Robbie Mitchnick, Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, stated that Bitcoin investors are not betting on it becoming a global payment network. He described Bitcoin's payment function as an "out-of-the-money call option" with the primary investment narrative still centered on its role as "digital gold" or a store of value. Mitchnick highlighted that significant advancements in scalability and the Lightning Network are needed for Bitcoin to be a viable payment tool. In contrast, Mitchnick noted that stablecoins have achieved significant success in the payments sector and are poised to expand from crypto trading and DeFi into retail remittances, corporate cross-border payments, and capital market settlements. While Bitcoin may still hold competitive potential in retail remittances, its prospects for large-scale payments remain speculative.