Share this article
Bitcoin's Role in DeFi Is 'Untapped Opportunity,' Binance Research Says
The Bitcoin network is evolving into a wider DeFi ecosystem, the report said.
Mar 13, 2025, 5:48 p.m.
What to know:
- Bitcoin has evolved from more than just a store of value, a Binance Research report said.
- The report said the network is developing into a decentralized finance ecosystem.
- Only about 0.8% of bitcoin is currently being used in DeFi, the report noted
Bitcoin's role in decentralized finance (DeFi) is growing as the world's largest cryptocurrency evolves from more than just a store of value, Binance Research said in a report Thursday.
The Bitcoin network is "evolving into a broader decentralized finance ecosystem with the emergence of Bitcoin DeFi," analyst Moulik Nagesh wrote.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
This is a sector that "unlocks bitcoin's capital efficiency" with the use of financial applications focused on lending, staking, stablecoins and decentralized exchanges (DEX's), the report said.
DeFi is an umbrella term used for lending, trading and other financial activities carried out on a blockchain, without the need for traditional intermediaries.
Binance noted that only ~0.8% of the bitcoin supply is currently being used in DeFi, and this presents a large "untapped opportunity." In fact, last year, Julian Love, a deal analyst at Franklin Templeton Digital Assets, said the opportunity could be as much as $1 trillion.
Binance Research report said that Bitcoin needs layer 2s as the network lacks "native programmability," unlike smart contract-based layer 1s. A layer 1 network is the base layer or the underlying infrastructure of a blockchain. Layer 2 refers to a set of off-chain systems or separate blockchains built on top of layer 1s.
While there has been some progress on the development of Bitcoin layer-2 networks, these platforms need greater adoption and liquidity incentives to be able to scale up effectively, Binance Research said.
The network's security model is faced with "long-term sustainability challenges" as block rewards will continue to halve, the report said, thereby reducing miner incentives.
The long-term viability of Bitcoin DeFi is dependent on execution, the further development of layer-2s, and the "ability to align with bitcoin's unique value proposition," the report added.
Read more: Ethereum L2 Starknet Seeks 'Bitcoin's DeFi Take-Off Moment' With BTC Wallet Xverse
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Japan’s Higher Rates Puts Bitcoin in the Crosshairs of a Yen Carry Unwind
A stronger yen typically coincides with de-risking across macro portfolios, and that dynamic could tighten liquidity conditions that recently helped bitcoin rebound from November’s lows.
What to know:
- The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates to 0.75% at its December meeting, the highest since 1995, affecting global markets including cryptocurrencies.
- A stronger yen could lead to de-risking in macro portfolios, impacting liquidity conditions that have supported bitcoin's recent recovery.
- Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated a high probability of a rate hike, with officials prepared for further tightening if their economic outlook supports it.
Top Stories
