[PODCAST] Clayton Menzel: Unlocking Bitcoin's Potential with Babylon Labs
Manage episode 498266791 series 3634813
Summary
Clayton Menzel, Head of Business Development at Babylon Labs, shares how Babylon is unlocking a new era of Bitcoin staking. With over 48,000 BTC staked, the platform is building native infrastructure to make Bitcoin productive without compromising security. Clayton discusses the launch of Babylon Genesis, a Bitcoin-aligned L1, and the broader vision for Bitcoin in DeFi. He also reflects on his personal path into crypto, the importance of community education, and why collaboration—not competition—defines the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Takeaways
— Babylon Labs has over 48,000 BTC staked (~$4B).
— Enables native Bitcoin staking with no wrapped assets.
— Stakers earn yield while maintaining Bitcoin’s security guarantees.
— Babylon Genesis is a new L1 purpose-built for Bitcoin staking.
— Goal: make Bitcoin a core asset in DeFi.
— Only ~1% of Bitcoin is currently staked—massive upside potential.
— Strong focus on community education and accessibility.
— The Bitcoin ecosystem thrives on collaboration, not zero-sum thinking.
— New apps and staking use cases are coming fast.
— Clayton sees this as a pivotal moment for Bitcoin utility and growth.
Timeline
(00:00) Intro to Babylon Labs and Bitcoin staking
(02:47) How native BTC staking works
(05:56) Why Babylon Genesis matters
(09:12) Clayton’s background in crypto
(12:06) Bitcoin’s future in DeFi
(14:54) Educating the Bitcoin community
(17:57) Collaboration in the Bitcoin dev space
(20:52) What’s next for Babylon and BTC staking
-----------
Episode is brought to you by Infinex. Experience crypto designed for humans:
https://app.infinex.xyz/?r=B2KSQJ77
Follow me @shmula on X for upcoming episodes and to get in touch with me.
See other Episodes Here. And thank you to all our crypto and blockchain guests.
Chapters
1. Intro to Babylon Labs and Bitcoin staking (00:00:00)
2. How native BTC staking works (00:02:47)
3. Why Babylon Genesis matters (00:05:56)
4. Clayton’s background in crypto (00:09:12)
5. Bitcoin’s future in DeFi (00:12:06)
6. Educating the Bitcoin community (00:14:54)
7. Collaboration in the Bitcoin dev space (00:17:57)
8. What’s next for Babylon and BTC staking (00:20:52)
73 episodes