Bitcoin on Starknet is now used to secure Starknet by allowing users to delegate Bitcoin for staking and earn STRK rewards; StarkWare and the Starknet Foundation are promoting Bitcoin-denominated products and incentives to grow Bitcoin DeFi on the layer-2.
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Bitcoin delegation now secures Starknet and earns STRK rewards.
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StarkWare and Starknet Foundation are funding Bitcoin activity with STRK incentives.
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Starknet uses zero-knowledge proofs to bring Bitcoin programmability without custody tradeoffs; STRK market cap was $498M as reported by CoinGecko.
Bitcoin on Starknet: stake BTC to secure the layer-2 and earn STRK rewards — learn how to participate, protocol design, and what it means for Bitcoin DeFi.
What is Bitcoin on Starknet?
Bitcoin on Starknet is a feature that lets users delegate Bitcoin to help secure the Starknet Ethereum layer-2 and receive STRK rewards. The system enables Bitcoin to participate in Starknet validation without losing custody, aiming to expand Bitcoin use in DeFi while leveraging Starknet’s zero-knowledge cryptography.
How does Bitcoin staking on Starknet work?
Starknet users can delegate BTC to the network and earn rewards paid in STRK, Starknet’s native token. StarkWare describes the approach as non-custodial: delegators retain control of their assets while participating in validation activities. This design emphasizes security and composability within Starknet’s existing architecture.
StarkWare said RE7, a London-based investment firm, is building a Bitcoin-denominated yield product on Starknet. The Starknet Foundation plans to allocate 100 million STRK to stimulate Bitcoin-related activity on the network, per StarkWare’s announcement.
Why is this important for Bitcoin and DeFi?
Bringing Bitcoin into Starknet aims to unlock broader financialization of Bitcoin by combining BTC liquidity with Starknet’s execution and programmability. Eli Ben-Sasson, StarkWare co-founder and CEO, noted Bitcoin is “pristine capital” whose DeFi use has been limited by centralized exchange dynamics. Starknet intends to make Bitcoin more usable in borrowing and lending on-chain.
When did Starknet add Bitcoin staking?
Starknet announced Bitcoin delegation and staking on a recent Tuesday via a press release from StarkWare. Implementation details and incentive programs were outlined alongside partnerships and foundation allocations to accelerate Bitcoin activity on Starknet.
What are the rewards and token economics?
Participants who stake Bitcoin on Starknet receive STRK as rewards. As of the latest available data, STRK had a market capitalization of $498 million and was trading around $0.122 after a 74% decline year-over-year; STRK had previously hit an all-time high of $4.41 in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bitcoin maximalists accept this model?
Some Bitcoin maximalists may object because rewards are paid in STRK rather than exclusively in BTC. Projects that add programmability to Bitcoin often mix BTC payouts with native-token incentives; Starknet’s design follows this industry pattern while emphasizing non-custodial security.
How does zero-knowledge technology factor into this?
Starknet leverages a zero-knowledge proof system introduced by Eli Ben-Sasson in 2018. Zero-knowledge proofs enable scalability and privacy-preserving operations, and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has highlighted advanced cryptography as a tool to balance privacy with compliance. StarkWare sees ZK proofs as a route to extend such benefits to Bitcoin use cases.
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin on Starknet: Allows BTC delegation to secure Starknet and earn STRK rewards.
- Non-custodial design: StarkWare emphasizes users retain custody while participating.
- Strategic incentives: Starknet Foundation plans to use 100M STRK to drive Bitcoin activity and products like the RE7 yield offering.
How to participate in Bitcoin staking on Starknet (overview)
1. Prepare a non-custodial wallet that supports Starknet interactions.
2. Follow Starknet’s on-chain flow to delegate BTC (protocol-specific steps provided in official Starknet documentation).
3. Monitor rewards in STRK and track any foundation incentive programs for additional yield.
Conclusion
Starknet’s addition of Bitcoin delegation integrates BTC into a layer-2 execution environment, aiming to expand Bitcoin’s role in DeFi while keeping user custody intact. With STRK incentives and zero-knowledge technology, Starknet seeks to position itself as a key financialization and execution layer for Bitcoin in the coming years. Follow official Starknet communications and COINOTAG coverage for updates and protocol details.
Author: COINOTAG
Published: 2025-09-30
Updated: 2025-09-30
