For a long time, although Bitcoin has a high value, the sense of participation has actually been poor. It’s not that it has no value, but it lacks a complete set of suitable tools, especially in the areas of cross-chain and self-custody. @PortaltoBitcoin proposed the concept of a "sovereign stack", which is actually aimed at solving this issue: how to enable BTC to truly flow in a multi-chain world without relinquishing control.

This "sovereign stack" is not a new public chain, but a complete set of infrastructure built by Portal, which can be broken down into four layers. The bottom layer is BitScaler, a Layer 3 created using Taproot technology, which allows for native exchanges between Bitcoin and other chains directly, without bridges or asset wrapping, and is controlled by strategies, enabling custom rules. The key point is that it does not require trusting any intermediaries, relying instead on cryptographic guarantees.

Next is the Portal DEX, which is more intuitive. It is a cross-chain decentralized exchange built on BitScaler. The focus is on native-to-native trading, exchanging BTC for ETH without needing to convert to wrapped coins like wBTC, and there is no need to deposit into a centralized platform. It is entirely a P2P model, operating under a self-custody logic.

Another interesting aspect is the routing and liquidity coordination layer, which uses a hub-and-spoke design to efficiently schedule validators and LPs. This not only saves costs but also avoids many MEV issues, ensuring fair transactions and transparent execution, making the system run more smoothly.

I personally feel that this layered structure is not a single-point breakthrough, but rather an "ability upgrade" for BTC, transforming it from an asset that can only be hoarded into one that can truly participate in cross-chain DeFi without sacrificing control. This direction has more of a return to basics meaning than purely focusing on performance or new concept projects. There is a ranking activity on @KaitoAI!!