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Crypto network guide
The Stacks Network, Explained
Quick answer
Stacks is the leading Bitcoin Layer 2 for smart contracts, live since January 2021. Its Proof of Transfer consensus anchors every Stacks block to Bitcoin, its 2024 Nakamoto upgrade brought 5-second blocks with Bitcoin-grade finality, and sBTC (launched December 2024) puts BTC itself to work in its apps.
Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Anytime Capital trading desk
Stacks at a glance
- Launched
- 2021
- Consensus
- Proof of Transfer (anchored to Bitcoin; fast blocks since 2024)
- Block time
- ~5 seconds (since the Nakamoto upgrade)
- Typical transfer time
- Under 2 minutes
- Typical network fee
- Cents
- Native asset
- Stacks (STX)
Network fee: Typically a few cents per transaction in 2025–2026, paid in STX. Third-party network figures, not Anytime Capital pricing — our pricing is on the fees & limits page.
How long does a Stacks transfer take?
Since the October 2024 Nakamoto upgrade, Stacks produces blocks about every 5 seconds and reaches 100% Bitcoin finality once anchored — transactions can no longer be reorganized without reorganizing Bitcoin itself. Everyday transfers land in seconds to a couple of minutes.
Compare every chain on one page: how long crypto transfers take on every major network.
Smart contracts that settle to Bitcoin
Stacks' proposition: give Bitcoin the application layer it deliberately doesn't have, without changing Bitcoin. Its Proof of Transfer consensus has miners commit BTC to win Stacks blocks, and every Stacks block anchors into Bitcoin's chain — after the October 2024 Nakamoto upgrade, reorganizing settled Stacks history would require reorganizing Bitcoin itself. Contracts are written in Clarity, a decidable language built for asset safety.
sBTC: Bitcoin in the apps
sBTC — launched December 2024 — is a 1:1 Bitcoin-backed asset on Stacks, maintained by a decentralized signer set rather than a single custodian, redeemable for BTC on the base chain. It's the piece that makes 'Bitcoin DeFi' concrete: lending, trading, and yield built on the world's largest crypto asset while settlement anchors to Bitcoin. As with every representation: sBTC is a claim on BTC, and withdrawing to a bc1 address is how you hold the base asset itself.
Stacking: rewards paid in real BTC
Stacks' consensus recycles the BTC miners commit: STX holders who lock ('stack') their tokens receive those Bitcoin payments as rewards — one of the only mechanisms anywhere that pays yield in actual BTC rather than in the protocol's own token. Lockups run in ~2-week cycles. (US tax treatment of rewards applies; this is mechanics, not advice.)
Stablecoins on Stacks
No mainstream stablecoins run on Stacks. To move dollar-pegged value, use USDT or USDC on a supporting network — see stablecoins & their networks.
Stacks deposits need a memo
Some exchanges pool STX deposits and require a memo to credit your account. If the deposit screen shows one, it's mandatory; personal wallet-to-wallet transfers need no memo.
What does a Stacks address look like?
| Format | Looks like | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard address | Starts with SP (mainnet) | Exchange deposits may pair it with a memo — include it when shown |
Buy STX — the #1 place to buy crypto with a debit card, wire, Apple Pay & more
Anytime Capital is a US-based money services business with thousands of customers. Debit and credit cards from every major US bank work here, verification takes minutes, and delivery goes straight to the Stacks address you choose.
- Wire transfer
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Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value. Availability and limits subject to identity verification and compliance review.
Stacks network questions
About STX
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