Rootstock (RSK) occupies a unique niche as the leading EVM-compatible smart contract platform secured by Bitcoin's hashrate through merge-mining. This architecture gives RSK a compelling security proposition—it inherits a significant portion of Bitcoin's mining power without requiring additional energy expenditure. RBTC, pegged 1:1 to BTC via a federated bridge (PowPeg), enables Bitcoin holders to access DeFi without selling their BTC, which is a strong value proposition for Bitcoin maximalists seeking yield opportunities.

The platform's EVM compatibility allows Ethereum developers to deploy Solidity smart contracts with minimal friction, though the ecosystem remains considerably smaller than Ethereum L2s or competing chains. DeFi TVL on RSK has historically been modest compared to peers, with projects like Sovryn and Money on Chain anchoring the ecosystem. The federated bridge model, while functional, introduces trust assumptions that pure Bitcoin advocates may find concerning.

Strengths include Bitcoin-grade security, a dedicated development team (IOV Labs), and growing institutional interest in Bitcoin-native DeFi. Concerns center around limited ecosystem growth, lower developer adoption relative to Ethereum L2s, and the semi-centralized nature of the PowPeg bridge. RSK remains a solid infrastructure play for Bitcoin-centric DeFi but needs broader adoption to fulfill its potential.