An Open Letter on the Launch of Stacks Labs — by Alex Miller @alexlmiller, CEO Stacks Labs.
Today marks the first official day of @Stacks Labs — a milestone I’m both proud of and deeply energized by.
Stacks Labs was born out of SIP-031, a historic governance decision by the Stacks community to create a dedicated operational hub for our ecosystem. That proposal didn’t just outline a structure — it set in motion a vision for scaling Bitcoin Layer 2 to its fullest potential. Our job now is to help carry that vision forward.
Why This Matters
Bitcoin is the most important financial innovation of our lifetime. It offers an open alternative to government fiat systems that have been abused for decades — systems that keep people trapped behind borders, subject to the monopoly they were born into.
But Bitcoin, as an asset, can’t achieve this on its own. The base chain will never scale enough to support the full potential.
That’s where Stacks comes in. With sBTC, fully expressive Clarity smart contracts, and security inherited from Bitcoin, we have the chance to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars in capital and build a global economy on top of Bitcoin.
And Stacks Labs is here to make that happen. We’re here to make sure the infrastructure, developer support, and growth engine exist to back that vision. From engineering and developer relations, to product, business development, and marketing, this team will be the backbone of making the Bitcoin economy real and accessible at scale.
The Team
We’re building out a killer team for Labs that will be composed of both experienced Stacks builders and fresh new talent. The first new roles are already posted and we’re starting today with some of the best long-term contributors from the ecosystem joining us there - people who have been driving progress for years and are now coming together under one roof to accelerate it.
Powered by the Endowment
Thanks to the support of the newly created Stacks Endowment, Stacks Labs and the builders in the ecosystem will have the resources they need to succeed. Whether focused on operations, grants, DeFi incentives, marketing, and integrations — it all has one purpose: to unlock real Bitcoin capital for developers and builders.
Why Now Matters
Stacks has always focused on principles and done things the right way - our SEC-qualified Reg A offering, our commitment to decentralization, and generally being a great team to work with.
But we’ve also not moved as fast and aggressively as we could have.
Stacks Labs is about combining the best of both worlds - cherishing our principles while driving hard and fast to achieve them. Because that’s what the moment calls for.
The Stacks ecosystem just crossed $600M in TVL. 5,000 BTC are now pegged-in through sBTC. And interest from cross-chain builders is higher than ever, with DevRel programs like Code4STX and Ascent, along with events all around the world drawing new contributors into the cause.
October is always a meaningful month for Bitcoiners — Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin whitepaper on October 31st. And now, October 1st marks the beginning of Stacks Labs. It feels like the right moment to turn the page on the next chapter of Bitcoin scalability.
How You Can Engage
Our immediate mission is to scale up what’s already working: grants, developer support, and incentives that bring builders in. You’ll see us rolling out new programs and resources in the coming months, and you’ll find our team active across Telegram, X, and working groups.
But we need your help to do it - now is the time to step up and join. If you’re a builder, researcher, or simply a Bitcoiner who believes in what’s possible here, we want to hear from you. Stacks Labs is where Bitcoin grows, and this is just the beginning.
— Alex Miller
CEO, Stacks Labs
The Stacks Labs team has been building a lot lately with Dual Stacking live, USDCx launched, record transaction volume, and Bitcoin Staking on the horizon.
To make sure we can build through whatever market conditions are ahead, Labs is making the proactive move to reduce our spending, including decreasing our headcount by ~15 people.
We’re doing this in consultation with @StacksEndowment and the Treasury Committee and it ensures we have plenty of runway through whatever a bear market might throw at us, while staying fully resourced on everything that matters: Bitcoin Staking, 100x throughput, Clarity 5, and growing our marketing presence.
You can read a full update on our plans here
https://t.co/OPZp4gFnDe
plus the latest Treasury Committee update from the Endowment
https://t.co/KU2OeR3nYs
HIRING: Technical Product Manager
We're searching for a TPM who can translate Stacks Core development into clear roadmaps, coordinate flawless releases, and keep our ecosystem partners informed and aligned.
Apply below ↓
https://t.co/HbHPpbZE1F
We helped ship something big today 🚢
Dual Stacking aligns incentives between the BTC holder who wants to earn more bitcoin and the STX holder who wants to grow the value of the Stacks network.
We believe it will help grow the pie and bring Bitcoin to billions of users 🥧
INTRODUCING: A better way to stack sats.
Dual Stacking launches today—an innovative and sustainable form of bitcoin-denominated rewards that are only possible on Stacks.
No points. No nonsense.
Just Bitcoin earning Bitcoin.