**Bitlayer Secures Additional $9M in Series A Funding**

Bitcoin layer-2 platform Bitlayer has extended its Series A funding round, drawing an extra $9 million from investors like Franklin Templeton Digital Assets and Polychain Capital. Other contributors include SCB Limited, RW3 Ventures, Selini Capital, and G-20 Group.

Bitlayer, known for its OpVM solution, which enhances Bitcoin's verification capabilities, launched its mainnet in April 2024. The platform has already generated nearly $900 million in fees and holds a total value locked of $380.7 million, according to DefiLlama.

The new funds will support the launch of Bitlayer v2. The startup has now raised $25 million in total, with backing from firms such as Framework Ventures and OKX Ventures.

In related news, Franklin Templeton is exploring ways to unlock yield through Bitcoin, potentially collaborating with Bitlayer on staking and ecosystem development.