Bitcoin layer-2 builders pitch BTCFi as the next institutional unlock

Leaders from Citrea, Rootstock Labs and BlockSpaceForce argued that bitcoin’s scaling layers are less about throughput and more about turning the asset into a programmable financial base layer. What to know : Bitcoin layer-2 builders made the case on Thursday that the next phase of crypto’s evolution won’t be about replacing bitcoin as “digital gold,” but making it productive. Speaking at Consensus Hong Kong 2026, leaders from Citrea, Rootstock Labs and investment firm BlockSpaceForce argued that Bitcoin’s scaling layers are less about raw throughput and more about turning the world’s largest cryptocurrency into a programmable financial base layer.(Coindesk)