Bitlayer
BITLAYER

Bitlayer

Bitlayer Logo

Bitlayer (BTR) is a Bitcoin Layer 2 rollup that enhances scalability, programmability, and interoperability. Built on the BitVM paradigm, it combines Bitcoin’s security with EVM compatibility, enabling developers to deploy Turing-complete smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Bitlayer processes transactions off-chain, anchoring them to Bitcoin’s base layer for high throughput and low fees. Its Finality Bridge facilitates secure, trust-minimized BTC transfers between Bitcoin and other blockchains. Launched in 2024 with a Proof-of-Stake Mainnet-V1, Bitlayer’s roadmap includes a rollup-based Mainnet-V2 in 2025, offering up to 20,000 TPS. Founders Charlie Hu and Kevin He secured $5M in seed funding from Framework Ventures, ABCDE Capital, and others. With BTC as its gas token, support for Solidity, and advanced developer tools, Bitlayer is positioned to expand Bitcoin’s ecosystem by enabling decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and cross-chain applications.

Bitlayer is a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution that combines Bitcoin’s unparalleled security with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, enabling scalability, programmability, and cross-chain interoperability. It is the first Bitcoin-native rollup built on the BitVM paradigm, allowing developers to deploy Turing-complete smart contracts and create advanced decentralized applications (dApps). By leveraging rollup technology, Bitlayer processes transactions off-chain and periodically submits proofs to Bitcoin’s base layer, ensuring high throughput, low transaction costs, and Bitcoin-equivalent security.

Bitlayer’s ecosystem introduces a computation layer for Bitcoin, bridging the gap between Bitcoin’s robust base layer and the growing demand for scalable and programmable blockchain networks.

Bitlayer addresses Bitcoin's limitations by introducing scalability, programmability, and interoperability. It is used for:

  • Bitcoin Scaling: Bitlayer increases transaction capacity and reduces costs through rollup technology, enabling thousands of transactions per second.
  • Smart Contract Deployment: Developers can use Bitlayer’s EVM compatibility to deploy Turing-complete smart contracts and dApps on Bitcoin, unlocking use cases such as DeFi, NFT platforms, and decentralized gaming.
  • Cross-Chain Interoperability: Bitlayer’s Finality Bridge facilitates seamless, trust-minimized BTC transfers between Bitcoin and other blockchains.
  • Cost-Efficient Transactions: The use of BTC as the native gas token (with 18 decimals for EVM compatibility) ensures efficient and affordable transaction fees.
  • Developer Tools: Developers can build using Solidity, migrate applications from Ethereum, and benefit from comprehensive tooling, such as JSON-RPC and Bitlayer’s dedicated infrastructure.
  • Support for Bitcoin DeFi (BTCFi): With enhanced scalability and programmability, Bitlayer creates new opportunities for decentralized finance on Bitcoin, leveraging its trust-minimized bridges and secure architecture to power applications such as lending, staking, and synthetic assets.

  1. Bitcoin Rollup Architecture (V2): Bitlayer’s rollup aggregates Layer 2 transactions and verifies them on Bitcoin’s base layer, ensuring Bitcoin-equivalent security.
  2. EVM Compatibility: Developers can deploy Ethereum-based dApps and tools on Bitlayer without modifications, bridging Bitcoin with the Ethereum ecosystem.
  3. Finality Bridge: A trust-minimized Bitcoin bridge supports secure cross-chain transfers, enabling interoperability between Bitcoin and other blockchains.
  4. Low-Cost Transactions: By using BTC as the native gas token with 18 decimal precision, Bitlayer ensures lower transaction fees compared to traditional Bitcoin transactions.
  5. Advanced Infrastructure: Bitlayer supports features like JSON-RPC APIs, Solidity up to version 0.8.25, and enhanced developer tooling for seamless application deployment.
  6. Roadmap Progression: With the PoS-based Mainnet-V1 launched in April 2024, Bitlayer’s rollup-based Mainnet-V2 is set to roll out in 2025, introducing groundbreaking scalability.