Bitcoin's Limitations

While Bitcoin remains the gold standard of cryptocurrency, its architecture presents significant challenges:

Speed Constraints - Bitcoin processes approximately 7 transactions per second with 10-minute block times. This makes real-time payments impractical and creates network congestion during high-demand periods.

High Transaction Fees - During network congestion, Bitcoin fees can spike to $20-50+ per transaction, making it economically unviable for small purchases or frequent transfers.

Limited Programmability - Bitcoin's scripting language is intentionally limited, preventing the smart contract functionality that powers modern DeFi applications.

Energy Consumption - Bitcoin's Proof-of-Work consensus, while secure, consumes enormous energy resources, creating sustainability concerns.