Kriptoks

Stacks is an open-source, Layer-1 blockchain network that aims to leverage the security and capital of Bitcoin for decentralized apps (dapps) and smart contracts. The native cryptocurrency of the Stacks network is STX. The company initially introduced Stacks, then known as Blockstacks, in 2017 with a white paper that aimed to solve Bitcoin’s scalability issues by creating “a new Internet for decentralized applications” that “enables users to own their application data directly.”

The history of Stacks starts with the introduction of the project in 2017 through a white paper by Muneeb Ali. The ecosystem of Blockstacks consisted of a collection of independent entities, developers, holders, and communities working together to build a user-owned Internet by taking Bitcoin beyond a simple store of value. In 2019, Blockstacks distributed the STX cryptocurrency to the general public through the first-ever token offering approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), raising $52.8 million.

In October 2020, Blockstacks rebranded into Stacks, and Blockstack PBC, the blockchain software firm that drives much of the development for the project, was renamed Hiro Systems PBC. In December 2020, Stacks unveiled a new white paper outlining the major changes in its blockchain technology. A month later, the Stacks 2.0 blockchain was launched.

The Stacks blockchain aims to resolve Bitcoin’s scalability challenges by increasing transaction capacity. The Stacks ecosystem offers additional features to the Bitcoin network, which can be static and inflexible. Stacks users can launch new network features via Stacks’ integration with Bitcoin without needing to alter the Bitcoin network itself. The Stacks platform also uses Bitcoin’s efficient security and finality to secure transactions inside the ecosystem.

The platform uses a unique ID system stored on the blockchain, which enables users to independently store data in their chosen media and eliminates the need to keep passwords for authentication. It uses a Proof-of-Transfer (PoX) consensus mechanism, the first consensus algorithm between two blockchains (Bitcoin and Stacks). Miners do not mine anything on the Stacks blockchain. Instead, they swap already mined coins off the Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain and commit them for a chance to win STX.

STX is used as fuel for transactions and rewards for miners while enabling holders to earn BTC by ‘Stacking’, the mechanism that rewards STX token holders for participating in the Stacks blockchain. By holding and stacking STX, holders can earn.

Additionally, STX can also be used to vote on governance proposals and fund development projects within the Stacks ecosystem. By holding and using STX, holders are able to play an active role in the decision-making process and shape the direction of the network.

One of the key features of the Stacks network is the ability for developers to build dapps on top of it. These dapps can be built using the Clarity programming language, which is a smart contract language specifically designed for the Stacks blockchain. Developers can use STX to pay for the resources needed to run their dapps, such as storage and computation.

In addition, STX can also be used to register and manage namespaces, which are a way for users to create and manage their own domain names within the Stacks ecosystem. This allows for greater control over the branding and identity of dapps and projects built on the network.

Overall, the Stacks network is designed to be a powerful and flexible platform for decentralized applications and smart contracts, with STX playing a vital role in its operation and governance. With its innovative consensus mechanism, user-controlled data, and integration with Bitcoin, Stacks aims to create a new internet for decentralized applications that is more secure, open, and accessible to all.