's no wonder that the UniSat Wallet is the primary vehicle for navigating the platform's ecosystem and carrying out transactions on it. The UniSat Wallet supports the issuance of BRC-20 tokens, Ordinals collections and even Names — inscriptions designed to register simple, human-readable identifiers on Bitcoin. 

As noted earlier, the wallet also provides access to the UniSat Marketplace on Fractal, where any asset type supported by the wallet can be easily traded. In addition, the wallet supports inscription-based assets — BRC-20 tokens, Names, Ordinals Inscriptions — directly on Bitcoin.

Fractal's native crypto token, FB, can be 

 along with Bitcoin. The platform uses a 

 methodology called Cadence Mining, a type of hybrid mining that enables miners to validate blocks on Fractal while also contributing to the security of the Bitcoin chain without needing additional resources.

To participate in FB mining, you need to use specialized machines called 

, and preferably join a mining pool to improve your chances of earning rewards. You’ll also need to set up a Bitcoin address via the UniSat Wallet, to which your mining rewards can be sent.

Note that in Fractal's mining system, only one-third of blocks are mined in a merged format with Bitcoin. The other two-thirds are mined entirely on Fractal Bitcoin in a permissionless manner by switching the mining machine's resources entirely to the Layer 2 chain.

The standard mining reward on Fractal (valid since the launch of the chain's mainnet in early September 2024) is 25 FB (around $165). Although this is vastly lower than Bitcoin's reward of 3.125 BTC (currently worth $194,977), Fractal's mining difficulty is also a lot lower than Bitcoin's. This means that the frequency of successful block mining on its sidechain is likely to be significantly higher than on Bitcoin. The frequency of successful mining is also boosted, thanks to Fractal's 30-second block intervals vs. Bitcoin's 10-minute mining cycles. The lower difficulty also creates opportunities for miners whose machines aren't powerful enough to mine BTC.

 rule. While the Bitcoin mining reward is halved approximately every four years, Fractal halvings are designed to take place every two years. The Fractal Bitcoin chain's mining reward is scheduled to reduce to zero some time in 2042.

Fractal Bitcoin’s native cryptocurrency, FB, is used much in the same way as the BTC coin is utilized on Bitcoin. FB serves as an asset to reward miners for helping to secure Fractal’s network. It's also used as the chain's primary asset for transactions and value storage. For instance, items listed on the UniSat Marketplace can be traded using FB coins.

FB's tokenomics also follows that of BTC quite closely, with a supply cap in place and the mining procedure used to gradually increase total supply. The maximum supply for FB is specified at 210 million, with half the supply allocated to mining rewards. Overall supply distribution shares are indicated in the chart below.

In early September, just before its Mainnet launch, Fractal 

 to eligible UniSat and OKX wallet users.

Fractal Bitcoin (FB): Scaling Bitcoin for Infinite Growth

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards