tBTC Launches on Starknet: Enabling a New Era for Bitcoin in Multi-Chain DeFi
In a major step towards expanding Bitcoin’s use case in decentralized finance (DeFi), Threshold Network has officially launched tBTC on the Starknet network, an advanced ZK-Rollup platform. This integration allows users to use BTC as a functional DeFi capital, with transaction fees as low as $0.01, while retaining full control over their assets.
tBTC on Starknet: From Storage to Yielding Asset
tBTC represents a 1:1 representation of native BTC that can now be minted directly on Starknet through Threshold’s user interface. Unlike Wrapped BTC solutions that rely on centralized custodians, tBTC operates through a decentralized threshold signature mechanism, protecting user ownership and privacy.
“Bitcoins on the mainnet are like gold bars in a store of value but are difficult to use. On Starknet, at $0.01 per transaction, BTC can operate seamlessly in DeFi and micropayment strategies.” MacLane Wilkison, co-founder of Threshold Labs.
Advantages: Low Fees, Fast Confirmations, High Performance
Bitcoin Mainnet Index tBTC on Starknet
Average Fee $1.49 $0.01
Confirmation Time 10–60 Minutes Near-Instant
Transaction Throughput ~7 TPS 857 TPS (tested)
With its low fees and high processing speed, Starknet makes BTC flexible for complex use cases such as high-frequency trading, collateralized lending, and liquidity provisioning.
DeFi Applications Upon Launch
DEX trading on Ekubo, Starknet’s native trading platform, provides efficient tBTC liquidity and low slippage.
Collateralized lending on Vesu (coming soon) allows users to borrow funds using tBTC as collateral without giving up custody.
Users can now:
Implement trading or yield farming strategies.
Provide liquidity with minimal rebalancing fees.
Trade, stake, or pay online with BTC.
Use BTC in gaming, instant payments, automated strategies, and smart contract systems.
Growth Opportunity: Bitcoin in DeFi
Despite Bitcoin’s $2.1 trillion market cap, less than 0.3% of BTC is being used in DeFi ($6.3 billion according to DefiLlama). Removing the high-fee barrier and opening up options to use BTC as flexible capital could drive 10–15x growth in the Bitcoin DeFi space.
“Cost has long held back BTC’s use in DeFi. With Starknet, we are opening the door to thousands of ideas that were previously stifled.” Damian Chen, Head of Growth at Starknet Foundation.
Self-Sovereign Custody & Uncompromising Security
tBTC is secured by a 51/100 threshold signature system, where no single entity controls the assets. The lack of KYC and reliance on third parties helps tBTC stay true to the decentralized spirit of Bitcoin. Starknet also uses STARK proofs – compressing thousands of transactions into a single valid proof, maintaining Ethereum-level security.
Accessing tBTC On Starknet
Users can access tBTC on Starknet in two ways:
Directly mint BTC → tBTC: Threshold Mint
Bridge from Ethereum L1: StarkGate Bridge
Currently, Starknet has recorded:
$547 million TVL
193 DeFi protocols
11,000 daily active users
Introducing Threshold Network & Starknet
Threshold Network: The protocol behind tBTC Decentralized Bitcoin backed 1:1. With over $3.6 billion in bridge volume since 2020 and over $450 million in TVL, Threshold is a leader in the non-custodial, multi-chain Bitcoin space.
Starknet: A high-performance ZK-Rollup platform developed by StarkWare, providing a scaling solution for Ethereum with maximum security, fast finalization, and extremely low fees.