Rootstock (RBTC) is an EVM- and smart contract–capable Layer 2 sidechain for Bitcoin designed for DeFi use cases.

 (DeFi) sector back in 2017 is firmly associated with the 

 (ETH) blockchain. It was Ethereum that introduced the concept of 

, and the first prominent DeFi protocols were all born on this blockchain. For a while, it seemed like 

 (BTC) stayed away from the emerging DeFi phenomenon. It’s only in the past few years that the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem, dubbed BTCFi, seemingly started to show the first signs of life. This impression is, however, not entirely correct. As early as January 2018, the first DeFi-focused 

 solution for Bitcoin — the Rootstock (RBTC) sidechain — celebrated its mainnet debut.

Rootstock remains the oldest and longest-running Layer 2 platform for the Bitcoin ecosystem. It’s smart contract-capable and highly compatible with the 

 (EVM). While the platform can support all kinds of 

 (DApps), it specifically focuses on the DeFi niche, with nearly all of its leading apps dedicated to crypto finance use cases. Along with smart contract functionality, Rootstock enjoys the famed security of Bitcoin, thanks to its merged mining with the world's largest chain. The sidechain also features superior scalability and lower transaction fees than Bitcoin’s 

With this combination of benefits, it’s no wonder that the Rootstock sidechain has managed to keep a leading position in the fast-developing BTCFi field all these years.

 (RBTC) is a smart contract–capable Layer 2 sidechain designed for Bitcoin DeFi applications. Rootstock's native cryptocurrency, RBTC, is an asset pegged to BTC at a 1:1 ratio.

 Users can transfer their BTC funds to the sidechain, where their coins are converted to RBTC. From then on, users are free to use the RBTC crypto to make use of Rootstock's extensive ecosystem of DeFi apps and tools. Rootstock represents a major way for Bitcoin holders to enjoy smart contract–powered DeFi applications without having to move their assets and activity to Ethereum or other smart contract chains.

Since the Bitcoin network has virtually no smart contract capabilities, many DeFi-minded BTC holders have to convert their funds to Ether or other smart contract chain coins to enjoy crypto finance opportunities on those blockchains. While Ethereum, 

 (ADA) and other prominent smart contract chains offer a diverse array of DeFi solutions, the problem with converting BTC to these coins is the loss of peg; e.g., by exchanging BTC to ETH, you’re decoupling your funds from the world's largest cryptocurrency, well regarded by many investors as the gold standard in crypto investment.

Rootstock solves this issue by offering a BTC-pegged asset, RBTC, that can be swapped back for BTC at any time and returned to the Bitcoin Layer 1 environment. The platform essentially lets you enjoy a plethora of DeFi opportunities while keeping your overall funds tightly pegged to BTC.

Rootstock features EVM compatibility through its Rootstock virtual machine (RVM). This makes porting Ethereum DApps to the sidechain a breeze. The platform also enjoys the security of Bitcoin through a merged mining procedure, whereby miners can use the hash power contributed to securing the Bitcoin network to simultaneously mine blocks on Rootstock as well.

Rootstock's block production time is just 30 seconds, twenty times as frequent as Bitcoin's 10-minute intervals. This allows for fast and efficient transaction processing. At the same time, to ensure complete security of operations, Rootstock normally requires that each transaction go through a minimum of 12 confirmations, which takes the total time for complete transaction finalization to six minutes.

 difficulty is considerably lower than Bitcoin's, and its network congestion isn't anywhere near the levels of Bitcoin or Ethereum. As a result, gas fees on the chain are notably lower than on Bitcoin and Ethereum, with an average transaction fee of around five cents.

The Rootstock sidechain was first conceptualized in 2015 by a group of Argentinian software engineers from RSK Labs. It was officially launched in January 2018, making it the oldest existing Bitcoin Layer 2 solution. In its earlier years of operation, the platform was known as the RSK blockchain, but rebranded to Rootstock in 2022. The project's co-founders are Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar, Adriȧn Eidelman, Gabriel Kurman and Sergio Demian Lerner.

Rootstock uses an address system compatible with and similar to Ethereum's, with 40 alphanumeric characters and an account-based model. This differs from the 

 (UTXO) model employed for Bitcoin transactions. Transactions on the sidechain directly modify account balances, similar to Ethereum, rather than adjusting unspent output amounts.

This account-based address system ensures adherence to EVM compatibility and easy accommodation of DApps ported from EVM chains.

, known previously as the RSK virtual machine, is a processing engine used by the sidechain. It's EVM-compatible, allowing developers to easily port and adapt Ethereum smart contracts and DApps to the Rootstock environment. Additionally, developers can use Solidity, the primary programming language used within the Ethereum ecosystem, to build Rootstock-based applications.

The project's team tries to maintain compatibility between RVM and EVM carefully. Around once a year, the Ethereum developer community performs a 

 of the blockchain, upgrading it to a new version. The key goals of these upgrades are to introduce new functionality, address security concerns and improve existing features. If the new features introduced by Ethereum align with the ethos and goals of the Rootstock project, the team initiates a corresponding hard fork upgrade to the sidechain and RVM in order to maintain the snug compatibility between the processing engines of the two chains.

Rootstock's security mechanism is well protected, thanks to 

 with Bitcoin. Like Bitcoin's Layer 1, Rootstock uses the 

 (PoW) block generation procedure. Miners can merge-mine RBTC using the same 

 power they contribute to mining Bitcoin. This provides an excellent way for miners to earn additional crypto income without the need to contribute more computing capacity. Merged mining is also a key way for PoW blockchains to reduce their environmental impact.

Since the average block time on the Rootstock blockchain is only 30 seconds, miners can expect more frequent rewards from their block generation activity. In general, Rootstock's mining difficulty is lower than Bitcoin's, allowing less powerful mining machines to still generate income on the network.

Rootstock's mining rewards are paid out in RBTC, the BTC-pegged asset that we'll cover in more detail later in the article.

 is Rootstock's system to ensure a peg between BTC and RBTC and the secure transfer of assets between the sidechain and Bitcoin Layer 1. The Rootstock PowPeg allows anyone to lock BTC on the Bitcoin chain and get securely issued RBTC on the Rootstock side. PowPeg also facilitates the process of burning RBTC on Rootstock and receiving the requisite amount of BTC on Layer 1.

Rootstock PowPeg uses Bitcoin's PoW to maintain the security and integrity of the peg in conjunction with institutional nodes running specialized 

 devices. PowHSMs securely sign transactions involving the transfer of assets between Rootstock and Bitcoin. The group of nodes running PowHSMs, called the PowPeg Federation, is currently made up of nine reputable organizations in the blockchain sphere — BlockVenture, Luxor, Сollider, Сonstata, Mycointainer, pNetwork, Sovryn, Xapo and RootstockLabs.

Rootstock Smart Bitcoin (RBTC), previously known as RSK Bitcoin, is the platform's main cryptocurrency. RBTC is pegged to BTC at a ratio of 1:1 through the securely enabled PowPeg mechanism covered above. Like BTC on the Bitcoin blockchain, RBTC is used to pay transaction fees and reward miners on the Rootstock network. However, unlike BTC, RBTC can also be used within DApps for functions like collateral provision, lending, borrowing and more.

Given RBTC's peg to BTC, it’s not surprising that its tokenomics borrows some critical parameters from Bitcoin. RBTC's total supply is specified at 21 million, matching the 

The Rootstock platform also has a second token, RIF, primarily designed to support DApps that are part of the 

 (RIF) protocol, a layer built on top of the Rootstock chain for apps designed for staking, lending, payments and other DeFi use cases. There are currently several RIF DApps on Rootstock that can use the RIF token.

 within these DApps. It can also be staked on Rootstock to open up the opportunity to participate in on-platform 

. By staking RIF, you’re issued stRIF tokens, which enable you to participate in governance votes via the 

. This is the platform's primary governance entity, through which community members — users and developers — can influence the future direction and improvements to the sidechain and its ecosystem.

For instance, during the early stages of the DAO's operation, community members can vote on the allocation of ecosystem grants. In the future, decision-making on other initiatives (e.g., rewarding developers contributing to the growth of Rootstock) will be implemented.

RIF is a supply-capped token, with a total and maximum supply of 1 billion. The token's overall supply allocation shares, as outlined in the project's white paper, are as follows:

As a leading Bitcoin sidechain capable of executing smart contracts, Rootstock boasts a thriving ecosystem of DApps, primarily in the DeFi domain. As of mid-December 2024, the total number of applications, utility tools, wallets and other smart contract–enabled solutions on Rootstock stands at close to 180.

One of the leading applications on the chain is Sovryn, a decentralized Bitcoin trading and lending platform. Another popular DeFi app is 

 (AMM) built on the Ethereum blockchain. In addition to a plethora of DeFi apps, Rootstock has solutions for 

The Rootstock Runes Mock Bridge project allows developers to create Rune tokens on the sidechain. Introduced in April 2024, the 

 has opened a way to efficiently create Bitcoin-based fungible tokens by leveraging the blockchain's native UTXO transaction model. Rootstock's Runes Mock Bridge supports the process of creating these tokens by first etching Runes on a Bitcoin, and then mirroring their representations to the sidechain. The replication of Bitcoin-based Runes tokens on Rootstock is enabled via the ERC-1155 token standard. This is a standard utilized on EVM-compatible chains to transfer blockchain assets of both fungible and non-fungible varieties efficiently.

Rootstock Token Bridge is a bridging solution designed to facilitate the transfer of ERC-20 assets between the Rootstock sidechain and Ethereum. Although Rootstock and Ethereum share the same address format and model, sending assets between these chains directly via your wallet may not work. Instead, to transfer assets, you are advised to use the Rootstock Token Bridge, which will convert the transferred tokens to a requisite format.

 projects active on the Rootstock chain. One of these, NFTs2Me, allows you to create NFTs with no coding skills required. The other project, coNFT, is a comprehensive multichain platform that offers users a wide variety of NFT-focused products and services — 

 name service, analytics and more. coNFT has access to data and NFT services across over 100 blockchain platforms.

The oldest Bitcoin sidechain in existence, Rootstock continues to play a key role in the development of Bitcoin-linked DeFi — BTCFi. The platform's EVM compatibility also positions it as a major bridge between the Ethereum and Bitcoin ecosystems — the blockchain environments of the world's two leading cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Over the years, Rootstock has accumulated a comprehensive arsenal of DeFi solutions — DEXs, liquidity management apps, 

 platforms, lending and borrowing protocols, NFT utilities and more. At the same time, RBTC's peg to BTC presents a unique way for crypto users to enjoy these DeFi protocols while holding an asset tightly coupled with Bitcoin's market price.

Developers can also enjoy a familiar environment, with the Solidity programming language and an EVM-compatible account model utilized by the sidechain.

Importantly, Rootstock offers efficient transaction processing — supported by its 30-second block intervals — and lower transaction fees than either Ethereum or Bitcoin. With gas fees a major concern for users on both of these Layer 1 chains, Rootstock is a platform that deserves close attention from both DeFi users and developers.

Advanced

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Rootstock (RBTC): Boosting Bitcoin DeFi With Smart Contracts

Explore the catalysts leading up to Bitcoin breaking $100,000, expert BTC price predictions and tips on trading BTC post-$100K on Bybit.

Bitcoin (BTC)'s price has surged to new all-time highs, setting a historic milestone as BTC surpassed the $100,000 level. With crypto 

 continuing its bullish momentum, several industry experts are projecting higher BTC price targets.

This article explores the catalysts leading up to Bitcoin breaking the significant $100,000 mark, expert predictions on where BTC price could go, and tips on trading BTC post-$100K on Bybit.

The Bitcoin halving, a pre-programmed event that reduces the reward for mining new blocks by half, took place on April 19, 2024, sparking excitement in the crypto world. Following the halving, miner's reward was cut from 6.25 BTC per block to 3.125 BTC. This process limits the total supply of new Bitcoin and increases its scarcity, which may affect its price and demand.

Typically following past halving events, Bitcoin's price has risen to all-time highs. For instance, after the first halving in 2012, the price of Bitcoin soared from about $12.20 to over $1,000 in 2013. Then, after the second halving in 2016, its price went from around $650 to almost $20,000 in 2017. More recently, after the third halving in 2020, Bitcoin's price shot up from around $9,000 to over $57,000 in 2021.

However, this year's halving event bucked the trend. BTC surpassed all-time high even before the halving event, largely due to the newly approved 

. BTC's price briefly surpassed its previous record high of $69,000 on Mar 5, 2024.

Following the halving, Bitcoin's price ranged between $54,000 to $71,000 for a good seven months.

Election of Donald Trump and Pro-Crypto Appointments

The election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States played a significant role in Bitcoin reaching the $100,000 mark. Trump's pro-crypto stance and the expectation that his administration would foster a favorable regulatory environment for the crypto industry was a major catalyst.

Furthermore, his choice to appoint pro-crypto candidates, like Paul Atkins as head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary, significantly boosted investor confidence, leading to a surge in Bitcoin's price. This optimism was based on the belief that policy changes would encourage broader adoption and investment in cryptocurrencies.

Another key factor is the surge in institutional investments in Bitcoin. The introduction and success of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US, particularly those backed by major financial institutions like BlackRock, brought a new wave of investment into the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin ETFs saw a record $6.2 billion in net inflow for the month of November, 

 to Bloomberg. These ETFs reflect the staggering institutional demand, and cements Bitcoin's legitimacy and attractiveness as an asset class.

 more funds through stock issuance to buy 15,400 Bitcoin worth $1.5 billion last week. This followed the 

 of an additional 55,500 BTC for $5.4 billion, with these purchases occurring between November 18 and November 24, 2024, at an average price of $97,862 per Bitcoin. Following this acquisition, MicroStrategy now holds a total of 402,100 Bitcoins, which is almost 2% of the entire supply of Bitcoin. These were acquired at an average price of $56,761, bringing their total investment in Bitcoin to roughly $21.9 billion.

This significant buy has been part of a broader trend where large purchases by institutions like MicroStrategy tend to signal bullish sentiment in the market, contributing to Bitcoin's price surge past the $100,000 mark. The company's aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy has only increased its own stock value, with MSTR gaining 492% year-to-date, outperforming AI darling stock NVDA.

Bitcoin reaching $100,000 was not just a numerical milestone but also a psychological level. Historically, when Bitcoin crosses previous all-time highs, it often experiences significant further gains, as investors tend to pile in after such breakthroughs. This psychological momentum was evident as Bitcoin approached and then surpassed this round number, which had been long anticipated by the crypto community as a significant threshold

With Bitcoin surpassing $100,000 and the crypto bull market in full force, what are experts predicting where BTC is headed? Here are some of the price predictions from experts in the markets.

 revised price targets for Bitcoin by the year 2030, including a bullish scenario where companies allocated 5% to Bitcoin. In the bear case, Bitcoin could reach $258,500, while in the base case, BTC could hit $682,000. However, it is the bull case where her BTC price targets get eye-catching. She predicts that BTC could hit $1.48 million in the bull case, while the bullish case could see BTC price reach a staggering $3.8 million.

MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor has been the most outspoken Bitcoin bull for years, consistently accumulating Bitcoin and raising funds through stock issuance to buy even more BTC. He predicts that Bitcoin will hit $100,000 by 2025, which has already come true. However, his other prediction drew more attention. Saylor predicts that BTC will reach a staggering $1 million per coin eventually.

Mark Yusko of Morgan Creek Capital forecasts Bitcoin reaching $150,000 in 2025. He bases this on the increasing Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) among investors, growing interest, and the network effect where Bitcoin's value increases as more people adopt it. Yusko sees these factors driving demand and pushing the price to new heights.

Tom Lee from Fundstrat Global Advisors predicts Bitcoin could surge to $250,000 by 2025. He points to the evolving political landscape in the U.S., which he believes could become more crypto-friendly, and the possibility of government accumulation of Bitcoin as key drivers. Lee suggests this shift could position Bitcoin as a legitimate alternative to traditional safe-haven assets like gold.

Standard Chartered Bank envisions Bitcoin reaching $200,000 by 2025, drawing comparisons to gold's price surge following the introduction of gold ETFs. They anticipate massive inflows into Bitcoin spot ETFs, which could lead to a similar quadrupling in price, driven by institutional and retail investor interest in these new financial products.

AllianceBernstein predicts Bitcoin will hit $200,000 by September 2025. Their forecast is based on the ongoing bullish cycle in the crypto market, increasing institutional adoption, mainstream acceptance, and the impact of the 2024 Bitcoin halving which historically has led to price appreciation due to reduced supply growth.

Bullish BTC Trading Strategy: Breakout Trading

To capitalize on rising Bitcoin prices, you can use the 

 strategy, which captures significant price movements by pinpointing crucial levels of support and resistance. The idea is to anticipate a breakout from these levels, in the hope that when the asset's price breaks out of a trading range, it will likely continue moving in that direction. 

 and confirmation techniques to identify potential breakouts, and enter trades accordingly. This strategy is versatile and applicable across different markets and time frames. However, traders must be mindful of false breakouts and market noise.

Identify a horizontal resistance level and an upward-sloping support trend line on the BTC price chart, forming an 

 that suggests a potential bullish breakout. 

You can use technical indicators such as 

, Donchian Channels and volume to confirm a breakout. Look for confirmation through high volume, price and time when the price breaks above the resistance level.

Enter a long position at the breakout point, and set a 

 to mitigate potential losses. Alternatively, you can wait for a pullback to a support level, and enter a long position there.

Consider the triangle's height for setting a profit target, or use 

 orders to ride the trend for as long as possible. This strategy offers an approach that takes advantage of potential upward movements in BTC's price.

Optimal BTC Investing Strategy: Dollar-Cost Averaging

If you're not a trader and prefer to hold Bitcoin over a mid to long-term duration, dollar-cost averaging (

) becomes a viable trading strategy. This method involves purchasing a fixed amount of Bitcoin at regular intervals, regardless of price fluctuations. The goal is to minimize the impact of volatility, and spread out the cost of entry over time.

DCA is a straightforward and effective approach to accumulating Bitcoin, obviating the need to time the market. It also helps investors steer clear of emotional decisions that could be driven by fear or greed. 

How to Execute this BTC Strategy on Bybit

 or other supported fiat currencies into your 

. Auto-Invest is a feature that lets users grow their holdings through regular, scheduled purchases of cryptocurrencies.

 or other fiat currencies that you would like to use under the 

 (Daily, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly) and the day of the week you would like the order to be executed. Click 

 and the DCA plan is created. For more information, refer to this 

Purchasing BTC Through Bybit Discount Buy

 lets you purchase BTC at a lower price than the market rate on the settlement date, provided it doesn't exceed a specific threshold known as the Knockout Price. Here's how to use it:

Navigating Bitcoin trading post the $100K milestone requires careful consideration of several factors. Whether you're a trader or investor, you can tailor your strategies to each scenario. From capitalizing on technical trends to dollar-cost averaging, Bybit offers a range of tools to execute your trading plan effectively.

 remains key in the volatile world of crypto trading.

Intermediate

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Bitcoin Price Prediction: What's Next After $100K

bitSmiley (SMILE) is a BTCFi platform that offers multichain stablecoin minting and lending functions, backed by BTC collateral.

The Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain started as a network devoid of smart contract functionality, but has managed to develop some form of 

 (DApp) ecosystem over the past few years — thanks to 

 (STX), Merlin Chain and Rootstock (RSK). Native Bitcoin protocols and new token standards — 

 upgrade have also contributed to the development of (modest) smart contract–like functions on the chain. Thanks to these innovations, an entirely new field, 

Unfortunately, the BTCFi niche remains underdeveloped compared to the thriving DeFi ecosystem of 

 chains. One key reason for this deficit is the lack of sophisticated DeFi functionality within the Bitcoin ecosystem, with few protocols capable of offering full-fledged lending, borrowing and yield management services. 

Another problem is the limited liquidity due to traders' inertia — having invested their time and funds in Ethereum and other smart blockchains, many DeFi users are unwilling to explore Bitcoin-based opportunities.

bitSmiley (SMILE) is a BTCFi project that aims to expand BTC-backed stablecoin and lending functions to various platforms beyond Bitcoin. Users of the platform can take advantage of BTC-collateralized stablecoin minting and lending services, with the issued assets usable on a wide variety of DeFi apps across many chains, including Ethereum. By offering these services, bitSmiley hopes to expand the usability of BTC funds well beyond Bitcoin's still immature DeFi environment.

 (SMILE) is a DeFi platform specializing in multichain 

 minting and lending services backed by Bitcoin. 

Its users can provide BTC funds as collateral to mint the bitUSD stablecoin, an asset soft-pegged to the U.S. dollar. bitUSD can be further used across a variety of DeFi protocols (on Ethereum and other smart contract chains) to earn yields, similar to the way that native Ethereum stablecoins are leveraged within DeFi. The protocol also offers cross-chain lending services, whereby users can lend funds in bitUSD and other stablecoin assets, based on the bitRC-20 standard, in exchange for collateral in BTC.

The bitRC-20 standard was developed by the bitSmiley project team to enable the issuance of native Bitcoin stablecoins, which can be further utilized within other platforms' DeFi ecosystems. bitRC-20 leverages Bitcoin's 

 technology to power the issuance and management of stablecoins.

Additionally, the bitSmiley protocol has added the function to mint and lend bitUSD — and possibly other bitRC-20 stablecoins in the future — using a variety of Bitcoin-based 

 tokens (LstBTCs). This lets users earn yields from staking platforms while using the underlying funds to mint and lend bitUSD.

In addition to stablecoin minting and lending services, bitSmiley has also developed a crypto derivatives trading protocol, although this service still appears to be in development as of early November 2024.

bitSmiley launched its operations in May 2024 on two popular 

. Then, in September, the project announced a key partnership with the 

 (ZETA) omnichain protocol, which may help optimize the cross-chain accessibility of assets originally issued on bitSmiley. ZetaChain’s protocol maintains smart contracts for cross-chain communications on multiple blockchain platforms within the Bitcoin, Ethereum and 

The bitSmiley project was founded in 2023, and is backed by two main venture capital investors — OKX Ventures and ABCDE — as well as a number of other prominent investors and backers, including KuCoin Ventures, MH Ventures, Skyland Ventures, Cypher Capital and CMS Holdings.

How Does bitSmiley Unlock Native Bitcoin Liquidity?

While users can keep their bitUSD funds working for them within the BTCFi ecosystem, there's one key problem: the native BTC DeFi world lacks the levels of liquidity, trading activity and product sophistication that Ethereum and other smart contract blockchains can offer. This makes the use of bitUSD beyond the Bitcoin ecosystem particularly relevant for traders.

Thanks to bitSmiley's cross-chain capabilities, bitUSD can be transferred to Ethereum and other major smart contract chain ecosystems to be used in DeFi protocols in those environments. This dramatically expands product alternatives, as well as the number of protocols on which bitUSD may be utilized.

bitSmiley uses Bitcoin's native inscription technology, multisig wallets and a group of listener components to enable the transfer of bitUSD to other blockchains. bitUSD is natively issued on Bitcoin as an inscription, and sent to a multisig wallet. A group of listeners configured by the platform detects the transfer to the wallet, checks the transaction and sends the information to the General Message Bridge, which is then responsible for minting bitUSD on the respective external chains.

bitSmiley's flagship service is bitUSD stablecoin minting. Users can mint the asset, which is native to Bitcoin and uses the bitRC-20 standard developed by the project, by providing collateral in BTC into the bitSmiley Treasury. bitSmiley implements overcollateralization to ensure the platform's financial security and stability. If the value of the collateral falls below a certain threshold, it becomes a target for a 

 process. The liquidated party also incurs a charge as a liquidation penalty.

The liquidated collateral is put up for an auction. bitSmiley uses the Dutch auction model, whereby the price starts at a higher level and then gradually decreases until a willing party decides to buy the collateral funds.

The money earned by the auction is stored in a surplus account, of which 10% goes to operational expenses and 90% is set aside as a liquidation buffer (used as compensation during times when the auction revenue is insufficient to pay for the expenses of the treasury). Additionally, if the money in the surplus account is insufficient to cover bad debts, the platform will then conduct a debt auction using future income as collateral. The debt auction will follow the English auction model (featuring a set opening price, which is raised until only a single bidder remains), and participants are required to bid using BTC.

When bitUSD is issued to a user, they have the option to transfer the asset to other blockchain environments using the bridging procedure described above. With a soft peg to the U.S. dollar, bitUSD can provide utility to DeFi traders across various smart contract chains in a way similar to popular stablecoin, such as 

bitSmiley's lending component, bitLending, is designed to enable 

 (P2P) lending of bitUSD — and, in the future, other assets based on the bitRC-20 standard — in exchange for collateral in BTC and LstBTC liquid staking tokens. bitLending relies on the standard Bitcoin opcodes (pieces of code attached to every Bitcoin transaction with instructions for processing it) to enable the P2P lending exchanges.

Users willing to lend their bitUSD post on bitLending, announcing the amount offered and interest rate sought. If there's a willing borrower for the offer, the parties initiate a transaction, with the borrower providing an overcollateralized security in BTC or LstBTC. The collateral needs to be approved by bitLending. When the borrower has successfully repaid the loan, their collateral will be released. If the borrower fails to repay by the deadline, the collateral is transferred to the lender.

, launched on the Ethereum blockchain on Nov 6, 2024. The token uses Ethereum's 

 standard. The decision to launch the token on Ethereum rather than Bitcoin was mainly driven by the former chain's much more sophisticated smart contract functionality, as well as popularity among DeFi users.

SMILE entitles its holders to participate in the decision-making process on key aspects of the bitSmiley protocol, such as minimum collateral rates, liquidation thresholds and rules, collateral types and more. The token also provides additional benefits and perks for its holders, including fee discounts and exclusive access to discounted auctions. The project team has also announced that SMILE may be used for staking on 

 — a platform that will host a series of DeFi apps focused on bitUSD.

SMILE has a total and maximum supply of 210 million. Of these, one percent (2.1 million SMILE) is reserved for eligible users who earned points during the Pre-season airdrop campaign in May 2024.

The SMILE token is available on Bybit's Spot market as a 

 (dedicated to the token) for the chance to earn a share of the 800,000 SMILE prize pool. Under the terms of the campaign, new users need to deposit at least 200 SMILE — or deposit at least 100 USDT and trade 100 USDT worth of SMILE on their first Spot trade — to qualify for a share of 400,000 free SMILE tokens. Any user can also trade at least 500 USDT worth of SMILE on the Spot market to earn their share of the 400,000 SMILE prize pool. The campaign is valid through Nov 19, 2024, 8:59PM UTC.

Bitcoin's DeFi niche has been growing strongly over the last few years, but many projects dedicated to this area stay within the confines of the still young BTCFi ecosystem. The bitSmiley platform has taken a different approach — instead of trying to rely on the still limited liquidity of Bitcoin, the project's bitUSD crypto serves as a bridge to larger DeFi ecosystems such as Ethereum. 

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bitSmiley (SMILE): Bringing Liquidity to Bitcoin DeFi

A $100,000 Bitcoin could profoundly affect individuals, influencing early investors' wealth and prompting new adopters to manage risks with strategies such as buy-and-hold, dollar-cost averaging, hedging, and diversification.

The meteoric rise of Bitcoin created millionaires and billionaires on its rise to an astonishing price of $68,530 in November 2021. As of Nov 6 2024, it has hit a new 

, driven by election results suggesting a lead for Trump over Harris, though the race remains ongoing.

If Bitcoin keeps climbing and hits that elusive six-figure mark, what would it mean for finance, technology and society? This article will explore the potential scenarios and implications of a $100,000 Bitcoin and consider the factors that could drive or slow its growth, as well as the potential challenges and opportunities.

The $100K Scenario: Feasibility and Timeline

, Bitcoin could reach an all-time high again in the fourth quarter of 2024. A thawing “crypto winter” could

 propel Bitcoin's price to $100,000, based on the following factors: 

Based on historical price movements, BTC halving cycles and other factors, analysts predict that Bitcoin could reach $100,000 or more by late 2024 or early 2025. One common reference point is the next 

 executed around April 2024, which cut miners' block rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 bitcoins. History has shown that Bitcoin tends to surge in price before and after each halving due to a supply shock that boosts Bitcoin's scarcity and value, often hitting new highs within a year. 

Upcoming Events That Could Cause a BTC Price Surge

Some of the possible catalysts that could propel Bitcoin to new highs in the future include the following.

Impact on Individuals and the Global Economy at $100K/BTC

Let’s take a look at the implications of Bitcoin reaching $100,000.

Impact on Early Investors and New Adopters

A $100K Bitcoin would have different impacts on early investors and new adopters, depending upon their goals, strategies and risk profiles. 

Strategies used to trade and invest in Bitcoin will vary, depending upon investor needs and time horizons. Following are a few common strategies.

Individual needs and circumstances determine the impact on financial planning. For some, this could mean achieving early retirement, financial independence or fulfilling their lifelong dreams. For others, it might mean having more savings to support their families and communities. 

If an investor’s portfolio has grown, a plan to rebalance it and sell concentrated positions may be necessary. In general, be careful not to let emotions cloud your judgment, and try to make rational and educated choices about your finances.

Impact on Traditional Financial Systems and Institutions

A potential rise in Bitcoin's value to $100,000 could lead to further excitement and adoption of cryptocurrencies, especially among those who wish to avoid government censorship. However, this shift could also create significant challenges related to consumer protection and financial safety. Governments are still figuring out how to tax and regulate crypto effectively while protecting consumers who are in essence becoming their own banks by holding Bitcoin. 

Achieving such a significant milestone could spark a wave of innovation and competition within the financial industry. Established intermediaries like banks and payment systems may face increasing pressure to provide more on- and off-ramps for Bitcoin. Results could include declining transaction costs, improved speed and efficiency of financial transactions, and new opportunities for financial inclusion and cross-border payments. Still, this surge of innovation may also bring new risks, such as regulatory uncertainties and funding mismatches, because traditional payments lag in speed.

In anticipation of such developments, authorities may consider regulations to rein in or endorse cryptocurrencies. Some governments might opt for restrictive measures, citing concerns over financial stability or consumer protections. Conversely, others might explore developing or adopting state-backed digital currencies to compete with or complement existing cryptocurrencies. For example, certain central banks are exploring the feasibility of issuing their own digital currencies, seeking to combine the benefits of digitization with the trust and oversight associated with the public sector.

Implications for International Trade and Global Currency Markets

With more consumer wealth tied up in Bitcoin, demand for it could increase as a medium of exchange for bigger ticket items like real estate or international trade. This shift could lower fees for international transactions while making real-time payments possible.

Operating independently of any governing authority, Bitcoin has limited supply that shields it from inflation, devaluation or manipulation by any single entity. It may attract individuals seeking to evade censorship or central authority on transactions. 

A $100,000 Bitcoin could introduce new dynamics to the foreign exchange market, generating fresh sources of demand and supply for various currencies. For instance, increased BTC usage for cross-border transactions would necessitate conversions between fiat and digital currencies. This phenomenon could impact exchange rates and the availability of on- and off-ramps for Bitcoin.

Bitcoin's emergence has also spurred innovation and competition within the financial sector, driving the development and adoption of new technologies and services to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of financial systems. The world’s foremost digital currency has also facilitated the rise of alternative financial service providers and platforms offering 

 lending, remittances and crowdfunding, potentially reducing transaction costs while enhancing speed and convenience.

The road to the top can be slick, and Bitcoin faces challenges and risks that could impact its price, adoption and sustainability. 

A $100,000 Bitcoin valuation could shake up cryptocurrency markets and highlight its place as 

 and a store of value. A substantial rise in BTC’s worth could validate Bitcoin’s role as a store of value, easier and more convenient to transact than commodities such as gold.

However, reaching a valuation of $100,000 isn’t guaranteed, and comes with its own risks and challenges. Regulation and scalability could limit its growth, and its volatility could also impact its investability. Additionally, Bitcoin faces competition from other cryptocurrencies and technologies that may offer alternative solutions.

The future of Bitcoin is uncertain — yet also exciting and promising. Bitcoin could become a global reserve currency, a digital gold, a catalyst for change or a tenured relic. Whatever change occurs, the question remains: Are you ready for it?

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What If A Bitcoin Is Worth $100K.png

What If a Bitcoin Were Worth $100K?

Fractal Bitcoin (FB) offers a Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin, enhancing scalability and transaction efficiency through recursive virtualization without compromising security or decentralization.

 (BTC), the world's oldest and largest blockchain, has long been regarded as the most secure platform in the cryptocurrency industry for asset transfers and storage. Over the last few years, innovations such as Bitcoin Ordinals, Runes tokens and the BRC-20 standard have further contributed to the chain's ecosystem diversification. However, despite its status as the industry leader and benchmark, Bitcoin suffers from several significant limitations, including poor scalability, network congestion and rising transaction fees.

 platform that builds directly on Bitcoin's technical foundation, Bitcoin Core, to address the issues of the blockchain's limited scalability and transaction inefficiency. Using an architectural setup known as recursive virtualization, the Fractal project aims to improve the scalability and efficiency of Bitcoin transactions without compromising the blockchain's famed security and decentralization advantages. Fractal could potentially be a key evolutionary development for the broader Bitcoin ecosystem as it's the first Layer 2 solution that directly leverages the blockchain's core technology without being a fork of it.

 (FB) is a Layer 2 Bitcoin scaling solution designed to enhance Bitcoin's scalability and extend its functionality while maintaining its core security and decentralization benefits.

 Set up as a sidechain platform, Fractal directly leverages the Bitcoin Core code.

Fractal Bitcoin uses recursive virtualization technology in its architectural setup to offer multiple layers that operate independently while remaining connected to the Bitcoin network. It's the first and only Bitcoin scaling solution that applies virtualization within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Each layer operates independently, leveraging Bitcoin's underlying 

. This ensures that Fractal is capable of offering its scalability benefits without sacrificing the security of transactions.

Layers can be spun off as needed, creating a truly flexible and scalable platform for conducting Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, Fractal's sidechain supports 

 functionality, opening the way to using 

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