Build on Bitcoin (BOB) has raised $21 million to enhance native Bitcoin DeFi capabilities, aiming to launch a bridge and hybrid layer 2 infrastructure.
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BOB secured $9.5 million in its latest funding round, attracting both existing and new investors.
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Nic Carter of Castle Island emphasizes Bitcoin’s potential as the foundation of DeFi.
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BOB plans to launch BTC-staked finality by the end of 2025, connecting to other smart contract chains.
Build on Bitcoin has raised $21 million to enhance native BTC DeFi, aiming for a bridge launch and institutional backing. Read more for insights.
Funding Round | Amount Raised | Key Investors |
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Latest Round | $9.5 million | Castle Island, Anchorage, Amber Group |
What is Build on Bitcoin (BOB)?
Build on Bitcoin (BOB) is a layer-2 blockchain network designed to unlock native Bitcoin DeFi capabilities. It aims to bridge Bitcoin with Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem, enhancing usability and security.
How Does BOB Enhance Bitcoin DeFi?
BOB employs a hybrid chain model, combining Bitcoin’s security with Ethereum’s versatility. This allows users to interact with DeFi applications using their native BTC directly, without the need for wrapping or custody.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the recent funding for BOB?
The recent $21 million funding round is crucial for BOB’s development, allowing it to enhance its infrastructure and expand its DeFi capabilities.
How does BOB’s BitVM2 work?
BitVM2 enables users to interact with DeFi applications using their native BTC directly, facilitating trust-minimized bridging without custody or wrapping.
Key Takeaways
- Funding Success: BOB raised $21 million to enhance its DeFi capabilities.
- Innovative Technology: The BitVM2 allows direct interaction with DeFi using native BTC.
- Future Plans: BTC-staked finality is set for launch by the end of 2025.
Conclusion
Build on Bitcoin is paving the way for a new era of native BTC DeFi, with significant funding and innovative technology. As the project progresses, it promises to enhance Bitcoin’s role in the DeFi landscape, making it more accessible and secure for users.
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Build on Bitcoin has successfully raised $21 million to enhance its DeFi capabilities, marking a significant milestone in the crypto space.
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With a focus on bridging Bitcoin and Ethereum, BOB aims to provide users with direct access to DeFi applications.
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Investors like Castle Island are doubling down on their commitments, indicating strong confidence in BOB’s future.
Build on Bitcoin is set to revolutionize the DeFi landscape by enabling native BTC usage, enhancing security and usability for all users.
Bridging Bitcoin and Ethereum
BOB uses the hybrid chain model, which combines the security and stability of Bitcoin with the versatility of Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem.
BOB is a hybrid because it is simultaneously a member of the Superchain, leveraging the OP Stack as an Ethereum rollup, and also a Bitcoin-secured network, integrating with Babylon for Bitcoin finality via billions of dollars of staked BTC.

As of Aug. 7, 2025, BOB’s total value locked is $212 million, DeFi TVL is $132.2 million, with 553,000 users.
Related: Build on Bitcoin adds ZK-proofs in upgrade toward decentralization

Native Bitcoin DeFi is on the way
Previously, Bitcoin DeFi largely relied on centralized institutions or wrapped Bitcoin tokens such as wBTC, tBTC, and Huobi BTC. These so-called “Bitcoin” tokens were representations of real BTC, where users deposited their genuine BTC with a centralized or multisignature custodian in exchange for a tokenized version that could be used on-chain.
While all BTC bridges have historically relied on multisignature custody, BOB’s BitVM2 allows users to interact with DeFi applications using their native BTC directly—no custody, no wrapping required.
BitVM2 is the latest BitVM design, co-authored by BOB co-founder Alexei Zamyatin. It enables practical fraud proofs on Bitcoin, which allows users to enforce trust-minimized bridging between the Bitcoin L1 and BOB.
By leveraging this technology, BOB aims to bring Bitcoin closer to Ethereum-style decentralized finance, allowing Bitcoin users to engage in DeFi without losing control of their assets. The network aims to preserve Bitcoin’s security while enabling interaction with Ethereum-based DeFi protocols.
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