Bitcoin’s next evolution isn’t just about price. It’s about potential. On this week’s episode of The Clear Crypto Podcast, hosts Nathan Jeffay and Gareth Jenkinson sit down with Isabel Foxen Duke, general partner at Unbroken Chain and longtime Bitcoin advocate, to unpack what she calls “Bitcoin Season 2.” Bitcoin Season 2 is really about seeing what we can do with Bitcoin outside of just being money, said Duke. New developments like ordinals, runes, and decentralized financial (DeFi) tools are pushing Bitcoin beyond its traditional identity as a digital store of value. One key innovation under discussion is trustless lending — allowing users to borrow against their Bitcoin without involving third-party intermediaries. Duke mentioned that lending against Bitcoin in a trustless way is an important use case in the real world. An emerging solution involves Discreet Log Contracts (DLCs), which let users maintain control of their Bitcoin while using it as collateral. Smart contract logic enforces repayment, not a central authority. Duke is equally excited about trustless bridging, which could allow Bitcoin to interact with external computation platforms without compromising its decentralized ethos. Looking ahead, Jenkinson highlighted how Bitcoin-native DeFi could unlock real-world financial access for people excluded from traditional banking. To hear the full conversation on The Clear Crypto Podcast, listen to the episode on Cointelegraph’s Podcasts page, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Don’t forget to check out Cointelegraph’s full lineup of other shows!