Today, I sit down with Muneeb Ali, co-creator of Stacks and a pioneer in the Bitcoin Layer 2 space. In this episode, we explore Muneeb’s journey from academia and deep computer science research to building one of the most critical infrastructures in Bitcoin's evolving ecosystem.We explore how Stacks brings scalability and programmability to Bitcoin through a secure Layer 2. Muneeb breaks down building on Bitcoin—from early projects like BNS to Ordinals, inscriptions, and the rise of Bitcoin-native NFTs and DeFi.
Episode Highlights with Timestamps:
[00:00] Intro: Welcome to Overnight Success
[00:38] Origins story: Commercializing research, hardcore computer science & Startups
[07:30] Web3 ‘Aha moment’ - getting into decentralization
[09:37] Building Stacks: the thesis behind Stacks & the problems of Bitcoin Layer1
[12:11] Breaking down how building on Bitcoin works - Inscriptions, NFTs & the future of dApps
[17:08] Growing Stacks
[19:31] The future of the Bitcoin community. BTC vs ETH, Riding bear-bull markets, the challenges of scaling BTC.
About Our Guest
Muneeb Ali is the co-creator of Stacks, a Bitcoin Layer 2 platform designed to bring smart contracts and decentralized applications to Bitcoin while preserving its security and decentralization. With a background in computer science and a PhD from Princeton, Muneeb has been at the forefront of Web3 infrastructure, pioneering ways to unlock Bitcoin’s full potential.
Before Stacks, Muneeb worked on early decentralized identity and naming systems like BNS (Bitcoin Name System), laying the groundwork for programmable layers on Bitcoin. His mission is to build a user-owned internet on the most secure blockchain in the world, making Bitcoin not just a store of value but a foundation for a new generation of apps, DeFi, and digital ownership.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
PRESENTED BY DRAPER UNIVERSITY
HOSTED BY CHRIS JOANNOU