Introduction to Bitcoin-Native Yield & BitVMX-Powered Layer-2s

Blockchain
Bitcoin
DeFi
Layer 2
RWA

Until recently, Bitcoin was seen purely as a store of value, an asset to hold, not to use. Yield, composability, and smart contract execution were concepts reserved for Ethereum and other programmable chains. But in 2025, that’s changing. New computation frameworks like BitVMX now allow Bitcoin to support Layer-2 networks, native DeFi, and yield generation, without changing Bitcoin’s core consensus. This course explains how.

About the Course

This course introduces learners to the growing field of Bitcoin-native yield and the technical foundation powering it: BitVMX. Across five structured modules, you'll explore how yield works in crypto, why Bitcoin has lacked it until now, and how BitVMX unlocks secure programmability through off-chain computation and on-chain enforcement. You’ll also discover real-world Bitcoin Layer-2s, earning strategies, risk models, and future research directions.

What You Will Learn

  • What crypto yield is and why Bitcoin has historically lacked it
  • How BitVMX enables smart contract-like computation on Bitcoin
  • Which Bitcoin Layer-2s are live today and what they do
  • How to earn real BTC yield through lending, LPs, RWAs, and validators
  • The technical, regulatory, and UX challenges still ahead
Introduction to Bitcoin-Native Yield & BitVMX-Powered Layer-2s
Introduction to Bitcoin-Native Yield & BitVMX-Powered Layer-2s
Learned
5Updated
1Learners

Pre-Course Information

Supported Languages

بالعربية
Português (Brasil)
简体中文
English
Español
Français (Afrique)
Bahasa Indonesia
日本語
Português (Portugal)
Русский
繁體中文
Українська
Tiếng Việt

Suitable For

Intermediate

Instructors

Gate Learn

Gate Learn

Official Team
Gate Exchange's educational platform covers a wide range of topics, including blockchain, popular projects, trading, finance, and more. It aims to provide those interested in the Web3 industry with the most comprehensive information possible to improve their knowledge.
Author
Piero Tozzi
Reviewer(s)
Shirley