Rootstock Is Quietly Building Bitcoin’s DeFi Backbone — And It’s Getting Serious

⚙️ Rootstock: Bitcoin’s Low-Key DeFi Powerhouse

While Ethereum dominates DeFi headlines, Rootstock is laying down serious infrastructure for a Bitcoin-native DeFi future.

Powered by merged mining and now secured by 81% of BTC’s hashrate, this OG sidechain is evolving into a technically mature, EVM-compatible Layer 2 — and it might just be Bitcoin’s best shot at smart contract supremacy.

🔒 Secured by Bitcoin, Not Hype

Rootstock launched back in 2018 — and it’s still standing. Why? Because it’s secured by real hashrate, not marketing.

• ✅ Merged mining = BTC miners securing both chains
• 🔥 Q1 2025: 81% of Bitcoin’s hashrate now secures Rootstock
• ⚡ New partners: Foundry + Spiderpool (2 of the world’s top 6 mining pools)

This means Rootstock doesn’t just claim Bitcoin security — it inherits it.

💸 95% Cheaper Than Bitcoin — And 55% Cheaper Than ETH

High fees? Not here.

Rootstock now boasts:

• 💰 95% lower fees than Bitcoin
• 🧮 55% lower than Ethereum
• 🛠️ Upgrades + miner coordination slashed costs across the board

That’s a game-changer for devs and users who want Bitcoin security without Bitcoin friction.

🧠 Ethereum Compatibility + BitVMX = Smart Bitcoin

Rootstock isn’t trying to reinvent the EVM — it’s leaning into it:

• ✅ Full EVM compatibility
• 🔄 Easy migration for Web3 devs
• 🚀 March 2025: Lovell 7.0.0 upgrade = even deeper integration

And there’s more brewing: BitVMX, a programmable evolution of Bitcoin scripting. It’s still early, but if it works, we’re talking expressive smart contracts — on BTC rails.

🌐 Cross-Chain Ready: 100+ Chains via LayerZero

Rootstock’s not just compatible — it’s connected.

• 🔗 Q1: Integrated with LayerZero’s Stargate
• 🪙 Bring assets from Ethereum, Solana, and 100+ chains
• 🧃 DeFi liquidity goes from fragmented to flowing

This isn’t just about Bitcoin. It’s about bridging Web3 — without leaving the base values behind.

📉 Mixed Metrics, But Foundations Are Solid

Yes, user activity dipped in Q1:

• 👥 Daily active addresses down 26.5%
• 🆕 New wallets down 55.7%
• 📉 Onchain revenue dropped 24% (rBTC terms)

But here’s the tradeoff: Lower fees = lower revenue — and cheaper access.

Meanwhile:

• 📈 Daily transactions still rose 4.3%
• 📊 TVL hit a low of 179.9M, down from 244.6M
• 💵 Stablecoins diversified — DOC and DLLR gaining ground

So yes, quieter quarter — but a healthier, more decentralized foundation.

🧠 TL;DR: Rootstock Is Ready for the Bitcoin DeFi Boom

Rootstock may not make noise like Solana or pump like memecoins, but its foundation is rock-solid.

• 🔐 81% of Bitcoin hashrate
• 💸 95% fee reduction
• 🌉 Interoperability via LayerZero
• 📟 Smart contract growth via EVM and BitVMX

As BTCFi heats up, Rootstock’s tech stack is already built — and battle-tested.

The next wave of builders? They may not need to leave Bitcoin at all.