• Rootstock saw QoQ growth in Q4 in total transactions and merged-mining participation, reflecting slightly higher throughput alongside stronger miner-secured network security. • In contrast, user activity and liquidity softened QoQ in alignment with broader market trends, with declines across average daily transactions, active addresses, new addresses, DeFi TVL (USD and rBTC terms), total protocol TVL, and aggregate stablecoin TVL. • Key technical progress focused on bridge hardening and developer tooling: Reed 8.0 went live on mainnet with SegWit-enabled PowPeg (reducing BTC peg-out costs), Flyover v2.3 introduced improved automation and UX for bridging, and Reed 8.1 advanced testnet scalability work through parallel transaction processing, alongside early-stage post-quantum security research. • Rootstock saw the launch of Rootstock Institutional, a strategic initiative aimed at helping professionals tap into an estimated $260 billion in idle institutional Bitcoin by integrating BTC into DeFi. • Additionally, Mercado Bitcoin deployed over $20 million in tokenized private credit on the Rootstock sidechain. • The RootstockCollective DAO scaled its governance stack in Q4 with V7.0, V7.1, V8.0, and V8.1, improving onboarding (fiat-to-RIF onramp + social login), expanding rewards flexibility through USDRIF payouts, adding mobile proposal/voting support, and continuing structured grant execution across tooling, ecosystem growth programs, and delegate compensation.

Article Summaries:

  • State of Rootstock Q4 2025

Rootstock’s Q4 saw modest QoQ growth in total transactions (2.9 %) and a strong rise in merge‑mining participation (up to 88 %), underscoring continued Bitcoin miner security. However, user activity and liquidity fell QoQ, with declines in daily transactions, active addresses, new addresses, DeFi TVL, total protocol TVL, and stablecoin TVL, mirroring broader market softness. Revenue dropped 12.3 % QoQ to $156,885, a 57.1 % YoY decline, driven by lower average fees. Technical milestones included Reed 8.0 mainnet launch, Flyover v2.3 UX improvements, and Reed 8.1 testnet scalability work. The Rootstock Institutional initiative and Mercado Bitcoin’s $20 M tokenized credit launch expanded institutional engagement. The DAO rolled out governance upgrades (V7.0‑V8.1) enhancing onboarding, rewards, and mobile voting.

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