Different roles. Different assumptions.
A base chain, an oracle service and a lending protocol are not interchangeable categories.
| Dimension | Bitcoin | Ethereum | Chainlink | Aave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Monetary settlement | Programmable execution | Data and messaging | Pooled liquidity |
| Consensus | Proof of work | Proof of stake | Service-specific networks; host chains | Uses its host chains |
| Asset role | BTC: value and fees | ETH: gas, staking | LINK: service economics | AAVE: governance |
| Key dependencies | Hash power, nodes, keys | Validators, clients, contracts | Sources, operators, consumers | Contracts, oracles, liquidity |
