Cardano Founder Predicts Bitcoin (BTC) DeFi TVL Will Surpass Ethereum’s Entire Market Cap – Here’s Why
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has never been shy about making bold predictions. His latest one might be his biggest yet: he believes Bitcoin will one day dominate DeFi and even surpass Ethereum’s entire market cap when it comes to total value locked.
Hoskinson calls Bitcoin the “sleeping giant” of DeFi. Unlike Ethereum, which has spent years building out decentralized applications and a $91 billion DeFi TVL, Bitcoin hasn’t developed its own DeFi ecosystem yet. That, Hoskinson argues, is exactly why its potential is so massive.
He believes that once Bitcoin unlocks real DeFi capabilities, billions of dollars will flow into it, far more than Ethereum has today. To put that into perspective, Ethereum’s total market cap is currently about $520.78 billion, and Hoskinson thinks Bitcoin DeFi alone could top that number.
A big part of his reasoning comes down to who he thinks will adopt it. Hoskinson predicts that sovereign entities and major financial institutions, including giants like BlackRock, will be more willing to build on Bitcoin than on Ethereum. If he’s right, that could create a wave of liquidity heading straight into Bitcoin’s future DeFi layer.
#Cardano Founder Predicts #Bitcoin DeFi TVL Will Surpass Ethereum Entire Market Cap.
— TheCryptoBasic (@thecryptobasic) September 9, 2025
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has raised eyebrows with his latest remarks on the future of decentralized finance, warning that Bitcoin could overthrow Ethereum as the leader of the sector.… pic.twitter.com/9NeSWnzxDp
Why Not Ethereum?
So why not just use Ethereum to power Bitcoin DeFi? Hoskinson doesn’t think it makes sense. In his view, the relationship between the two blockchains is too adversarial for Ethereum to play that role. Instead, he sees other options stepping in.
He pointed to alternative blockchains like Cardano itself, as well as Bitcoin-focused layer-2s such as Stacks, as the platforms best positioned to provide the infrastructure Bitcoin needs.
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Hoskinson’s Consistent Message
This isn’t a new theme for Hoskinson. He’s been saying for a while now that Bitcoin will eventually take the lead in DeFi, overtaking not just Ethereum but also Solana. And it’s no surprise that he wants Cardano to play a central role in that shift.
Hoskinson’s prediction is ambitious, and plenty of people will see it as far-fetched. After all, Ethereum still dominates DeFi today, with a head start of nearly $100 billion in TVL. But his comments highlight a growing conversation in crypto: what if Bitcoin evolves beyond just being “digital gold”?
If Bitcoin (BTC) really does wake up as the sleeping giant Hoskinson describes, the balance of power in DeFi could look very different in the years ahead.
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