Bitcoin: From Digital Gold to Economic Enabler

For a long time, Bitcoin was considered "digital gold," untouched by the whims of the traditional financial world. However, for Carolyn Reckhow, COO of Thesis, this is just the beginning of a new chapter. With a history dating back to 2014, Thesis is one of the pioneers in the Bitcoin ecosystem and aims to further develop Bitcoin into a complete economic layer. In a new interview, Reckhow describes her vision: while Bitcoin continues to dominate as an asset, a functional economic system must be created on the blockchain. This includes the use of Bitcoin in everyday scenarios such as home financing or participation in the decentralized finance ecosystem (DeFi), leveraging the unparalleled security of the cryptocurrency. One project that has made Thesis well-known is Fold. Started in 2014 as a bitcoin rewards concept for credit cards, Fold has now established itself as a major gateway into the Bitcoin world. However, the crucial step came in 2020 with the introduction of tBTC, the decentralized bridge for Bitcoin, enabling use across various blockchains like Arbitrum and Solana. Another highlight of the Thesis initiatives is the Acre project, a liquid staking protocol that offers staking and yield generation on Bitcoin. The ability to actively use Bitcoin represents an interesting advancement. Additionally, there is a reference to the integration of tBTC into leading DeFi platforms like Aave, marking a milestone in decentralization. Although Bitcoin Layer-2 projects are still in their infancy, Reckhow views the competition from other initiatives such as Stacks and Babylon positively. This rivalry fosters development in a still young market. With the recent approval of Bitcoin ETFs and growing institutional interest, the potential of Bitcoin is greater than ever, yet there remains a long road ahead.