Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Evolves from Digital Gold to a Powerhouse for DeFi and AI

The

ecosystem is experiencing significant changes as capital from the leading cryptocurrency is redirected into decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, while established miners shift their focus to high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI). These developments illustrate Bitcoin's expanding function beyond simple value storage, with industry participants increasingly viewing it as a core building block for financial systems.

The most recent milestone is the expansion of

(WBTC) onto , a blockchain boasting a $7 billion market cap. This move is part of a larger movement integrating Bitcoin with DeFi, allowing holders to use their BTC for lending, trading, and earning yields. Jacob Phillips, co-founder of the liquid staking platform Finance, highlighted at the Bitcoin 2025 conference that "Bitcoin DeFi is focused on creating a trustless and permissionless financial ecosystem around Bitcoin, transforming it from a passive asset into an active financial tool." Binance has also backed this vision, referring to it as "BTCFi," and believes it could spark a new wave of Bitcoin adoption .

At the same time, traditional Bitcoin mining companies are encountering major obstacles.

(BITF), a Canadian mining firm, revealed plans to gradually exit Bitcoin mining in favor of building out HPC/AI infrastructure. CEO Ben Gagnon explained that converting their Washington facility to offer GPU-as-a-Service could yield higher net operating profits than mining ever did, and manage debt as it transitions away from mining by 2027. This strategic change reflects the industry's growing challenges, as rising energy expenses and regulatory hurdles make mining less attractive compared to the lucrative prospects of AI.

On the other hand, demand for Bitcoin mining remains strong. Singapore-based cloud mining provider BitFuFu reported a 100% increase in revenue year-over-year for Q3 2025, fueled by heightened interest in cloud mining and hardware sales. The company generated $180.7 million in total revenue, with $122 million coming from cloud mining services. BitFuFu credited this surge to Bitcoin's price jump, which averaged $114,500 in Q3, up from $61,000 the year before. The platform's user numbers grew by more than 40%, and

, a significant rise from 687.19 million in the previous year.

These trends highlight Bitcoin's evolving dual nature: it remains a speculative asset while also serving as a vital component in the development of new financial and technological infrastructures. As DeFi solutions advance and established players adjust to shifting market conditions, Bitcoin's reputation as "digital gold" is being redefined by its practical applications in decentralized finance and AI-powered systems.