Unlocking Bitcoin

Unlocking Bitcoin: To DeFi with Mintlayer is a book by blockchain expert Enrico Rubboli that explores Bitcoin’s potential beyond its traditional role as digital gold. Published in 2025, the book details the development of Mintlayer, a Bitcoin sidechain designed to enhance scalability, enable decentralized finance (DeFi), and facilitate tokenized asset transactions.OverviewThe book provides an in-depth look at Bitcoin’s limitations regarding smart contracts, scalability, and financial applications. It highlights how traditional DeFi solutions, such as Ethereum, face challenges related to high gas fees and security vulnerabilities. Rubboli, drawing from his experience at Bitfinex and Tether, presents Mintlayer as a solution that expands Bitcoin’s functionality without compromising its core principles of security and decentralization.ContentThe book is structured into several chapters that cover:The origins of Mintlayer and the motivation behind its creationBitcoin’s scalability problem and how Mintlayer addresses it through sidechain technologyThe role of real-world asset tokenization in decentralized financeThe future of financial markets and blockchain’s role in institutional adoptionAuthorEnrico Rubboli is a software developer with over 22 years of experience in blockchain technology, fintech, and cybersecurity. He previously worked on infrastructure development at Bitfinex and helped transition Tether to a multi-chain ecosystem. In 2019, he founded Mintlayer, a Bitcoin sidechain designed to integrate financial applications directly into the Bitcoin network.ImpactThe book has been recognized for its insights into Bitcoin’s evolution and its potential to serve as a foundation for decentralized finance. It has contributed to discussions on layer-2 solutions, cross-chain interoperability, and the future of financial markets on blockchain technology.