[spmurrayzzz]

This is problematic for layer 1 settlement for sure. But there are layer 2 solutions that can help with the slippage issue (lightning network being the most prevalent). With a sufficient density of multisig wallet availability, as a proxy for liquidity, transactions are near-instant.

That said, there are differences in settlement guarantees at layer 2 that might make certain use cases less optimal.

[vineyardmike]

> for layer 1 settlement for sure. But there are layer 2

layers?

[jkepler]

Sure. Layers, like the Internet is made up of protocol layers.

Bitcoin on-chain is layer one: slow, sure, and after 6 confirmations considered irreversible and immutable.

Layer 2 protocols would include the lightning network and the liquid bitcoin protocols - both systems designed for different use cases, with differing technological benefits and risks. There may be other layer 2 systems that I'm not aware of.

Some might consider the OpenBazaar marketplace protocol, the Open Timestamps (https://opentimestamps.org/) application, or the Bisq decentralized bitcoin/fiat exchange to be layer 2 applications, as they're built directly on top of bitcoin but includes protocols. But I think they're simple examples of the kinds of applications that can be built on top of the programmable trust-net that bitcoin represents.

Because bitcoin is a decentralized and permissionless technology protocol, anyone who thinks of a way to build on top of it can do so---without needing anyone else's permission.

Layer 3 might be applications built on top of layer 2, such as the censorship resistant Juggernaut chat app, built on top of the lightning network: https://www.getjuggernaut.com/. As layer 2 matures, I imagine we'll begin to see a wave of creativity unleashed globally as people create layer 3 applications.

[spmurrayzzz]

Yea this terminology is borrowed from the OSI model for networking, with which you're likely familiar. It originally was used as just an analogy, but has increasingly just become the way the space describes (and markets) the different protocol layers of cryptocurrencies generally.