At Consensus Hong Kong 2026, Bitcoin layer-2 developers emphasized the potential of BTCFi as a new growth area for institutional investors. Leaders from Citrea, Rootstock Labs, and BlockSpaceForce highlighted the shift from viewing Bitcoin solely as "digital gold" to leveraging it as a programmable financial base layer. Gabe Parker of Citrea noted the focus on making Bitcoin a productive asset through programmability rather than just scaling. Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar of Rootstock Labs described the evolving role of Bitcoin's layers, with layer one as a store of value, layer two as an economic coordination layer, and layer three as a scaling layer. Panelists discussed the increasing institutional interest in bitcoin-backed lending and yield strategies, while also addressing trust issues with centralized custodians. The consensus was that BTCFi could significantly impact global markets if even a small portion of Bitcoin enters decentralized finance.