Bitlayer (BTR)@BitlayerLabs is a next-generation Bitcoin Layer-2 protocol built on BitVM, designed to bring scalability, programmability, and security to the Bitcoin ecosystem. By combining Bitcoin’s settlement layer with advanced technologies like zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-STARKs), Bitlayer enables fast, low-cost transactions and Turing-complete smart contracts, unlocking decentralized applications (dApps) and DeFi directly on Bitcoin.
The protocol adopts a dual finality model—instant confirmations through Proof-of-Stake (soft finality) and ultimate settlement on Bitcoin after a short challenge period (hard finality). Its BitVM Bridge provides a trust-minimized gateway for BTC transfers across major ecosystems including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Starknet, and Sui, with more cross-chain integrations in development. Within the network, YBTC acts as a BTC-backed native token for gas, staking, governance, and DeFi activities.
Founded in 2023 by Kevin He and Charlie Hu, both veterans with experience at Huobi, Polygon, and Polkadot, Bitlayer is headquartered in Singapore. The project has raised over $11 million from leading investors such as Polychain Capital, OKX Ventures, Framework Ventures, GSR, and Franklin Templeton. Today, Bitlayer secures more than $550 million in TVL, supports 300+ projects, and serves a growing community of 700,000+ users, positioning Bitcoin as the foundation of a programmable financial future.