Botanix Labs has launched Botanix on testnet as a federated sidechain built on Bitcoin with a 16-node founding federation that includes XBTO, Fireblocks, Antpool, UTXO Management, and other entities (full list below).
The federation ensures that no single entity — including Botanix Labs — controls the network. Botanix Labs has relinquished operational responsibilities, transferring governance and consensus to the node operators. The network plans to evolve into a dynamic federation that supports hundreds of nodes, with the long-term goal of enabling anyone to run a Botanix node. The network’s mainnet is scheduled to launch later this quarter.
Willem Schroé, CEO and co-founder of Botanix Labs, stated in a press release that, “The Bitcoin economy cannot be built on centralized rails. With this 16-node founding federation, we’ve stripped out centralized control and laid the groundwork for a fully permissionless future.”
Botanix’s design emphasizes resilience, with geographically distributed nodes and different kinds of security hardware to minimize single points of failure. The goal is to support consistent availability and uncensorable transaction processing, aligning with Bitcoin’s principles of security and open access. Their use of what they call the “Spiderchain” protocol enables Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, allowing applications like lending and staking directly on the network without wrapped assets or bridges.
Philippe Bekhazi, co-founder and CEO of XBTO, commented, “Institutional interest in Bitcoin continues to grow, but that growth depends on secure, decentralized infrastructure that can meet the standards of professional markets.”
Bekhazi also noted XBTO’s commitment to supporting Botanix.
Founded in 2023, Botanix Labs developed the Spiderchain protocol and initiated Botanix. With the network now independently operated, the lab focuses on research, developer tools, and ecosystem support. Botanix enables developers to build financial applications while maintaining Bitcoin’s base layer integrity.
The network’s decentralized structure supports scalability and security for Bitcoin-related applications. As Botanix prepares for its mainnet launch, it aims to expand its federation and move toward further decentralization.
The full founding Botanix federation includes Botanix, Galaxy, Fireblocks, Alchemy, XBTO, Antpool, UTXO Management, Kiln, Chorus One, UndefinedXBlockPI, DAIC, Pier Two, Stakin, Vertex, Stake.fish, and Hashkey Cloud.
Bitcoin Magazine is wholly owned by BTC Inc., which operates UTXO Management, a regulated capital allocator focused on the digital assets industry. UTXO invests in a variety of Bitcoin businesses, and maintains significant holdings in digital assets.
