Bubble
Stacks STX
Stacks (STX) was trading at $0.2580, ranked #106 by market cap at $480.80M, with 24h volume of $23.87M.
Data snapshot: 2026-09-02 12:15 UTC.
Stacks brings smart contracts to Bitcoin without changing Bitcoin itself, settling its blocks onto the Bitcoin chain through a mechanism called proof of transfer. Its Clarity contract language is deliberately non-Turing-complete so contract behaviour can be checked before deployment, and STX holders can lock tokens to earn BTC rewards — an unusual model where staking pays out in a different asset. Stacks builds smart contracts that settle to Bitcoin rather than to Ethereum, so applications can use BTC as an asset without moving it to a different chain's custody. Its consensus ties block production to Bitcoin transactions, and holders can earn BTC by locking STX in a mechanism called Stacking. That makes it a distinct bet: it rises and falls with interest in Bitcoin-based applications, a narrative that runs on a different cycle from Ethereum-based DeFi. On this map that means STX can move while the rest of the Layer 2 group is flat, and vice versa.
What does it mean that Stacks settles to Bitcoin?
Its consensus is anchored to Bitcoin transactions, so its history inherits Bitcoin's settlement guarantees rather than Ethereum's.
What is Stacking?
Locking STX to support consensus in return for rewards paid in BTC. It is distinct from ordinary proof-of-stake staking, which usually pays rewards in the chain's own token.
Why does STX move differently from Ethereum rollups?
Its demand driver is interest in Bitcoin-based applications, which follows a different narrative cycle from Ethereum DeFi activity.
What is STX used for?
It pays transaction fees, is locked in Stacking to secure consensus and earn rewards, and is used in governance.
Market cap decides how big a bubble is drawn, so rank is what places STX on the map relative to the rest of its sector.
| Rank | Coin | Market cap |
|---|---|---|
| #67 | Polygon Ecosystem Token (POL) | $763.49M |
| #94 | Arbitrum (ARB) | $538.37M |
| #106 | Stacks (STX) | $480.80M |
| #166 | Optimism (OP) | $216.83M |
| #174 | Starknet (STRK) | $187.08M |