In this episode, we talk to Alisia Painter, co-founder and COO of Botanix, about her journey from Brazil to Bitcoin, and how her experience shaped the mission behind Botanix β a project aiming to bring programmability and DeFi to Bitcoin without compromising on decentralization or user control.
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We explore why Bitcoin matters in emerging markets, how Botanix is building a secure, decentralized Layer 2 for Bitcoin, and why building without traditional token incentives might be the key to long-term ecosystem sustainability. Alisia also shares insights into user adoption in Brazil, the challenges of onboarding new users, and how Botanix is thinking about digital identity, self-custody, and real-world asset tokenization.
Whether youβre a Bitcoiner, builder, or curious about the future of programmable money β this oneβs for you.
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Guest Links / Additional Material:
Botanix Website: https://botanixlabs.com/
Botanix on X: https://x.com/BotanixLabs
Botanix on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/botanixlabs
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:30 - From Brazil To Bitcoin
05:00 - Education Financed By BTC Gains
05:50 - Bitcoin's Role in Emerging Markets
08:54 - Botanix: Bridging Bitcoin and DeFi
16:30 - First Decentralized Bitcoin Layer 2
21:30 - Bootstrapping A Bitcoin DeFi Ecosystem
29:30 - Why Not Bridge to Ethereum Instead?
32:04 - Bridging Risks and User Experience
36:00 - Bitcoin Is Slow (Finality): Implications
40:00 - Bitcoinβs Unique Standing as an Asset
42:30 - Whatβs Next?
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Disclaimer:
TEACHMEDEFI is a provider of entertainment and opinions. We are neither a broker/dealer nor an investment advisor. This is not a service for issuing or receiving financial or investment advice. None of our content constitutes a recommendation β or should be understood as such β to conduct transactions in securities, cryptocurrencies, or crypto-assets, or to engage in any of the investment strategies presented in our discussions or provided content. We do not provide personalized recommendations or views on whether a stock, cryptocurrency, crypto-asset, or investment approach is suitable for the financial needs of a particular individual.